View Full Version : Make desktop wireless.
Dave Lehnert
05-18-2009, 9:29 PM
My question is about using a wireless printer.
I understand that a Lexmark wireless printer can not be used wireless (laptop) AND also be hardwired to my desktop. The USB cable must be unplugged to use wireless.
- Can I use the printer wireless (laptop) then have a need to print from my desktop, just plug it into the printer???
- I guess I could just make my desktop wireless????? What do I need to ask for to accomplish this? I already have a router set up for my laptop.
- Any other ideas how to print from my desktop and laptop.
Tim Morton
05-18-2009, 9:35 PM
my printer is plugged into my Airport Extreme via usb, so it is automatically shared with anyone on my network...i would imagine PC's can do the same:)
Dan Mages
05-18-2009, 10:11 PM
My question is about using a wireless printer.
I understand that a Lexmark wireless printer can not be used wireless (laptop) AND also be hardwired to my desktop. The USB cable must be unplugged to use wireless.
- Can I use the printer wireless (laptop) then have a need to print from my desktop, just plug it into the printer???
- I guess I could just make my desktop wireless????? What do I need to ask for to accomplish this? I already have a router set up for my laptop.
- Any other ideas how to print from my desktop and laptop.
that is a good question. Is the printer connecting wirelessly through Bluetooth, WiFi, or a proprietary method using a dongle? If it is Bluetooth or WiFi, you should be able to get a wireless USB adapter to allow the printer to be used by the desktop without having to plug it in every time you need to use it.
Of course, I am completely pulling this out of my back end until I know what printer you have and how it works... but that might give you another option....
Dan
I need another beer.
Dave Lehnert
05-18-2009, 10:20 PM
that is a good question. Is the printer connecting wirelessly through Bluetooth, WiFi, or a proprietary method using a dongle? If it is Bluetooth or WiFi, you should be able to get a wireless USB adapter to allow the printer to be used by the desktop without having to plug it in every time you need to use it.
Of course, I am completely pulling this out of my back end until I know what printer you have and how it works... but that might give you another option....
Dan
I need another beer.
WiFi. My ISP says I can make my desktop wireless with a $49.99 part. Have no idea if this price is inline with others (A $10 part can be had elsewhere?????) As I do not know what part to look for.
Just seems kinda crazy that the printer cannot be used hardwired and wireless at the same time.
Eric DeSilva
05-18-2009, 10:22 PM
Why not just get a wireless USB hub? Then it would work with any printer. They work using UWB and seem fairly robust.
David Christopher
05-18-2009, 10:26 PM
why not just network your computers....then you can hardwire your printer to the desktop and use your laptop wireless to the printer....no cost...no parts or gizzmos
Dave Lehnert
05-18-2009, 11:10 PM
why not just network your computers....then you can hardwire your printer to the desktop and use your laptop wireless to the printer....no cost...no parts or gizzmos
Sounds like I need to get the 8 year old kid next door involved. LOL!!!
David Christopher
05-18-2009, 11:12 PM
Sounds like I need to get the 8 year old kid next door involved. LOL!!!
Im sure the 8 year old knows more than we do
Curt Harms
05-19-2009, 12:38 AM
If I'm following you, you can't use two different inputs at the same time on the Lexmark printer. I have two printers, one operating using wired networking and one using wireless networking. The most flexible is to use a wireless connection to the Lexmark. That way the printer doesn't have to be close to the wireless router. You can have computers plugged into the router using a network cable and have computers (laptops) communicating with the router wirelessly. When installing the printer you should be able to install is using a network connection instead of a USB connection. Follow the prompts of the installation program and you should be good to go. I was pretty sceptical about using printers networked wirelessly but my HP printer works great using a wireless network connection. I can print to it from either SWMBO's desktop plugged into the router or from any computer using a WiFi network connection. Pretty slick!:).
I don't know about Lexmark but with the HP when I first installed it I used the manufacturer's CD. The CD installs a number of tools and utilities, whole buncha crap. Once a print job was sent it would take several minutes(!) for the job to actually print, especially from Vista. Looked on HP's web site and found two options for drivers--one "deluxe" version with the kitchen sink AND powder room vanity and one stripped down version with just the printer drivers. I reinstalled the printer using the stripped down drivers and that worked much better; the job would start printing in seconds. I hope this makes sense.
Curt
Prashun Patel
05-19-2009, 8:10 AM
- Any other ideas how to print from my desktop and laptop.
When you plug yr printer directly into your pc, you are bypassing the printer's internal print server, which is what enables the laptop to print wirelessly (I assume yr printer has one, else you wouldn't be able to print wirelessly from yr desktop).
Does your printer have an ethernet port? If yes, then plug it into a wired port on your router. Then all three devices should be able to communicate.
If no, then the cleanest solution is to get a new printer that has an internal WIRED print server. The Brother HLxxN series are economical laser printers for under $100.
Greg Peterson
05-19-2009, 11:41 AM
Your solution rests in using a print server.
Whether it be integrated into the printer or a hub/router is the next part of the equation.
It is unclear what your current network configuration consists of. You have a desktop and a laptop. You have a router for your laptop. Does your desktop require Internet access?
I would use a wireless router that has an integrated print server. Both computers would then be able to use the printer at any time.
Tim Morton
05-19-2009, 5:56 PM
This thread makes me chuckle.....:D:D
Can you picture the mac commercial? 6-8 guys sitting aournd a table discussing how to set up a wireless printer..ordering wirless hubs and print servers and calling tech support.....and in the background another 6-8 mac and PC users are printing on the mac wireless network... reports and posters and cd covers and faxing and blah blah blah....just going about there everyday business.....and into the 3rd or 4th day the guys are still sitting around the table trying to figure out how to do it on a PC network.....
maybe i should send steve a link to this thread....:cool:
Dave Lehnert
05-19-2009, 9:42 PM
Guess I need to kinda rewind a bit.
First off I need a new printer. I saw the wireless printer and thought "Hey! I need that"
My current set up is-
My desktop is hardwired to the wireless router. My now POS! printer is now hardwired into my desk top.
I use my laptop 99% of the time. I use it wireless. I can not print from my laptop.
-So do I need a wireless printer at all?
-Can I use a regular printer and just print through my wireless router?
Have no idea what I need???????? I am starting from square one.
David Christopher
05-19-2009, 9:46 PM
Guess I need to kinda rewind a bit.
First off I need a new printer. I saw the wireless printer and thought "Hey! I need that"
My current set up is-
My desktop is hardwired to the wireless router. My now POS! printer is now hardwired into my desk top.
I use my laptop 99% of the time. I use it wireless. I can not print from my laptop.
-So do I need a wireless printer at all?
-Can I use a regular printer and just print through my wireless router?
Have no idea what I need???????? I am starting from square one.
Dave, like I said before all you need is network the two computers with a regular printer...mine is setup just as you described and it works fine
Greg Peterson
05-19-2009, 11:00 PM
Dave,
As David says, you could simply 'share' the printer that is hard wired to your desktop. Your laptop would then be able to use the printer. The only caveat to that scenario is that the desktop PC would need to be on in order for the printer to be available.
A print server is simply a device that spools print requests for the printer. Often times this device is embedded into a router to solve the very problem you are experiencing. A wireless router with an integrated print server will allow any device to print at any time, regardless of how that particular device is hooked up to the router (wired/wireless). Even the operating system doesn't really matter.
So the quick and easy way to go is to set up your printer on your desktop to be available for other devices on the network (share). Once the share is created you should be able to see it from the laptop, so long as the desktop unit is on.
Curt Harms
05-20-2009, 3:32 AM
Guess I need to kinda rewind a bit.
First off I need a new printer. I saw the wireless printer and thought "Hey! I need that"
My current set up is-
My desktop is hardwired to the wireless router. My now POS! printer is now hardwired into my desk top.
I use my laptop 99% of the time. I use it wireless. I can not print from my laptop.
-So do I need a wireless printer at all?
-Can I use a regular printer and just print through my wireless router?
Have no idea what I need???????? I am starting from square one.
How many inputs does your current printer have? If it's just power and a USB port, your options are limited to setting up a share or print server. I tried sharing a printer and found it a pain, both because the PC the printer is hooked up to must be on to be able to print and the networking aspect just didn't seem that reliable. If your existing printer has a RJ45 port as well as USB and power, it has an internal printer server Shawn talked about. Getting a USB print server would be an option but a new printer may cost about the same as a USB print server. (What's wrong with that picture?). An additional consideration might be your wireless router. Some wireless routers have several RJ45 LAN ports in addition to the WAN port, others do not. If the wireless router doesn't have a place to plug other devices into, a wired print server wouldn't work.
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