View Full Version : Wireless printer connection
HeathQuad
10-11-2006, 10:14 PM
How can I or what kind of equipment do I need so I can make my printer work through a wireless connection? I need to be wireless so I can use my computer from the bed but still be able to print to the printer. I'm sure there is a way to do this but everything I have seen so far has been for businesses and has been very expensive. Is there a way to do this with consumer products?
Heath
Katja
10-11-2006, 10:32 PM
Two ideas:
Network printer. If you have a DSL or cable modem, it has an Ethernet connection either to an Ethernet hub/router, or to your wireless access point. You can add a printer that is network enabled to the hub.
If you have another computer in the house with a printer, you can share that printer and use it from your laptop. Here's an article on how to share a printer with Windows XP: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/networking/expert/honeycutt_july2.mspx
teyrn
10-11-2006, 11:40 PM
This is how I networked the print center wirelessly. I took a wireless bridge and set it up on a computer at work. I set it to connect to the wireless router but instead of getting an IP address from the router I specify an address that is above the range of the addresses in the dhcp server pool. This is a must because the printer in order to be networked properly must have a static IP address. I then took the now setup bridge and hard wired to the ethernet port on the printcenter. The printcenter is now connected to the network with a specific non-changing IP address and is wireless and can be located any where in the office. The down side to this is the wireless bridge is expensive. You could buy a cheap 802.11b wireless router and set it up in bridge mode and use it in place of the wireless bridge. This is what I did for work and so know it works.
Wise Young
10-12-2006, 09:18 AM
How can I or what kind of equipment do I need so I can make my printer work through a wireless connection? I need to be wireless so I can use my computer from the bed but still be able to print to the printer. I'm sure there is a way to do this but everything I have seen so far has been for businesses and has been very expensive. Is there a way to do this with consumer products?
Heath
Heath,
I use an Apple Airport for my wireless connections to my printers at home. There is a USB port on the Apple airport. When the printer is plugged into the airport, I can just send directly to the printer using all the normal commands on a Mac and just by selecting the printer. It works very well. I don't know whether one can get similar software for Windows.
The other option is to get a printer with Blue-Tooth and if your computer has blue-tooth. Your computer can "pair" with the blue-tooth printer and you can print to the printer without going through an ethernet connection.
Wise.
I have one of these...
http://www.linksys.com/servlet/Satellite?c=L_Product_C2&childpagename=US%2FLayout&cid=1114037289494&packedargs=sku%3D1114037289494&pagename=Linksys%2FCommon%2FVisitorWrapper
Works ok
HeathQuad
10-12-2006, 07:41 PM
Okay my printer is Bluetooth compatible (Epson stylus photo R300). With this adapter http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/ProductQuickSpec.jsp?BV_UseBVCookie=yes&oid=38262406&category=
It should be capable of wireless printing. One stupid question how do I know if my computer is Bluetooth compatible. It is a fairly new only about six months old Dell Inspiron E1705 laptop computer. I feel stupid asking these questions but all this new wireless stuff gets confusing to me after a while.
Heath
Wheelieboy
10-12-2006, 08:00 PM
Do you have this button on your laptop:
(((0)))
This should allow the laptop to pick up wireless signals from various sources. I use this for wireless printing along with the Canon I80 printer.
Okay my printer is Bluetooth compatible (Epson stylus photo R300). With this adapter http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/ProductQuickSpec.jsp?BV_UseBVCookie=yes&oid=38262406&category=
It should be capable of wireless printing. One stupid question how do I know if my computer is Bluetooth compatible. It is a fairly new only about six months old Dell Inspiron E1705 laptop computer. I feel stupid asking these questions but all this new wireless stuff gets confusing to me after a while.
Heath
If you have some sort of blue icon lit up on it, you have bluetooth. If you dont, not to worry, for a whopping $25 you can add the module (I added mine on my M170, forgot about that bluetooth mouse I had when I ordered). There is a guy on notebookforums.com in the Dell section selling them (or he was) a little cheaper than Dell, check out that forum.
One stupid question how do I know if my computer is Bluetooth compatible. It is a fairly new only about six months old Dell Inspiron E1705 laptop computer.
Heath[/LEFT]
The Bluetooth sign should be directly left of the power button. I have the E1505 Laptop and it has Bluetooth (also about six months old).
To enable the Bluetooth Radio, hold the <FN> key and press <F2>. The Bluetooth icon will change to to show it is enabled.