Computer help needed (again)

Post by **mr tibbs** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 8:19 pm

Very off-topic question, can I set up a wireless print server thingy? Story goes there are now 3 computers in my apartment. 2 laptops (one on Vista, one on XP), and one PC (XP). I want to ditch the PC because it's a piece of crapola and I'm tired of trying to get things to print on it. Can I use my wireless router to set up a print server so both laptops can print stuff? Do I have to buy a mini print server?

Also, on a side note anyone wanna try to help my dumbass encrypt my wireless network again? I had it at one time, but have now lost it for some damn reason. Is there a way to uninstall it and go again?

Me+computers=bad things

nico boom · Post by **nico boom** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 4:02 am

Sorry man;
me+computers= MORE bad things

nico

HoseHead · Post by **HoseHead** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 7:49 am

Leave the crappola PC hard wired to the router and the printer hard wired to the crappola. Use the laptops in wireless mode to connect. You'll also have the crappola to manage your router.

Depending on the router, you can set it back to factory default and re-establish your encryption keys like a virgin. The easiest way is to use a USB memory stick, load the encryption files (using the crappola) and then simply download to each laptop using the memory stick.

What make/model is your router?

HH

Post by **VW337** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 7:52 am

You got my # I may be able to walk you through it.

Your Wireless router, doe it have ethernet ports? If so go get a Network printer. They are much less hassle than a wireless print server.

Side note what class of wireless do you run A,B,N, or G? If you run N you have no way of encrypting it, as far as I am aware.

eyesofra · Post by **eyesofra** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 8:13 am

i'll go with a mini print server...they're quite inexpensive and i would save some space and electricity with them compared to runnin the pc as a print server...
wire the printer to the server, config them , and connect the server to ur router ..ur done....

but u've got to make sure the particular print server supports the printer...
i've had this issue many times and this is something that u dont have to be worried bout when runnin a pc as print server.. pros and cons

Post by **mr tibbs** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 9:40 am

I'll get some model numbers later on today for the printer and router. I had the router encrypted at one time, but then I updated the firmware like it told me to and it all went to shit from there. I'll try to restore it to factory settings and retry it and see what happens.

eyesofra · Post by **eyesofra** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 9:54 am

u'll figure it out tibbs....its quite easy securing ur wi-fi and since u've done it before i'm sure u wont get into any difficulaties.

Also u did the rite thing updating those routers with newer firmwares since it would have a lot of new fixes.
A few of my customers are using high-end Proxim AP's and Zyxel NAC products, and even these babies benefited with newer firmware updates.

Most of the home router's goes into default or factory setting once it has updated and i guess that's what happened to u.

Post by **Francious70** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 10:18 am

Go with the mini wireless print server. My mom has one and set it up herself (keep in mind, when it comes to computers she's like a dinosaur)

1moreamp · Post by **1moreamp** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 10:48 am

Sounds like your in good hands Tibbs

Thumper88 · Post by **Thumper88** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 2:28 pm

As I said on SD, the cheapest and easiest IMO would be to set the old PC up as a linux print server....they aren't hard to set up at all, don't need to be a master at linux at all.

What printer do you have?

Post by **fuzzysnuggleduck** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 2:52 pm

The "easiest" solution would be along the lines of buying a print server. It doesn't have to be wireless unless your wireless access point/router doesn't have any wired ports on the back. If it does, you can plug in a wired print server.

Many routers these days will include a print server. Just make sure yours doesn't have this feature before doing anything else. If it does, use that!

I suspect you have a USB connected printer so you'd have to at least make sure that the print server is USB-printer compatible. Some older ones only have printer-ports which are old style buggers.

There are a multitude of solutions but I suggest you stick with something quick and easy. Learning Linux or even how to properly share printers in Windows and then running an extra PC just for print serving is somewhat of overkill, really. Unless of course, you use the PC for something else, too.

Something like this will probably be easiest solution: http://cgi.ebay.com/Netgear-PS121-USB-M ... dZViewItem

Plug it in and forget about it.

Post by **mr tibbs** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 3:23 pm

Thumper88 wrote:As I said on SD, the cheapest and easiest IMO would be to set the old PC up as a linux print server....they aren't hard to set up at all, don't need to be a master at linux at all.

What printer do you have?

But then I would have to have that computer on to print correct?

I think I would rather go the way fuzzy is pointing me because then I could still get rid of the crapola PC.

Post by **mr tibbs** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 4:31 pm

Allrighty, one headache down!! I got the router encrypted, YES!!!!

Now if there is someway I can get the print server set up wirelessly(sp???) I will be stylin'!

Or there is always the option of just walking my lazy ass into the other room with the laptop and hooking it up to the printer!

But that sounds like too much work.

HoseHead · Post by **HoseHead** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 11:21 am

Fuzzy gotta pen protector....

Post by **VW337** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 1:02 pm

HoseHead wrote:Fuzzy gotta pen protector....

don't single out fuzzy, as there are several "nerds" by trade here.........

anybody seen Poindexter?

Post by **fuzzysnuggleduck** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 2:37 pm

Yeah! I'm not the only nerdlinger here! *neeeaaaaw* *neeeeeaaaaaaaaaw*

HoseHead · Post by **HoseHead** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 2:40 pm

It's called a "pocket" protector, not a "pen" protector, ya friggin' goof, HoseHead.

Post by **mr tibbs** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 3:16 pm

I was going to ask what the hell a pen protector was!?

Post by **Bfowler** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 3:53 pm

mr tibbs wrote:I was going to ask what the hell a pen protector was!?

http://www.trojancondoms.com/?

Post by **mr tibbs** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 4:47 pm

Bfowler wrote:
mr tibbs wrote:I was going to ask what the hell a pen protector was!?
http://www.trojancondoms.com/?

See, I call thoes a stubby bat protector!!!

Post by **VW337** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 6:50 pm

mr tibbs wrote:
Bfowler wrote:
mr tibbs wrote:I was going to ask what the hell a pen protector was!?
http://www.trojancondoms.com/?
See, I call thoes a stubby bat protector!!!

DNA trampoline...