Combo wireless switch and print server better than separates?

snipped-for-privacy@privacy.net hath wroth:

I'm not sure how to answer that because I have no clue what you already own that your printer will need to work with. In general, it doesn't matter if the wireless bridge and print server are in one box or together. What matters are the drivers, especially if the printer has a USB interface. If the USB printer drivers on the computer can be virtualized through an ethernet or wireless interface, then you should have no problems. If the computer expects to see a USB port, and nothing else, you'll have problems. It gets really bad with multifunction printer/fax/scanner/shredder conglomerations, where the number of drivers that need to be handled by a wireless connection adds substantial complexity. If you want to avoid trouble with one of these, either make sure it has an ethernet port, which can easily be run through a wireless bridge, or a built in wireless client, which is obviously designed to operate via wireless. What usually happens with these multifunction devices is that the printer sorta works, but nothing else does.

Depends. If your printer is conveniently located near wherever you would put your switch, then you could combine the two.

However you may pay extra for a combined unit. nad if either part dies, you would probably need to replace both which will be more expensive than replacing just one part.

On the other hand, if your printer is nowhere near where you want your switch, then a combo unit is obviously a waste of time...

Mark McIntyre

Well I own a multi-function printer/scanner/copier unit.

But I'm posting the question for a friend who has a Dell printer only...... and wants to setup a wireless network so that anyone can print from any computer or laptop anywhere

snipped-for-privacy@privacy.net hath wroth:

Any clue as to the model number? Some Dell printers have network ports or options. Frankly, I never know for sure if the USB printers will work until I try it. Most of the wireless print server manufacturers have a short list of printers that were successfully tested.

No I don't know the Dell printer number.

However it sounds iffy for me as well as I do own a all in one printer/scanner unit and was thinking abt buying a combo wireless box as well

I have the Samsung unit in link below

I am running a U.S.Robotics MAXg router that has a printer switch. It is wireless and has four Ethernet outlets as well. I have an old HP printer hooked up to the USB port. Been on line with it for almost a year with no problems. When I started with it I had a dial up modem between it and the phone line. Now there is a DSL router feeding it.

Don't do it - very very few all-in-ones will work when hooked to a print server as they need bidirectional comms between printer and computer, and few printserver units handle this (wired or wireless).

I have a Lexmark 5150 and its a nonstarter. Won't even print properly.

Mark McIntyre

OK thanks Mark!

So the Achilles heel when using wireless print servers is the all in one printing devices. Yes?

A plain old USB printer should work OK?

Is the scanner part of the all in ones that must have bi-directional comms back to PC. Yes?

If yes.... are there any "high end" wireless routers/print servers that might work?

Check the recommendations of the printer manufacturer. For example, supported HP all-in-one machines work better on HP JetDirect devices than on generic printer servers. (Scanning is done through a web interface.)

should do, but check with the manufacturer for compatibility. If it has a fancy "printing control centre" type driver, with ink-level monitors, test suites, head cleaners etc then expect the worst.

In my case the printer seems to need it too, probably because of the above-mentioned too-clever driver s/w. If only there were a plain and simple "just send the bitmap to the printer, dammit" driver.

Sorry, I don't know. I believe that for example some printer manufacturers make print servers they guarantee will cooperate with their printers, but guess what, the printservers tend to about as expensive as a colour laser printer.... Mark McIntyre

snipped-for-privacy@privacy.net hath wroth:

Yes.

No. I once tried to get an Epson something USB printer to work on a Netgear PS121 USB-ethernet print server. It would sorta look like it was going to print, but then barf complaining of a non-existent paper jam. I was in a hurry to deliver, so I switched to a parallel port print server and it worked instantly. Later, I tried the PS121 with my HP Deskjet 3420 and it worked perfectly.

It might work with your USB printer, but there's no way to tell in advance.

Yes. Ethernet is totally transparent and bi-directional over a wireless link. USB is not.

Dunno without a model number on the printer.

Ahh...... yep..... that would be a problem alright!

Thanks for the education!!

Not necessarily -- that depends on the specific implementation.

John Navas hath wroth:

Yep. Some wireless client bridges cannot pass more than one MAC address. However, this question is not about a client bridge. All access points will pass more than one MAC address, but are limited by various internal tables. Some of the older junk (WAP11v1) maxed out at 30 MAC addresses. The current crop will do about 253. The better products (Proxim, 3com, Cisco, Sonicwall) will usually do 2046.

In theory, 802.11 wireless is nothing more than enapsulated 802.3 ethernet packets. It works by bridging MAC addresses and therefore has no reason to look inside the 802.3 ethernet packets for anything. If the destination MAC address appears across the wireless bridge, it will pass over the bridge. If not, it won't. There's littel inside the ethernet packets that can affect this (except broadcasts).

Some wireless devices (i.e. Sonicwall) can optionally block broadcasts over wireless. I guess that qualifies as a specific implimentation. Blocking broadcasts will prevent a remote wireless print server from getting a DHCP lease or appearing in the Network Neighborhood but will also reduce wireless traffic somewhat.

Print servers work at the IP level. Everything they do is IP based. They know nothing about MAC addresses. If the printer packets, in both directions, are ethernet, they'll go right through the wireless bridge, in both directions.

Other than the number of MAC addresses passed, there's nothing that I know about inside an ethernet packet, that will affect the operation of an 802.11 wireless bridge. I don't think any of these apply to the current problem.

The Check Point Safe@Office 500W wireless appliances let you connect a number of printers to the two USB ports on the back of the appliance allowing you to print from the LAN as well as the WLAN. All you have to do is map the appliance address (also the default gateway for your computers) as the network printer address and you're good to go. You can find out more here: