Help a wireless newbie

I do not as yet have any wireless hardware, nor do we currently have a printer.

For info my current set up is:

Lounge

-Home PC

-Main phone line in opposite corner

-Cat 5 cable stuff trailing around the room

Study

-Laptop (wireless capable)

I want to have a wireless network with printing capability. I would like:

Lounge

-Home PC - wireless capable

-Wireless ADSL modem/firewall in opposite corner to PC (next to phone line)

Study

-Laptop

-Standard Printer - made wireless capable by plugging into a wireless usb stick

.=2E.with the ability to print from both pcs, without one having to be on for the other to work.or vice versa.

Question: can I buy a

-Standard ADSL modem/firewall/print server,

-Wireless PC Card or Wireless USB stick for my Home PC

-Wireless USB stick to plug into my non wireless-capable printer

I am trying to avoid paying for an expensive wireless capable printer (I'd rather buy a cheaper standard printer and invest the money in wireless network).

Advice on the best (and cheapest!) way to do this whilst avoiding wires trailing around the house, or having printer in the lounge, would be greatly appreciated.

I hoped I could do it for around =A3150: =A3100 for a good Canon printer. =A350 for a wireless starter package incl Card and USB stick.

Am I barking up the wrong tree? WHat is the best way to set up what I want?

Thanks in advance

Stripee

Reply to
stripee
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There are a variety of ways to accomplish what you want. One way is to connect your modem to a wireless router, which will also have Ethernet ports on it for wired connections. Get a PCI slot wireless adapter for the desktop, and get a USB print server, which would connect to the USB port on your printer and to an Ethernet cable going into the router. When properly configured you'll be able to connect wirelessly to the printer from any PC on your network. Trendware makes a mini USB print server that works pretty well and is cheap. Model TE100-P1U. In the event you go this route, first physically attach the printer to each PC, one at a time and load the drivers, it can be difficult to do through the network.

For info my current set up is:

Lounge

-Home PC

-Main phone line in opposite corner

-Cat 5 cable stuff trailing around the room

Study

-Laptop (wireless capable)

I want to have a wireless network with printing capability. I would like:

Lounge

-Home PC - wireless capable

-Wireless ADSL modem/firewall in opposite corner to PC (next to phone line)

Study

-Laptop

-Standard Printer - made wireless capable by plugging into a wireless usb stick

...with the ability to print from both pcs, without one having to be on for the other to work.or vice versa.

Question: can I buy a

-Standard ADSL modem/firewall/print server,

-Wireless PC Card or Wireless USB stick for my Home PC

-Wireless USB stick to plug into my non wireless-capable printer

I am trying to avoid paying for an expensive wireless capable printer (I'd rather buy a cheaper standard printer and invest the money in wireless network).

Advice on the best (and cheapest!) way to do this whilst avoiding wires trailing around the house, or having printer in the lounge, would be greatly appreciated.

I hoped I could do it for around £150: £100 for a good Canon printer. £50 for a wireless starter package incl Card and USB stick.

Am I barking up the wrong tree? WHat is the best way to set up what I want?

Thanks in advance

Stripee

Reply to
RBM

For info my current set up is:

Lounge

-Home PC

-Main phone line in opposite corner

-Cat 5 cable stuff trailing around the room

Study

-Laptop (wireless capable)

I want to have a wireless network with printing capability. I would like:

Lounge

-Home PC - wireless capable

-Wireless ADSL modem/firewall in opposite corner to PC (next to phone line)

Study

-Laptop

-Standard Printer - made wireless capable by plugging into a wireless usb stick

...with the ability to print from both pcs, without one having to be on for the other to work.or vice versa.

Question: can I buy a

-Standard ADSL modem/firewall/print server,

-Wireless PC Card or Wireless USB stick for my Home PC

-Wireless USB stick to plug into my non wireless-capable printer

I am trying to avoid paying for an expensive wireless capable printer (I'd rather buy a cheaper standard printer and invest the money in wireless network).

Advice on the best (and cheapest!) way to do this whilst avoiding wires trailing around the house, or having printer in the lounge, would be greatly appreciated.

I hoped I could do it for around £150: £100 for a good Canon printer. £50 for a wireless starter package incl Card and USB stick.

Am I barking up the wrong tree? WHat is the best way to set up what I want?

Thanks in advance

Stripee

Simple

Wireless router at main phone socket PC Wireless card or USB TX in Desktop USB TX or minipci card (if your lappy will take one) in the laptop.

connect printer to either the laptop or desktop via USB and then set up wirless printing on the other comp using the Printer Wizard.

dj

Reply to
Lez Pawl

You're better off with a wireless print server. I.e. D-Link AirPlus G DP-G321

formatting link
. You can't use a wireless USB adapter on the target (printer) side, you need a USB print server. Make sure that whatever print server you buy supports WPA and USB 2.0, as many older print servers are WEP and USB

1.1 only. I bought the D-Link DP-G321 because I still have an old laser printer that is parallel port only.

Note that if you ever get a multi-function printer/scanner, and you want it on the wireless network and you want to be able to scan back to a PC on the wireless network, then you MUST use the network port on the mutli-function device, NOT the USB port through a print server. You can buy a wired to wireless Ethernet converter if the multi-function device doesn't have built in wireless. If you use the USB port, you'll not be able to scan back to a PC on the network, you'll only be able to print.

Get a PCI Wireless card, not a USB wireless stick.

Reply to
SMS

Does this print server support WEP or WPA? The manual makes no mention of it at all.

Reply to
SMS

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