asked on Just confused: Router to Xfinity Tower?
Got a friend that is able to connect his laptop to an Xfinity tower from his home. It's one of those "city-wide" wi-fi setups, and he's able to get free internet from his home. Here's the catch: this undoubtedly introduces security risks for him, AND... connecting to his little HP printer wirelessly has become something of a chore. The HP Envy 4500 printer just isn't connecting to anything...
Here's the question: if he were to buy an inexpensive router/firewall, just what would he need to look for in features. It needs to be able to get it's public IP from that Xfinity tower... then what? Is that a "bridge?" Would a simple wireless router be able to RECEIVE the signal from the tower AND SEND the signal to his laptop?
We've tried to connect his laptop to the printer without a router... but been unable to do so. It may be that the printer isn't strong enough to get the signal from the tower... (yes?)... or we're missing something else. In any event, he's been unable to add that printer to his Windows 10 laptop... (Blue wireless light on laptop just blinks endlessly... nothing we do lets it connect.)
Thanks for your help...
Here's the question: if he were to buy an inexpensive router/firewall, just what would he need to look for in features. It needs to be able to get it's public IP from that Xfinity tower... then what? Is that a "bridge?" Would a simple wireless router be able to RECEIVE the signal from the tower AND SEND the signal to his laptop?
We've tried to connect his laptop to the printer without a router... but been unable to do so. It may be that the printer isn't strong enough to get the signal from the tower... (yes?)... or we're missing something else. In any event, he's been unable to add that printer to his Windows 10 laptop... (Blue wireless light on laptop just blinks endlessly... nothing we do lets it connect.)
Thanks for your help...
Printers and ScannersWireless HardwareWireless NetworkingHewlett Packard (HP)Networking
Last Comment
K A
Not quite a bridge. A travel router might do the trick as it can connect to an existing network and have its own network defined. That would at least give him his own private network, which solves that issue.
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ASKER
Thank you, Arnold... I can say for certain that the laptop IS able to connect to the internet using the tower. Is this what you are asking? In the Properties of the wireless connection it says "xfinity." Therefore, do you think if we got one of those travel routers that we could create our own 255.255.255.0 subnet? And the laptop and printer both could connect using that subnet?
You would have to work with the Wi-Fi network on the printer to ensure it sets up on the same subnet.
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Thanks, all... that should get us going in the right direction.
I am puzzled why your friend would go to such lengths given you can connect to the printer using a usb cable.
It is not the most convenient, but if convenience is the on,y need a wifi router that when needed provides shared connectivity. Limit is that printing information from the net would involve possibly a two step process. Queue the printout, switch to which wifi the laptop is connected allowing the prints while losing access to the Internet.
It is not the most convenient, but if convenience is the on,y need a wifi router that when needed provides shared connectivity. Limit is that printing information from the net would involve possibly a two step process. Queue the printout, switch to which wifi the laptop is connected allowing the prints while losing access to the Internet.
ASKER
Arnold... (and John)... pretty simple really as to why the USB cable connection is not the chosen option:
1. Man puts noisy printer in back bedroom to keep it out of the way.
2. Man lies on sofa in front of TV watching Shawshank Redemption over and over, with laptop on his belly, printing out company reports in the back bedroom. Printer noise doesn't interrupt a single line of Shawshank.
3. Later, man goes out to back deck for a beer, takes laptop with him, and continues to print reports. Doesn't even have to drag the printer along. It's a beautiful thing.
:)
1. Man puts noisy printer in back bedroom to keep it out of the way.
2. Man lies on sofa in front of TV watching Shawshank Redemption over and over, with laptop on his belly, printing out company reports in the back bedroom. Printer noise doesn't interrupt a single line of Shawshank.
3. Later, man goes out to back deck for a beer, takes laptop with him, and continues to print reports. Doesn't even have to drag the printer along. It's a beautiful thing.
:)
Connect the printer directly to the computer and that will likely work.