Router as Print Server? [Archive] - Thoughts Media Forums

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tregnier

12-09-2004, 01:57 PM

Can a wireless router (very cheap now) be used as a print server i.e. used to connect a remote printer on a network?

TIA

The Yaz

12-09-2004, 04:17 PM

There are wireless routers that have built in the printserver function. I use an 802.11B wireless router made by D-Link. It has a serial port and the CD includes the necessary drivers for the computer to set up the virtual port.

If you need a print server for a usb printer, there are plenty of decent usb to wireless units that will work with your wireless router with its own IP address. I haven't used one, but they run about $50usd.

Good Luck,

Steve 8)

tregnier

12-09-2004, 04:25 PM

I need to explain more fully...

I have an extra 802.11b router that I thought I could attach to an extra printer in another room so that I can print to the extra printer from my wireless notebook without being connected to my desktop PC or having my desktop powered up. Will this work?

globaloffice

12-10-2004, 01:12 AM

tregnier

12-10-2004, 01:45 AM

You have a network card in the printer or a LPT or USB printer interface in the router?

No network card in the printer, just straight USB on the router.

mbabischkin

12-10-2004, 01:46 AM

It depends. If your Wireless Router has either a USB or parallel printer port or your printer is network ready and has a LAN port than you can do it without any additional hardware.

If not than you must come up with some way to connect your printer to your router. That will take a seperate print server of some sort. You would then connect the print server to the router and bridge the two wireless routers.

Easier to just buy a wireless print server to connect directly to the printer...

tregnier

12-10-2004, 01:52 AM

Easier to just buy a wireless print server to connect directly to the printer...

I saw an 802.11g router that included a printer attachment (Belkin). I'll probably just switch everything around into a new configuration and make the whole works hum (After all, that's the American way...we either make it work or shoot it.) :grumble:

OSUKid7

12-10-2004, 02:15 AM

Something like the Linksys WPS54G (http://www.linksys.com/products/product.asp?grid=33&scid=37&prid=659) would work. If you just have a USB printer (no network port), you'll need some sort of print server. If you want to go wireless, you'll need it to have wireless functionability somehow. That can either be with a wireless AP (in bridge mode) plus the print server, a wireless bridge plus the print server, or go with the WPS54G and get the integrated wireless bridge plus print server.

mbabischkin

12-10-2004, 03:46 AM

You have a network card in the printer or a LPT or USB printer interface in the router?

No network card in the printer, just straight USB on the router.

What router is it (make/model)? If it's got a USB port then that's half the battle right there, you may have a router with a built in print server. In which case it's just a matter of connecting the printer to the router. Configuring the router into bridge mode, and then setting up you OS to print to the network printer port.

It may take a little tweaking, but it should work fine. The trickiest part may be configuring the router to do the bridging. But even that shouldn't be too bad....

tregnier

12-10-2004, 04:18 AM

What router is it (make/model)? If it's got a USB port then that's half the battle right there, you may have a router with a built in print server. In which case it's just a matter of connecting the printer to the router. Configuring the router into bridge mode, and then setting up you OS to print to the network printer port.

D-Link 614+