Computer printer

[Dave Lehnert]

I am so frustrated looking for a printer for home use.

I need one to work with my wireless laptop and my desktop that is not wireless BUT is connected to my DSL router.

Wireless printers can be hardwired but each can not be used at the same time. Now why would they make a printer that way?

Some say I can print from my laptop though my wireless network (printer hooked to my desktop, that is WIRED to my router) But some say I can't.

I can call tec support for printers. get one answer, hang up the phone, call back and get another.

HELP!

[Peter Stahl]

I bought a wireless printer that isn't connected to my router. I can printer from 2 different laptops and a desktop which is wired to the router. Don't remember which HP model it was but it was easy to set up.

[Dave Lehnert]

I bought a wireless printer that isn't connected to my router. I can printer from 2 different laptops and a desktop which is wired to the router. Don't remember which HP model it was but it was easy to set up.
Did not look into HP. (what I have now and it's junk) but Canon and Lexmark tells me that is exactly what I can't do. But can't tell me why that is the case.

[Peter Stahl]

When I was looking for mine someone on Amazon that wrote a review posted how they set theirs up and how well it worked. I really didn't want a HP again but the price was right and it does what I want it to do. This printer has a feeder and will also scan and fax. I think I paid $130 with free delivery from Staples dot com.

[Curt Harms]

I have 2, a Brother MFC7820N laser & HP Photosmart D7460. The Brother is connected to a Linksys wireless router via an ethernet cable, the HP is connected wirelessly. Both work as expected. I haven't tried to use both at the same time.

[Tom Godley]

I have mine connected to my home network -- I print wirelessly from my laptop through the network.


Even if the printer can not be setup with two static pathways -- you can always connect it to the network wirelessly the same way that the laptop is getting its path -- you do not need a direct path from the laptop to the printer.

[Dolan Brown]

I have a HP Photosmart 3310 All-in-One (Printer - Fax- Copier -Copier) that prints great photos (has a 4 x 5 dedicated photo paper tray). It can be ran wireless or wired.

I have it running wireless and I can print from my Dell desktop and my Dell laptop at any time. Easy to set up. I am running Windows Vista Home Premium on both PCs.

[Tom Godley]

Just to add - I have found the printer software from HP to be very invasive.

It likes to take over and control your print server.

[Dan Ewalt]

Dave,

If you have a router setup (home network) and not just a modem for your DSL, which it sound like you do, you CAN print from all the machines on the network, regardless of how the printer or the machines connect to the network.

The first option is buying a printer that is network capable and putting it on the network vs attached to a single computer. Most of the all-in one printers are network-able and will work for you this way.

Second option is, since you have a network setup there you can also accomplish what you are wanting with a "regular" printer attached directly to your desktop as you have stated above. There it's just a matter of sharing that printer to the other machines on the network via the OS (I am assuming you are running Windows).

So in reality you have many options for printers and a couple options of how to print from all your machines. IMO the first way (networking the printer) is the cleanest and best, but they will both work.

Feel free to PM me and shoot me your number and we can talk about it. Happy to help in any way I can.


Dan

[Rob John]

Dave,
I have the HP wireless printer/Scanner/copier and it works ok, as you mentioned. However another thought that may not have come to mind is look for device that will allow you to share the printer on the network, wireless or wired.

The one device that comes to mind, however I am a MAC guy it the Airport Extreme Base station or even the Airport Express adapter. However the draw back to these devices is that scanning does not function on a multifunction printer/scanner. Now it may just be my choice of printers/scanner combo machines, I have had a Cannon and an old Epson.

These wireless/network devices us a USB connection to conenct to any modern printer, you can even place a USB hub on the device and attach a hard drive/s and a printer. These devices work with Windows or Mac also.

[Scott Shepherd]

A wireless print server will do this as well. Linksys makes one that I've used in the past. You plug it into your desktop, then your printer into it. Then you can use it wirelessly or from the desktop. I think it was about $40.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Any printer for less than a grand or two is likely to be consumer junk so you end up getting what you paid for.

I have 2 printers:
HP laserjet 5: the workhorse
123572
and
HP all in one 3380 scanner, fax, printer
123573

The old school laser 5 is a bullet proof beast of a machine. I can print reams of cardboard through - and have.

[Larry Frank]

I have an HP inkjet which is connected to my wired ethernet. It also is capable of wireless but it is easier to reach it through the wired network which also has a wireless connection. One of the requirements of my current printer was to be able to cheaply refill the ink cartridges. I checked with the company that has supplied ink and cartridges for previous printers to make certain that I could use my own refills. I have refilled the cartridges several times with no problems. Sometimes, I think they almost give the printer away and charge $15 an ink cartridge.

[Darius Ferlas]

I need one to work with my wireless laptop and my desktop that is not wireless BUT is connected to my DSL router.

Wireless printers can be hardwired but each can not be used at the same time. Now why would they make a printer that way?

Some say I can print from my laptop though my wireless network (printer hooked to my desktop, that is WIRED to my router) But some say I can't.

I'm not sure if I understand the problem, as I see none, and yet there is a cry for help.

To clarify:



you can have as many networked printers as you want (within the limits of your network, which is 254 nodes using home grade router)
any computer can print to any printer on the network regardless of how the printers and computers are connected (wired, wireless or mixed)
it is irrelevant how nodes are connected to the network - wired or wireless. One may as well try to say that computers using red wires will be able to print, but one using blue wire won't.
some routers have what is called "print servers" and these allow users to connect usually one (or rarely more) printers via some interface, such as USB.
Some printers have built in print servers (wired or wireless) and are connected to your router via a wire or wirelessly. You can connect as many of them to your network as that network allows (253 printers + 1 computer using home grade router). Such printers will be visible to any PC on your network.

[Greg Peterson]

Any printer for less than a grand or two is likely to be consumer junk so you end up getting what you paid for.

I have 2 printers:
HP laserjet 5: the workhorse
123572
and
HP all in one 3380 scanner, fax, printer
123573

The old school laser 5 is a bullet proof beast of a machine. I can print reams of cardboard through - and have.

I regret getting rid of our 5si printer. It had way over a million sheets through it and simply needed a new fuser (not the first fuser). That machine was indeed bullet proof. It wasn't the most network friendly machine, but it worked great once you got it set up.

[Dave Lehnert]

Thanks for the tips

I just did a download of the manual from Lexmark. They show the laptop connected wireless and desk top connected wired. Exactly what tech support told me 3 times you can not do. Also the guy at office max said the rep told them the same thing but he was also not clear why it would not work.

[Pat Germain]

Any printer for less than a grand or two is likely to be consumer junk so you end up getting what you paid for.

I disagree, Cliff. You can now buy B&W laser printers for under $200 and they're great little machines for home use. My brother just bought one and it rocks. I think the inkjet printers are a ripoff because the cartidges are so expensive and don't last very long. I say if you want a color printout, email the file to Staples or just get photographic prints at Target or someplace similar.

Sometimes a printer on a wireless network won't work because the router has a firewall which blocks printers by default. Opening up the firewall for a printer fixes the problem.

[Curt Harms]

Just to add - I have found the printer software from HP to be very invasive.

It likes to take over and control your print server.

I bought the Photosmart D7460 and used the included CD to install the printer on a laptop running Vista. It took FOREVER to print anything. I uninstalled the bloatware and installed the "barebones" version. It printed much quicker and I didn't miss any "features". Not long afterwards I uninstalled Vista as well. Both Vista and HP's CD are gathering dust.

[Dave Lehnert]

Just an update.

Purchased a wireless Lexmark (4650) Everything works well. Set up was as simple as one could get. The included software did everything for you.

I did not hardwire the Desktop to the printer. The router makes my desktop "wireless" so it is able to transmit to the wireless printer.
I still say you would be able to hardwire it and use wireless at the same time. Have not tried it yet. One thing I learned about computers, If everything is working, Let it alone. :)

[Leo Graywacz]

I Have the HP OfficeJet J6480 and have it connected wirelessly to my Desktop and laptop. At one time I had two laptops (and desktop) working with it. Printing is usually easy. Sometimes it is delayed when my sons are using some of there games on the desktop. The only thing that can be a pain at times is the desktop, which the wireless router is connected to needs to be on for the laptop to be able to print. Usually this isn't a problem. The print quality is very good and so are the pics it can produce using the proper papers. If you get the XL size ink it is a bit more in price for triple the ink in the cartridge.

[Dave Lehnert]

I Have the HP OfficeJet J6480 and have it connected wirelessly to my Desktop and laptop. At one time I had two laptops (and desktop) working with it. Printing is usually easy. Sometimes it is delayed when my sons are using some of there games on the desktop. The only thing that can be a pain at times is the desktop, which the wireless router is connected to needs to be on for the laptop to be able to print. Usually this isn't a problem. The print quality is very good and so are the pics it can produce using the proper papers. If you get the XL size ink it is a bit more in price for triple the ink in the cartridge.

I am able to print from my laptop without my desktop being on. The desktop is wired to the router with a Ethernet connection.

[Leo Graywacz]

I never installed the printer software on my laptop. So I don't have the driver or any of the goodies on the laptop itself. I think that is the problem. But I don't want it on my laptop either because it is my work computer and the less I have on it the better.