Wireless print setup?
 

I am a bit confused about setting up wireless printing. I have a wireless adsl modem router and both desktop and laptop connect to the internet wirelessly. The desktop connects to an epson printer/scanner via usb. I'd like to be able to access the printer/scanner wirelessly from either computer independently - not via the desktop.

Do I need a separate wireless print server, or is there a wired server which would connect into one of the LAN ports on my router?

Desktop = imac
Laptop = Windows
Printer = Epson RX560
Router = Netgear DG834G

Does the printer have an RJ45 network card interface?

If not, then you would need to find a network-attached print server that has a USB interface to connect to your printer.

Like this. Not a recommendation, just an example.

SD

Not directly wireless, but my Draytek router has a USB port for a printer. Any machine on the network can then access it, including via wireless.

The snag is that the port is one-way-only, so the printer can't report back to the computer if it needs ink or wants anything. I used it that way for a few weeks, then connected it to the desktop (which stays on all the time anyway).

I just share the printer connected to the desktop as the network printer, it's simple that way, but it's a good idea to install a copy of the printer driver on all the network M/Cs to save confusion.

Is your printer a 'wireless' printer? I had a normal wired printer to which I added a Bluetooth device - it was awful. One way only, so you never received any messages from the printer. It would also hang at times - and trying to clear the print queue would tax the patience of a saint!

When the Epson died, I slung it out and bought the Canon iP5200R wireless printer. Absolutely brilliant - I just added it as a 'client' to my wireless router/modem client list and it's been faultless using either laptop ever since.

Unless you have a 'proper' wireless printer, my experience is that anything else will be something of a compromise........at best.

SD - Ta - that's the idea I think. I don't need the new widget to be wireless. It could wired from the router into the printer usb. The Epson one is over £100. I wonder whether that HP one would work with my Epson printer, but it says it does everything - and bi-directionally ie printing and scanning.

For the other Qs - No the printer does not have ethernet, the router does not have usb. As I said, I don't want to use the printer via the desktop. As for the wirelss printer option, I have been looking at that - it would be the pukka solution but not cheap, and I have a good printer already.

I've been using a Netgear PS 121 successfully for a couple of years, at least. Comes with software CD, but setup ain't very intuitive, I'm afraid.

Still'n'all, once it's set up & wired to router, it works seamlessly. (Except when some numpty pulls the power plug out, when, yes, BEagle, clearing the print queue is a pain.)

Plenty of them out there, altho' the design's a few years old now.

Jim - that looks great. I'll give it a try, I like the printer I've got and the way it handles paper etc so that will be my first foray into my all singing network.

You might just want to check the reviews on Amazon before taking the plunge...

Be aware also that you will only get the printing functionality, not the scanning, over the wired connection. This is true of virtually all such multifunction devices, unless manufactured specifically to support network attachment.

And do check the printer compatability list as well.

SD

That's a good point - I think I must have got overloaded with different devices and their capabilities. Actually printing-only would be 90% of the requirement and I was only planning to try it with a cheap unit eg from a popular auction site.

I'm sure I read somewhere about one of these things doing scanning too - more research required on that front possibly.


Just gone back over my earlier tracks and found an 'all in one' print server by Belkin which seems to fit the bill for around £30 so that might be an option. Not sure how much I need remote scanning though, I usually find that's a bit more hands on. At least remote printing can just be done and left in the tray.

Just to update - in case anyone wants to do the same. I tried a Belkin wireless print server, which worked fine with windows, but the mac instructions were poor, and didn't work, and it was incompatible with my printer!

I did have success however with this one from Edimax. It's wired rather than wireless which was an oversight but actually works well - as long as you have the router and printer within a couple of cable lengths of the printer. There is a wireless version if required. The instructions for mac are still wrong but there is a mac driver on the company website which works a treat. I can now print and scan from any windows or mac on the network. Perfect.