Networking a Printer?

Da Mail Man

Da Mail Man

Active Member
greetings,
i know little about networking. i have a brother laser printer model number
hl-1440 (here is the link http://www.amazon.com/Brother-HL1440-HL-1440-Laser-Printer/dp/B00005MEP6 ) ...i also use a 4 port linksys WIRED router...i have a few computers "on line" ....win xp pro / home on all computers....

what i want to do is connected up the aforementioned printer (to my router??) and be able to print to it from any computer connected to my router. is that possible?...

....i see print servers on e-bay (for example ONLY: http://shop.ebay.com/items/_W0QQ_nkwZprintQ20serverQQ_fromZR40QQ_mdoZ ) and am not sure if my printer/router set-up will work or what i have to buy....

...in other words, i would like to be able to have JUST ONE computer "on" and be able to send a "print request" to the printer..i DO NOT want to have a computer left on as a server(??)...any assistance is appreciated....

***if i screwed up by posting a link, someone tell me and i will edit the post!***
 
With me, all I have to do is connect the printer to the main computer that is connected to the DSL and then the printer (the only other one in the house). I then connect to the network, go to "Add a printer/scanner", and select it from "Add a networked printer". Then choose the printer if you see it.

Hope I helped.
 
voyagerfan99 said:
With me, all I have to do is connect the printer to the main computer that is connected to the DSL and then the printer (the only other one in the house). I then connect to the network, go to "Add a printer/scanner", and select it from "Add a networked printer". Then choose the printer if you see it.

Hope I helped.
Click to expand...

....thanks for the reply but, i think you didn't understand my post...should i not connect MY printer to a print server of some sort and the print server to the router in some way?...again; I DO NOT WANT TO HAVE TO LEAVE A COMPUTER "ON" TO BE ABLE TO PRINT THROUGH IT OR TO USE IT AS A SERVER....i sould be able to have all my computers OFF and just hit "print" on any computer connected to my router and the printing should take place...
 
Yes, you will need to get a print server if your printer doesn't have an ethernet port to plug directly into router. Make sure that the print server you get will be compatible with your printer though.
 
johnb35 said:
Yes, you will need to get a print server if your printer doesn't have an ethernet port to plug directly into router. Make sure that the print server you get will be compatible with your printer though.
Click to expand...


look at the links i sent...the only thing my printer has in back is a place for a cord that terminates into a usb end and a multi-pinned socket for a printer cable (not sure if series or parallel as i always get confused with that!)....

...with the printer cable that comes from the back of my printer, i'd have to have a print server that has the same mating end on it or, ..hell, now i am confused!...

....would i run the usb cable from my printer to a usb port on a print server and would there be a "cat-5 cable" that would run from the print server to my router?..
 
..frustrated here!...received my d-link print server the other day and have been at it for hours!...wire from brother laser printer to print server to router to laptop computer....

....when i hit add a printer everything i do shows no brother laser printer anywhere!.if i open a word doc and hit "print" it does nothing...:mad:

...i have NOT loaded any software for the laser printer into the laptop nor do i think i have to....i also did at some point load the d-link software into the laptop and was able to print a test page:confused: but then again, i still don't think i should have to as i believe that the networking should show ALL that is shared or on the network, even printers....

....what the hell am i doing wrong?...doesn't windows home/xp have the ability to network w/o having to load additional software?....thanks for any replies!
 
You still have to install the printer driver on the laptop. Did you follow all the directions from the manual for the print server.
 
johnb35 said:
You still have to install the printer driver on the laptop. Did you follow all the directions from the manual for the print server.
Click to expand...


.....ya mean that windows does not have the ability by itself to network a printer?...i loaded the laser printer disc into the laptop...d-link also gave me a disc which again, i don't think i should have to use..the way i see it, in a big office, i don't think that the admins load the printer software into each and every computer on the network.....i will give this one last shot........either way, no matter what i did, i could not see the laser printer in "printer and faxes" folder of xp nor could i send a word document to the printer to print!
 
If you try to add a network printer and windows doesn't automatically see it, then you have a networking issue. Once the computer sees the printer, it must install the driver for it in order to print to it. I share my printer with 2 other pc's besides mine, the printer is attached to my pc with usb cable. Once i setup my network and setup the printer at the other 2 pc's, it downloads the driver to each pc so that it can communicate with the printer. Using a print server will require the same thing.
 
johnb35 said:
If you try to add a network printer and windows doesn't automatically see it, then you have a networking issue. Once the computer sees the printer, it must install the driver for it in order to print to it. I share my printer with 2 other pc's besides mine, the printer is attached to my pc with usb cable. Once i setup my network and setup the printer at the other 2 pc's, it downloads the driver to each pc so that it can communicate with the printer. Using a print server will require the same thing.
Click to expand...

...i am currently loading the install disc from my laser printer into my laptop...i also have loaded the "admin" disc that came with the d-link print server...will reboot and re-configure using the d-link software and get back to ya!
 
..ok, as i load the gun and raise it to my temple!!....i have so far only been able to print a test page using the admin interface and software provided with the print server...

....however, when attempting to print a word doc, i get "squat-o-la" and no print!....printing the test page i believe proves that the conections are ok...i open the folder to look at fax and printers and there is no "brother laser printer" listed, even after i loaded the brother driver disc into my laptop computer..

...while typing this, i just realized how the hell am i gonna print to my printer from my other 1 or 2 computers!!??...am i gonna have to go through all this $hit?....i'd be better off buying another printer and selling the print server if that be the case..#*&)*&*$$(&*^$_(&%$#@ !!!
 
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