Wireless rocks!!!!

Pez · « **on:** 6 Jun 2003, 03:24 am »

Do any of you guys have a wireless router? My God I love mine! as a matter of fact I'm posting in my listening room on my PDA without being plugged into anything. This is going to be the biggest thing since the internet itself. Plus since so many people have one of these, you can pretty much access the web from anywhere! Sweeeeet

Jay S · « **Reply #1 on:** 6 Jun 2003, 04:03 am »

Yeah, wireless is great. I've got wireless broadband at home, though in practice I still spend 95% of my time at my desk. Occasionally I move to the living room so I can watch TV / listen to music from the sweet spot.

I'd like to find a way to hook up my laser printer to a wireless network. My laser printer has a parallel and a USB socket. I imagine that I'd have to buya bunch more equipment. Right now I have a cable modem and a wireless modem (not sure if this is the right name). We have 2 laptops at home, each with its own wireless PCMCIA card, which allow them to access the wireless network.

mgalusha · « **Reply #2 on:** 6 Jun 2003, 04:15 am »

Jay,

If your wireless router or cable modem has a spare ethernet port you can pick up a HP JetDirect EX for dirt cheap - looks like about $20 to $40 on ebay. This will allow you to connect your printer via the parallel port to the network and allow printing from any machine.

Ours has been in use for years without any trouble at all. I have had to power cycle it exactly one time in the last 4 years.

Mike

Jay S · « **Reply #3 on:** 6 Jun 2003, 04:20 am »

Mike,

Thanks for your help! I don't think my cable modem has an extra ethernet port, unfortunately. I wonder if there is some sort of cheap, compact and easy way to connect the Jet Direct EX given that I don't have an extra port (short of spending lots of money on a router with many more connections than I will possibly ever need at home). Being able to connect the laser printer to the wireless network would be a dream!

JohnR · « **Reply #4 on:** 6 Jun 2003, 04:33 am »

You have a modem that has routing and wireless but no wired connections?

I just got my new modem/router/wireless base station, a Draytek Vigor 2600We. Seems to work fine except there's some problem connecting through the network somewhere

Some nonsense about a tunnel reset, hopefully they'll fix it soon...

Welcome back Pez. Oh yeah, and welcome to the 21st century too

EchiDna · « **Reply #5 on:** 6 Jun 2003, 04:39 am »

sounds like you need a wireless router. There aint too many options with print servers etc already installed. Anyway, they are cheap, not lotsa $$!

mine has a built in print server, hardware firewall etc... check it out:

http://www.linksys.com/Products/product.asp?grid=23&prid=173

or this alternative which also includes a cable modem (I'd buy this if I didn't already have the linksys):

http://broadband.motorola.com/noflash/sbg1000.html

cheers,

Jay S · « **Reply #6 on:** 6 Jun 2003, 05:01 am »

Quote from: JohnR

You have a modem that has routing and wireless but no wired connections?

My cable modem is separate from the wireless base station. I will check if there is a 2nd ethernet port but I doubt it.

Mike, I am guessing the JetDirect would need to be attached to an ethernet port on the cable modem/wireless base station, then attached via another cable to the parallel port of the printer? My printer is in a different room. I could run a 20 foot ethernet cable but that would be a but cumbersome.

EchiDna, since I already have a wireless base station, would perhaps this wireless print server better meet my need? http://www.linksys.com/Products/product.asp?grid=33&scid=37&prid=440 I am guessing that I can place it right by my laser printer. I would hope that it would be easy to connect this device to my wireless network..

Thanks!

Brad · « **Reply #7 on:** 6 Jun 2003, 05:29 am »

Wow Pez, way to join the geeks in mid to late '01!!!!!

Next you'll be getting into tube gear (Oh, wait, nevermind....)

EchiDna · « **Reply #8 on:** 6 Jun 2003, 05:58 am »

Quote from: Jay S

EchiDna, since I already have a wireless base station, would perhaps this wirele ...

yup that would work fine... but stupid question time, do you need to move your printer around? if not, why not go wired and save your cash? I guess that question is better answered after you know if the wireless access point/modem has a spare ethernet port on it or not

it should be plug and play, you will just need to find the printer on the network and connect to it. simple really

JohnR · « **Reply #9 on:** 6 Jun 2003, 07:41 am »

Quote from: Jay S

My cable modem is separate from the wireless base station. I will check if there is a 2nd ethernet port but I doubt it.

Oh. I think you could just put a hub in there then. They're cheap, even new.

Anyway... I'm on broadband!! Finally.

Jay S · « **Reply #10 on:** 6 Jun 2003, 07:59 am »

Ok, it looks like I have 2 options:

1. Get a small/cheap router, put it between my cable modem and my wireless base station and run an ethernet cable from the router to a JetDirect EX connected to the parallel port of my laser printer.

2. Get a wireless printer server and connect it to the parallel port of my laser printer.

I think I will tend towards #2 so that I don't have a long ethernet cable snaking from my living room to my den (hopefully, though, connecting the wireless printer server to my home network will be completely idiot proof).

I have an extra PCMCIA wireless card... maybe I can sell it on ebay to fund buying the hardware to print wirelessly.

Thanks a lot, everyone!

Pez · « **Reply #11 on:** 6 Jun 2003, 04:21 pm »

Brad and John