Have you get it working yet?

Thanks for the interest MJ. Sadly not! If it's ok with you, I'll PM you with the saga rather than bore the rest of the community with my IT inadequacies. Away in the sim at the mo - be in touch on Fri PM.

Regards
mcdhu

Nah mate it adds to the group knowledge if you do it on this thread.

I have been out of the business for 7 years now, its quite good having Saab and others as top cover for when I am talking bollocks.

What your trying to do is a medium level solution to a problem, its a proper fix not a bodge job. Nothing to be embarrassed about if it is not playing. There are quite a few IT highly payed contractors I used to work with who it would hit and miss chucking them the box and telling them to make it so.

Have fun in the sim.

PS I am in +3 timezone.

My TP-link TL-PS310U is apparently on its way (like me). Several items bought last week with "48 hour delivery" hadn't arrived a week later, so maybe it'll be there when I get back home. I'll report back.

Please keep us informed about the Silex: it's all part of the learning experience and "what works/what doesn't" database!

Some success, but...
 

Lurking on this thread, I thought to meself: a bi-directional server - good, esp. as I can then link 'er indoors to the scanner and me to the photo printer rather than the rather convoluted 'shared printer route I've used so far. (I have a Netgear PS121 connected to the laser, which is rock solid, and useable by us both, but can only handle one USB connection and is unidirectional.)

So, Like Keef, I ordered a TP Link. Arrived this morning, and installed with only minor looking-for-software pauses. Good. On both computers. Good, er, not so good.

Turns out that if I print a page from my m/c, I have to 'release' that link before 'er m/c can use the printer. Since we typically have sessions when we're both working like mad, printing a few random pages each here and there, this is a nuisance.

I'm wondering if I can play with some 'time out' function in the server to 'release' the link, without then having to log back on again to print.

No more time to play now, but if anyone has useful comments to hurry things up, then fine; otherwise I'll report back / wait to see how Keef gets on with the beestie.

The Silex is back in its box in the cupboard awaiting another go when I am moved to do it. What happened? OK - there were 4 phases to the installation.
1. Connect Product to the network - ie Silex to router with cable. Easy
2. Initial confuguration which went fine too.
3. Install the application - a bit of a faff for those not too gifted with all this, but ok.
4. Use the Canon printer - this is where it went wrong. Could I 'connect' the various PCs Laptops etc to the printer? NO! All was done iaw the on screen instructions etc so no real clue as to what went wrong.

Anyway, back to the drawing board, but a total uninstall/reinstall of the previous config has resulted, thus far, in the lad not being kicked off the printer yet. Maybe applying the latest drivers for the printer has helped.

I'll have another go when I have time, but thus far no need.
We live and learn - still!
Cheers
mcdhu

Well this is what I would do

1. Turn all PC's off and silex and reboot router

2. Turn silex on. Then once its up and running 1 PC

3. Go to router config page

192.0.0.1 in a browser or something like that if you don't have an icon for it.

Look at the status page and it should give you attached devices. The first one should be your silex look for its MAC code its a heap of hex numbers and write it down.

Now on your router there should be a config page to allow you to assign a fixed IP address if you put in that MAC address you wrote down and give it a fixed IP address with the 3 first sets of numbers the same as the status page but ending this time in 100 for the last three numbers.

Then reboot router then silex again.

The reason for this is because everything prefers a fixed IP address for a network resource many don't bother but its pretty bullet proof if you can be bothered and also helps trouble shooting. I always do this with fixed resources others don't and may say you don't need to bother but it has always been worth it in my opinion.

Quick check of the router and make sure its been assigned the new IP address ending in 100.

Also make sure that the first 3 sets of numbers are also the same.

When starting your silex configuration ensure the DHCP is checked in the network box.

Then if you get a cmd box up (the old dos box)

type "ping xxx.xxx.xxx.100" and it should come up with a heap of bollocks about packets and times. If it doesn't report back here.

What this does is check that the 2 boxes can talk to each other over TCP/IP.

Then follow the instructions for the client software.

I have a sneaky feeling its a IP network problem that once you have sorted that out the rest will work.

This is the installation manual I have found on line. http://www.silexeurope.com/media/set...upguide_eu.pdf

Please do try it again but I can understand you have better things to do.


I do apologise if my instructions don't follow logically to you.

I find it quite hard putting in writing what seems to me a logical troubleshooting flow.

Feel free anyone to pick holes or add steps to make it easier to understand.

Jimtherev,

I must point out that I did mention the fact that only one pc at a time can control the peripheral in my post:

"I should just point out that only one pc can have "ownership" of a device at any time, unlike an office printer where tasks are queued, but this isn't a problem for a SOHO environment. "Ownership" is via a small app that runs on each pc on the network which shows the devices available and their status. Connecting/disconnecting to a device takes a second or so."

I doubt you'll find any print server will offer anything better as we are, after all, talking about devices designed to operate over usb connected to a single pc.

Perhaps you need to improve your communication skills - ie learn to shout to each other across the room/house!

Best wishes.

M_J Thank you for taking the time to set out your method. The link you posted was the same as the hard copy which came in the box.

I will give it another go and I've printed off you instructions since it may be a little while. LoCo keeps us all fairly busy as I'm sure you know and these things are time consuming however good you are with it all.

Again, thanks for your help.

Cheers
mcdhu

Know where your coming from earlies then lates and the last thing you want to do when you get home is fanny about with a print server.

Thanks, itwasme. Yes, I did read that in your first post, but didn't take on board the full implication.

Actually, one of the attractions of the Netgear device is that it does do "better" than that. It doesn't ask who's in possession - it just sees a print command - and if there's more than one, then it queues 'em, like a good'un. So, it's back to the Netgear ps for our routine stuff (I did typo then 'routing' - the great thing is we don't have to worry about routes or ownership nor nuffin - it just works transparently: hence my disappointment with the TP device.)

I will still use the TP for stuff like the scanner and photo printer and an extra webcam, in which Mrs jtr has no interest.

As for shouting at one another... the muttering's bad enough, thank you very much :).

Thanks anyway.

Yep, I had the same experience as Jim. This evening I installed the device, which was waiting for me at the Post Office when I got back home.

It works sort-of: the first faff was that it wants to be 192.168.0.10 and if you need to use anything different (which I do) then you have to read the instructions for your computer - not for the device. Since there weren't any instructions for my computer (ever), I told the router about this orphan device, and all was well on that score.

That done, and the software having installed itself about four times (no idea why, it just wanted to), the desktop and the laptop could print through it.

It seemed quite happy to have my high-speed USB hub connected to it, and could see that there were devices there.

Snag one: the USB scanner wasn't in its vocabulary. That was an "oh bother". I didn't connect any of the other potential "shared USB devices" pending further investigation.

The second snag was the faff to use it. Having to start the software, connect, print, disconnect and shut down the software each time proved too much of a pain after about ten minutes.

It's back in its box and the printers and scanner are connected direct to the desktop again. As far as the two computers are concerned, there are two printers in the room and I can "just print" to them as long as the desktop is switched on (which it almost always is).

Anyone want a TP-LINK TL-PS310U, fifteen minutes use, known to be working OK on 1 December 2009?

As a suggestion mchdu.

If I was in the country I would say send it to me to scare it into working.

Maybe one of the other PPruners could have a go at making it work.

Actually, Keef, mine didn't insist it was 192 168 etc: I work on 10.0.0. etc and it accepted that and configured itself as ...8 without any intervention from me. The inst. manual does say it tries to be DHCP client; it did... yours was obviously 'avin a mood.

As I said, for the time being I'll use it as a network extension, and see if, later, I can use some bullying tactix on it to make it bend to my will.

But no, Keef, I don't want another one!

Jim,
"Yes, I did read that in your first post, but didn't take on board the full implication."
May I suggest - RTFP twice?:ugh:

The Netgear WILL work better for you in your scenario, but only with a max of 3 PCs and with only UNIDIRECTIONAL support. The OP was looking for bi-directional support for an unspecified number of users.

Keef,

"It works sort-of: the first faff was that it wants to be 192.168.0.10 and if you need to use anything different (which I do) then you have to read the instructions for your computer - not for the device. Since there weren't any instructions for my computer (ever), I told the router about this orphan device, and all was well on that score."

If you read the instructions, it uses dhcp unless there is no dhcp server available. in which case it defaults to 192.168.0.10. It has to have an IP address, after all.

"That done, and the software having installed itself about four times (no idea why, it just wanted to), the desktop and the laptop could print through it."

If you're running Win 7 install as admin and once installed run in compatability mode for Vista SP1.

"It seemed quite happy to have my high-speed USB hub connected to it, and could see that there were devices there."

Good.

"Snag one: the USB scanner wasn't in its vocabulary. That was an "oh bother". I didn't connect any of the other potential "shared USB devices" pending further investigation."

You're under a false impression here - it doesn't have a "vocabulary", library or database - it simply presents the connected USB device to the PC on a virtual USB port. It is up to you then to provide it with the necessary drivers, just as if you had attached the device directly to your machine. Obviously, you must do this after selecting "connect" in the software and on each machine.

"The second snag was the faff to use it. Having to start the software, connect, print, disconnect and shut down the software each time proved too much of a pain after about ten minutes."

This one really makes me wonder what sort of operation you're running - SOHO or enterprise? Firstly, you can set the "MFP and Storage Server" utility to run at start up if you really think that a second or two for it to run is that bad. Connecting takes a similar time, as does disconnecting. As for shutting the software down afterwards.....are your machines really so lame that this little exe can't be left running?

I must tell you that I'm most disappointed with your posts. I offered the OP a realistic and cost-effective solution for his requirement for a bi-directional print server. Despite a personal offer of assistance if required, you have sought to rubbish the product without taking the time to read and digest my post or the manufacturer's instructions.

I have no connection to TP-link or the products. I only offered information with the best of intentions. I shall think twice in future.

So it's slapped btm and off to bed with no tea for both of us, Keef.

Seriously, there's really no need to get aggressive about this, itwasme. What I was doing, for the sake of the community on this board, was reporting back to the community my experience with the beestie: it could be that others had not realised the implication of your initial post.

On a wider, maybe philosophical, point, I don't know enough about data handling to really argue this, but... surely it should not be impossible to make this process seamless without switching on another process and switching it off when you have done with it? Asking six or seven times a night 'Can I print something now, dear?' would be tedious in the extreme - and IMHO should be unnecessary. I spent my engineering life designing control equipment in a number of fields (though not digital) and the brief I gave myself was: 'switch it on, and it will work with the minimum of fuss' without the user knowing or caring how many steps there were implied in the act of switching the kit on.

I enjoy playing with 'toys' as much as the next geek, but not when I'm on a deadline: the computer is then a sophisticated tool for presenting the product - even if it's only hundreds of words.

That's the reason for my disappointment with this piece of kit, which (nearly) does what it says on the box.

And it got one. I just had to tell the router. I've done that many times over the years. The router is also a wireless access point, so for security I don't have DHCP running on it.

It ran itself, as soon as I inserted the CDlet. Four times. No idea why four rather than one or two. The question of mode didn't arise. I authorised it to run (4 times). When things quietened down, I closed all the boxes on the screen and clicked the (one) new icon on the desktop. I then authorised that to run. It did. It found the device and displayed two green blobs and one red-on-white cross.

In its "Launch MFP" programme, it presented two (green blobs) printers and a device with a red X against it. I clicked on each of the printers and stuff happened. I successfully printed the test page to each. I clicked on the red X (which had to be the scanner, since it was the only other device connected) and got an error. Several times. I unplugged the scanner, the red X went away. I reconnected the scanner, red X returned. In my way of speaking, that's its "vocabulary".

That I could have understood, and even handled. It didn't get that far with the scanner.

I wonder, too. This is my study, where there are three PCs connected to a router on a "Work" network. One is the main desktop, a reasonably modern PC running Windows 7. One is the laptop, a fairly modern IBM Thinkpad running Windows 7 and used when out-and-about, and on a docking station when at home. The third is my "previous" desktop machine, running Linux.
There's a router "VPN in" connection for the laptop when I'm out and about, and RealVNC on the main desktop for the laptop to connect to it for various purposes.

Thus, I can print stuff off (in the study) from the laptop wherever I am, as long as I can find a WiFi or 3G connection. I can access the "data" drives on any machine from any of the others - including via the VPN. There's also a large hard drive up in the attic connected by USB cable, where backups etc go.

Whether you call that SOHO or enterprise I dunno. I call it "My Study".

Yes, lots of software on this machine runs at startup. Too much. I try to limit the stuff that does, because it slows the thing down.

They are as lame as I am. There was this box on the screen saying stuff, that wouldn't go away unless I clicked "Disconnect". The box then disappeared. If I wanted to print again, I had to reopen the box and click "Connect".

As things are now, from any of the three machines and in any software package, I just click "Print" and printing happens. Unless I say otherwise, it's to the Laser (B&W) printer. I can with an extra click or so tell it to print to the colour printer instead. That's how I think things should be.

I think you are being over-sensitive. I followed the manufacturer's instructions, and confirmed that the product does what it says in those instructions.

My disappointment was that I hadn't realised that the device is not "transparent" to the user, as is the "all printers connect to the desktop" method. I can see where it would be useful, but it's not for me.

Keef, Jim,

indeed, maybe a little oversensitive.

I was just a bit peed off that anyone reading your posts would come to the conclusion that the unit is a pice of crap, when in fact it does all that the manufacturer says and does it well and at a very good price. It may not suit your needs in "mission control" (your study!), but that is not the point.

Best wishes,

IWM

Itwasme,

You appear to have such in-depth knowledge of the product and be such an advocate and staunch defender of it that one could not unreasonably come to the conclusion that you have some interest in the company.

Have you?

SD

SD

try reading post #35, last line.