Office Printer Setup Help

[pp05]

I'm moving office and we have 2 HP printers (1 with ethernet, 1 just usb) and none of the machine are networked yet. Whilst that isn't high up on priority, access to the printers in some way to all machines is..

What's easiest way to do this? should we go with wireless router with printer port or wired? office is very small.. (diagram below of room layout)



2 printers are by the window.. 2 desks opposite eachother with a third in corner, only desk 2 has ethernet connection that supplies net at the moment..

[Splash]

Wired all the way, especially in an office situation. There are probably a few people in here that would agree that wireless is for laptops - for desktops you really are better going down the wired route. Granted this would mean buying a USB printserver for one of the boxes, but you won't regret it.

[pp05]

Yeah we definetly going wired, we have an ethernet connection in office in which router would go, should we still get modem router all in one device?

I also notice some routers come with printer port via usb... is this better? than getting standalone printserver unit...?

[Splash]

If you could get one with a build in USB printserver all will be fine. I suspect you'll not be setting up a dedicated file/printserver, so an all in one will probably do you fine - what kind of work will you be doing in the office?

[pp05]

Just mainly text documents and requiring to print lots of documents.

USB printserver on router would be sufficient for 1 printer, what to do with second? Should set XP up to share the second?

[FatalSaviour]

I'd hook up the USB only printer to the USB printserver (providing they're compatible with each other), and then connect the printer up to the router directly via Ethernet.

[pp05]

Fatal sounds like a good plan, but what I'm interested to know is you plug ethernet printerinto routers ethernet port of router, It will see device etc, but how will it be used as a printer.. do you have to give it an IP (although dhcp will do this)... or do you point XP client to printers I.P and it should all work?

[nichomach]

Depends on the printer server; some come with port monitoring software which you would load on each machine to created a printer port pointed to your network device. Myself, I assign a static IP outside of the DHCP scope and usually create a standard TCP/IP printer port in XP pointed to the static address. A decent printer server will support LPR, so you just Add Printer, Local Printer (untick the box for automatically detecting it), create a new port choosing Standard TCP/IP Port, Next, Next, type in the IP address you've given the print server, Next. At this point, assuming the print server supports LPR, choose Custom, then LPR. Usually the queue name will be the virtual port on the print server, something like PR1. OK, Finish, then it'll ask for the driver. After that, the printer will be installed, and you can tweak whatever settings you like for it. I don't like loading lots of print monitor software on machines if I can help it though, too many chances for the different print monitors to interfere with each other, and I like being able to point my browser at the static IP to check the print server.

[pp05]

What router would you recommend? As long it's compatible with either 1022 HP or 2820, I'd be interested. I saw a second hand draytek going for £50.. I'd stretch to 80 tops if it was really good offer..