05-14-2007, 11:54 AM
I am currently trying to set up my home network but have some questions regarding the printers. Currently, the network will be as follow (or rather, will when it is all connected). Sorry of the terminology is not correct.
A router is connected to the Ethernet (?) connection in the wall (to the outside world). The router has wireless capabilities. 1 WAN port (I suppose that is for the wall) and 4 LAN ports.
To the router, a stationary computer is connected through wire. Should be 1 LAN port, right?
To the router a printer is also connected through Ethernet wire connection. Should be another LAN port right?
A laptop is connected wirelessly to the router.
The router thus has at least 2 more free ports for wire connection and I suppose for all practical purposes unlimited wireless connections.
The questions is now. Will the printer above function correctly and be accessible from all computers on the net? Or do one need to set up some print server for it? The idea is for it to be accessible from the laptop even if the stationary computer is not turned on. That should work, right?
We have two more printers that me might want to add to the network, preferably being able to access without having to go through a specific computer turned on, that is, not connect them directly to a computer. They both have only USB connections. What would be the way to do this? I have seen some wireless print servers with USB connectors but they seem to cost quite a bit. On top of that, they don't need to connect wireless although it would of course open up possibilities. What about "print servers", when are they needed? Always? What purpose do they have. Seems one need one for printers to connect to a network, but what about the printer I have that can be connected through an Ethernet connection, does it still require some print server on the net to function meaning I need to have a computer running anyway for it to work?
Any suggestions on how to set it up and what could be needed?
As a side question, can a wireless network function were different units uses different encryption methods? The routers supports WPA2, what if one unit, say a printer in some way, doesn't support it, can it handle both WPA2 and WPA (for example) at the same time?
Anything else to think about?
Somewhat new to all this networking....
A router is connected to the Ethernet (?) connection in the wall (to the outside world). The router has wireless capabilities. 1 WAN port (I suppose that is for the wall) and 4 LAN ports.
To the router, a stationary computer is connected through wire. Should be 1 LAN port, right?
To the router a printer is also connected through Ethernet wire connection. Should be another LAN port right?
A laptop is connected wirelessly to the router.
The router thus has at least 2 more free ports for wire connection and I suppose for all practical purposes unlimited wireless connections.
The questions is now. Will the printer above function correctly and be accessible from all computers on the net? Or do one need to set up some print server for it? The idea is for it to be accessible from the laptop even if the stationary computer is not turned on. That should work, right?
We have two more printers that me might want to add to the network, preferably being able to access without having to go through a specific computer turned on, that is, not connect them directly to a computer. They both have only USB connections. What would be the way to do this? I have seen some wireless print servers with USB connectors but they seem to cost quite a bit. On top of that, they don't need to connect wireless although it would of course open up possibilities. What about "print servers", when are they needed? Always? What purpose do they have. Seems one need one for printers to connect to a network, but what about the printer I have that can be connected through an Ethernet connection, does it still require some print server on the net to function meaning I need to have a computer running anyway for it to work?
Any suggestions on how to set it up and what could be needed?
As a side question, can a wireless network function were different units uses different encryption methods? The routers supports WPA2, what if one unit, say a printer in some way, doesn't support it, can it handle both WPA2 and WPA (for example) at the same time?
Anything else to think about?
Somewhat new to all this networking....
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