I know this isn't the web site for this but I thought I would give it a shot. I know some of you seem to know a lot about computers. Anyways I have a desktop computer, laptop, and a printer. I have cable internet and I have a wireless router for my laptop. I am wondering how I can print from my laptop to my printer that is hooked up to the desktop computer. Do I need to run a cable from my wireless router to my printer? Will that then let me print from my laptop also? I know a good amount about computer but have no experience with networks. Thanks

 

simple solution is to attach and install a wireless usb print server to your printer

but yea you could also run a cable from your wireless router to your printer if feasible (not all routers have usb capability while most printers do)

 

You can also enable sharing of your printer from the desktop PC, so that other "workstations" on the network can see this printer on the network and add it as one of the available printers, (from the Add Printer Wizard, select it as a Network Printer, as opposed to a Local Printer).

Let me add that the print server is a great option too... more reliable and convenient... just pricey.

 

i bought the wireless printserver over a year ago well its been sitting in a drawer ever since...my wife and i got rid of our desktop and got 2 laptops with wireless capability. i could never get the wireless printserver to work and everytime i would call the computer people i would be on hold forever. never got it hooked up but i know they are great once they work. good luck with what u decide

 

WiFi sucks b@lls.... don't use it unless you have to. Stay the hell away from the wireless print sever. I help people out with them all the time and you have to reset them every few days/week to get them to work.

Maklioso gave the best option. All of your computers using your router will be in a workgroup. Open the properties of the printer and allow sharing. Then you will be able to add it as a network printer from the Add Printer Wizard.

If you have too... I have experience with wifi print servers so I can help with it... but you'll be talking to me often until you figure it out on your own. When a computer fails to "see" the wifi print server... you can connect the printer directly and set it up. Then change it all back to your wifi configuration and change the port settings on computer to use the wireless one. I know I'm not explaining this very well.... it would take too long to do that here. But it can be done, but like I said... it doesn't last long. You'll have to go back and set it all up again when it forgets where the printer is.

PM me if you need more help with this... I will try to meet up with you and walk you through it if you need to.

 

If you have a one story house - it shouldn't be a problem. You can use WiFi without any signal boosters. I personally user WiFi around the house and it works fine. I would personally use WiFi print server to say print from livingroom to my study on the same floor (not very faraway).

Regards,


maakif

 

maakif, you use wifi that's WEP and MAC and never have any problems with it? You are the first person I've heard of. For real... not being a smart ***. I've tried typing this different ways and it seems like sarcasm. What equipment are you using if you don't mind me asking... I know a lot of people with just about every major brand out there and they still have to go back and reset WEP and configure their NIC a couple times a month.

 

Thanks for the information. I will give it a shot tonight or this weekend sometime. I will try enabling sharing from my desktop computer and play with it. I also have an extra printer that I am thinking of hocking up. There is no room on my computer desk so I am thinking of building a shelf on the other side of the room. For that printer it would be nice to have it completly wireless so I only have to plug it into the wall for power. I am guessing this is were the print server would come in.

 

grrr I can not get it. I have spent 45 mins on this stupid thing and nothing. I enabled printer sharing on my desktop and when my laptop searches for the printer the only thing that comes up is Microsoft Windows Network. So I choose that and of course it will not work. Does anyone know what I am doing wrong or what the problem might be. This is how everything is set up. I have a desktop computer with a cable to the wireless router then a cable from the router to the modem. My printer is hocked up to the desktop through a USB hub. For some reason my laptop doesn't come up with any printers. I have ran network setup wizard on both computers. Why is this 5 minute job taking hours!!![:@]

 

Well guess you got your answer so my input might be alittle late LOL