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/u...utt_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

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeathQuad

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.

Andy · 10-12-2006, 07:10 PM

I have one of these...

http://www.linksys.com/servlet/Satel...VisitorWrapper

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/P...62406&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.

Andy · 10-12-2006, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeathQuad

Okay my printer is Bluetooth compatible (Epson stylus photo R300). With this adapter http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/P...62406&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.

PN · 10-14-2006, 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeathQuad

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.

10-11-2006, 10:14 PM	#1
HeathQuad Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Alabama Posts: 909	Wireless printer connection 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 __________________ Partial C5 function since Dec. 2001

10-11-2006, 11:40 PM	#3
teyrn Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Oklahoma City Posts: 320	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. __________________ Teyrn

10-12-2006, 07:41 PM	#6
HeathQuad Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Alabama Posts: 909	Okay my printer is Bluetooth compatible (Epson stylus photo R300). With this adapter http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/P...62406&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 __________________ Partial C5 function since Dec. 2001

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10-11-2006, 10:32 PM	#2
Katja Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Longmont, CO, US Posts: 350	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/u...utt_july2.mspx

10-12-2006, 07:10 PM	#5
Andy Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Chicago IL Posts: 3,790	I have one of these... http://www.linksys.com/servlet/Satel...VisitorWrapper Works ok

10-12-2006, 08:00 PM	#7
Wheelieboy Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Georgia Posts: 398	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.