Adding Printer To Wireless Network

Yes, your router or switch

The wireless router is two floors away. Isn't there a device that can participate in the wireless LAN besides another computer?

There are wireless print servers, here are a few;

what model printer ? does it have an ethernet card ? if so, then a wireless ethernet bridge, like a Linksys WET11 or something like that. I have our TiVo and Xbox connected to it via a 5-port hub sitting in our family room.

If you've got a DSL router or AP that has an available RJ45 jack you can plug the printer's NIC card in there.

The HP printer server has a "LPRd" protocol built in (if it's less than 8 years old). This is a peer-peer print sharing protocol that eliminates the need to designate any specific computer as a print server.

All windows from 98 on can talk LPR protocol but the setup is different for every version. For W/98 you have to install hpjetadmin client software which can be hard to find these days. (I have mine!)

For XP it's easy but it's been a while since I did it. Run "add printer", pick network, Click on " connect to this printer" and put the IP number in the field.

I *think* that's it.

w2k and Nt are different.

"HugeBob" hath wroth:

You later mumble that your totally non-descript wireless LAN and unspecified model HP printer are two floors apart. My guess is that you've already tried wireless through these two floors and are having trouble. How close am I to guessing what you're not saying?

Alternatives to wireless that will do ethernet bridging:

Phone line networking:

Power line networking:

Shared CATV coax cable:

either a wireless bridge if the printer has a ethernet RJ45 connection, or a wireless USB adapter depending on what your printer has to offer... We have used both -

Linksys WUSB11 -

just out of curiousity....

Where is the AP - and are there users around it for wireless access ? Where is the printer - 2 floors away - and are there wireless users around that area ? Wondering how things are working wirelessly 2 floors away ? or if the printer is the ONLY thing being used, and it's 2 floors away... ie - everyone else is in the "other" location, and you just want to print to a "distant" printer..... 2 floors away ? ie - how's the wireless working while standing near the printer area ?