How Does One Network More Than One Printer to Multipal Computers??

[jedihobbit]

Okay looks like I may have given the industry more credit than I should have.

I have two printers that I want to share between three computers and one oddball Apple ipad. In looking for inexpense standalone print servers they all seem to control just one printer.

So does that mean I would have to run to servers "parallel" using up two of my hard wire points on my router?

[Serra]

Do your printers now have network connectivity or is there another reason you need a print server? If so, what's the reason?

Typically if you want to share a printer with multiple computers it's easier to just buy printers with network ports (or wireless networking). Actually, it's easier even if you only want to use one computer that moves around.

But if your computers only have USB, this TrendNet unit has multiple ports for printers. It even claims to accept printing over e-mail/FTP, though how useful that is and how annoying to set up it would be I can't comment on.

Edit: Looks like TRENDnet also has a wireless version available if that's more your cup of tea. Details on their site.

[s1nykuL]

simplest thing is to just set up the printers on one PC and share the printers.

The downside is that this PC would have to be running each time you want to print. It doesn't need to be logged into, just running.

[jedihobbit]

I'm new to the world of "correct" networking and still muddeling through options. The idea of the "print sever" thing came about because of concidering the idea of putting all of the 1TB drives I have in an external "RAID" box. However the one I was looking at doesn't support sharing a printer (most of the NASs I checked out ususally only have one printer port) so the question.

The whole idea behind the two printers is supposed to be simple......

1. HP is for monochromatic printing
2. Epsen for color. scanning, and fax.

I may just go back to the idea of using one of the units (mainly a show & tell + folder) to do the server thing both data and printing. That is if the watercoolong attempt allows me.

However the Epson may have the answer printer wise as it is wireless (haven't used that part yet).

Thanks for the advice!!

[Serra]

If your color/scanning/fax printer already has a wireless networking option, then I'd say ditch the print server and just buy a new network-capable printer for your black and white jobs if you need to send them to a separate printer. A decent print server is probably going to cost $50-$60, but these days you can get a decent full color/fax/scan printer with networking for $100... I'm sure you can find a B&W-only unit with networking for the same $60 or so you would spend on a print server.

[yngndrw]

I would recommend something like the HP LaserJet 1022n (Or whatever the curent version of it is now)- You can get them pretty cheap on Ebay.

I have one (Well it's actually a 1022 but I bought the 1022n mainboard for it and now it works as a networked printer) and it's a great little printer - Very quick too.

[jedihobbit]

I would recommend something like the HP LaserJet 1022n (Or whatever the curent version of it is now)- You can get them pretty cheap on Ebay.

I have one (Well it's actually a 1022 but I bought the 1022n mainboard for it and now it works as a networked printer) and it's a great little printer - Very quick too.

But my 1150 works so well or at least it did!!

[yngndrw]

The 1300 series doesn't seem to be much different from the 1150 from what I can tell and there is a 1300n version.

You should ask these guys if this board would be suitable for upgrading your 1150 to a networked version:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...m=250769412469

That's what I did, but make sure you ask as it's not exactly the same series of board for yours.

[jedihobbit]

The 1300 series doesn't seem to be much different from the 1150 from what I can tell and there is a 1300n version.

You should ask these guys if this board would be suitable for upgrading your 1150 to a networked version:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...m=250769412469

That's what I did, but make sure you ask as it's not exactly the same series of board for yours.

That's a thought and thanks.......starting to get the interest to maybe do a SAS (?) cage in the one called Celtic Spirit as it has 6 5.25 bays to play with and switching parts with one I call KestrelFlight.

BTW sig is out of date!