Igiwwa
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How to set up a printer in a wireless network?
We have a HP LaserJet 3050 PCL that is connected via USB to a Dell Dimension 5150 desktop using XP Home Edition. The printer does not have an ethernet port and is therefore not a network printer. We used to have a wired network wherein any computer connected to the network could add the printer attached to the Dell Dimension 5150 and print documents without fail. Since we added the wireless router though, no such luck...
The host desktop is connected to a modem (a webstar device, though I suspect it to be functioning like a bridge more than a modem) which is connected to the wireless router (a Netgear wireless router WGR614 v.7) which is connected to a wired router (linksys). Basically, it's a cpu connected to a modem which is connected to a router, which is connected to another router (this was because of the legacy network that was originally set up in the 90s though the hardware is all as of 2000+). File sharing and printer sharing is on. When I went to ping the host computer on the network (cmd-->ipconfig-->ping [host computer's ip address] from another computer connected to the network, all my packets timed out. Therefore, we know that the issue is either in the physical layer or the data link layer (of the OSI model). However, we need assistance, please! We've already uninstalled and re-installed the printer, turned off and turned on file/printer sharing, and disabled/enabled firewall settings. Obviously, this is not going to fix the problem because if we can't ping it, there's no sense in working higher in the OSI layer...
We need to get this problem fixed, best answer gets 500 points. We need to set it up so that if our users jump onto our secure wireless network they can print wirelessly or if we add another desktop, they can just quickly add a printer and print out documents. Any and all help is appreciated, and please explain steps in detail. Thanks!
The host desktop is connected to a modem (a webstar device, though I suspect it to be functioning like a bridge more than a modem) which is connected to the wireless router (a Netgear wireless router WGR614 v.7) which is connected to a wired router (linksys). Basically, it's a cpu connected to a modem which is connected to a router, which is connected to another router (this was because of the legacy network that was originally set up in the 90s though the hardware is all as of 2000+). File sharing and printer sharing is on. When I went to ping the host computer on the network (cmd-->ipconfig-->ping [host computer's ip address] from another computer connected to the network, all my packets timed out. Therefore, we know that the issue is either in the physical layer or the data link layer (of the OSI model). However, we need assistance, please! We've already uninstalled and re-installed the printer, turned off and turned on file/printer sharing, and disabled/enabled firewall settings. Obviously, this is not going to fix the problem because if we can't ping it, there's no sense in working higher in the OSI layer...
We need to get this problem fixed, best answer gets 500 points. We need to set it up so that if our users jump onto our secure wireless network they can print wirelessly or if we add another desktop, they can just quickly add a printer and print out documents. Any and all help is appreciated, and please explain steps in detail. Thanks!
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Leon Teale
can you add it as a local printer? and then right click and 'share'
The picture you've drawn for us of your network is not very clear.
Internet -> Modem -> Dell5150 -> Netgear router -> Linksys router
is the picture I get out of your description.
Internet
|
Modem (brand? model?)
|
Linksys (model?) Router -> 3 LAN ports to other wired devices (switch[es], computer, network storage, etc.)
| (4th LAN port)
|
|- Netgear router (connected to one of its LAN ports, to use as a wireless access point; WAN port empty)
|
((()))
((((( )))))
wireless computers and devices
This arrangement makes much more sense to me... the only reason you would need to run 2 routers is if you have 2 separate networks on the LAN side.
If you're using the DHCP server in the modem, you should probably disable that... those are typically limited to 28-32 devices, where the Linksys can serve up 253 IPs, and most Linksys models can reserve at least a dozen of those for specific MACs.
The Linksys should be able to assign reserved IPs (some older model/versions could not) with its DHCP server; no Netgear I've seen has that functionality in their DHCP servers. So, reserve an IP for the 5150... that makes it easier on the other machines that want to access its printer.
XP and vista can find it regardless, if you check the 'Print to this device even if IP changes' box when you add the printer's TCP/IP port, but older windows versions can't, nor can other platforms... requiring the printer to be reinstalled on those machines every time the printer's host machine's IP changes.
Internet -> Modem -> Dell5150 -> Netgear router -> Linksys router
is the picture I get out of your description.
Internet
|
Modem (brand? model?)
|
Linksys (model?) Router -> 3 LAN ports to other wired devices (switch[es], computer, network storage, etc.)
| (4th LAN port)
|
|- Netgear router (connected to one of its LAN ports, to use as a wireless access point; WAN port empty)
|
((()))
((((( )))))
wireless computers and devices
This arrangement makes much more sense to me... the only reason you would need to run 2 routers is if you have 2 separate networks on the LAN side.
If you're using the DHCP server in the modem, you should probably disable that... those are typically limited to 28-32 devices, where the Linksys can serve up 253 IPs, and most Linksys models can reserve at least a dozen of those for specific MACs.
The Linksys should be able to assign reserved IPs (some older model/versions could not) with its DHCP server; no Netgear I've seen has that functionality in their DHCP servers. So, reserve an IP for the 5150... that makes it easier on the other machines that want to access its printer.
XP and vista can find it regardless, if you check the 'Print to this device even if IP changes' box when you add the printer's TCP/IP port, but older windows versions can't, nor can other platforms... requiring the printer to be reinstalled on those machines every time the printer's host machine's IP changes.
ASKER
Okay, so we got it to work. We went to the computer, right-clicked it, and it forced us to run the network wizard tool. We set the name of the computer and the name of the network. Once that was done, we then went to the some tab and said to enable printer and file sharing and we restarted the computer. Once that was done, we went to each computer terminal and ran the wizard and browsed for the computer and the printer attached to the computer. Finishing all of that, my concern is two-fold: first, have I compromised the security of my host computer, and second, have I compromised on the security of my network? Wireless devices are still unable to print, but that is of less concern at this stage. My concern is more with security. What can I do to test my network's security to make it more difficult for hacking? Is there something I could/should check?
All help is appreciated, thanks!
All help is appreciated, thanks!
ASKER
While this was not necessarily the thing that fixed it for us, I felt that this was probably the best answer. Thanks for your help! Sorry that the 500 points came in a bit late (we were hoping to get responses on the security thing of our wi-fi network).