Here's the situation. I need to network 1 HP Laser printer to 5 PCs. The printer does not have a parent PC to hook up to. Currently we have a 'usb switch' that has the printer hooked into it, and 4 computers. When one of us wants to print, we have to yell over to the printer cube and ask someone to switch it to them. PITA! I know they have auto switching boxes for parallel and other connections, but I haven't found one for USB. Can anybody recommend something here? Oh yeah, and I need to have this done like... yesterday. So, B&M places are required.
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Network 1 printer to 5 computers via USB
- Thread starter cmosdos
- Start date
Parallel port on the printer: http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/us/en/sm/WF06a/18972-236253-64302-34214-64302-27317.html
(slightly cheaper)
USB port on the printer:
http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/us/en/sm/WF05a/18972-236253-64302-34214-64302-28830.html
Boom you have a real network printer.
They are networked right? CompUSA or Fry's should sell HP networking stuff, not sure about BestBuy or CircuitCity.
(slightly cheaper)
USB port on the printer:
http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/us/en/sm/WF05a/18972-236253-64302-34214-64302-28830.html
Boom you have a real network printer.
They are networked right? CompUSA or Fry's should sell HP networking stuff, not sure about BestBuy or CircuitCity.
Thanks for the quick reply. I've considered a print server. But, there's a problem. See, the printer isn't hooked up to a network. In fact, all 5 PC's are not. There is a small possibility that I could get it hooked into a network, but there's a problem with that too. The PC's are too far apart to set up our own network inside the office building. The office does have a network, but there are over 100,000 pc's, printers, etc on that network. If I hook the printer into the network, are there any restrictions within a print server that would say who could access it and who couldn't?
And before anybody says something about getting the company to set this network up... We are a separate company from that which owns the office, and therefore IS is not going to take care of this. We have permission to set up what we want because all equipment is owned by our company.
And before anybody says something about getting the company to set this network up... We are a separate company from that which owns the office, and therefore IS is not going to take care of this. We have permission to set up what we want because all equipment is owned by our company.
Bugger... diagram may not be needed anymore.
I just realized something... We can't have our own network. We have to connect to their network for email purposes, and other server software applications. We can't be connected to our own network, and their network at the same time. Well, technically we could, but we can't put the printer on their network. Apparently MIS says that it is a risk. wtf? We can hook our PC's up to the network, but not our printer?
So, I'm back to square one. I need to find an autosensing switch capable of 5 computers. I'm trying to understand the logic of why a regular usb hub will not work. Anybody care to clarify that? Plug printer into input port of hub... plug PC's into other ports using A>A cables. Seems to make sense to me. I haven't tried this yet, but for some reason something is telling me it won't work.
I just realized something... We can't have our own network. We have to connect to their network for email purposes, and other server software applications. We can't be connected to our own network, and their network at the same time. Well, technically we could, but we can't put the printer on their network. Apparently MIS says that it is a risk. wtf? We can hook our PC's up to the network, but not our printer?
So, I'm back to square one. I need to find an autosensing switch capable of 5 computers. I'm trying to understand the logic of why a regular usb hub will not work. Anybody care to clarify that? Plug printer into input port of hub... plug PC's into other ports using A>A cables. Seems to make sense to me. I haven't tried this yet, but for some reason something is telling me it won't work.
Direwolf20
2[H]4U
- Joined
- Mar 10, 2004
- Messages
- 2,467
Jake said:
Thats what I Was thinking. Hook it up to a computer, and share it out to the other computers in your network.
hook the printer up to a computer and get it installed and working and share the printer
go to another computer and go throught the add new printer wizard
do printer is hooked up loacay and uncheck to have windows automaticaly detect settings
click next
select creat new port a little box comes up and type \\NameOfComputer printer is hooked up to\printer share name
click ok
then install drivers
go to another computer and go throught the add new printer wizard
do printer is hooked up loacay and uncheck to have windows automaticaly detect settings
click next
select creat new port a little box comes up and type \\NameOfComputer printer is hooked up to\printer share name
click ok
then install drivers
Can't hook it up to a computer. That would involve that computer being hooked to a network, and thus that printer being on the network.
See... the problem comes into play that our company works in another company's corporate office. So we have to play by their rules, and also not get any MIS support on these matters.
I think i've got a temp solution figured out. I did find an auto sensing usb switch:
www.usbswitch.com/usb_4port_switch.html
But, we have 5 computers and its also starting to get expensive... cheap temp solution may be what I have to do until 4th quarter is over and we can starting partying with the money again.
Edit: stupid politics
See... the problem comes into play that our company works in another company's corporate office. So we have to play by their rules, and also not get any MIS support on these matters.
I think i've got a temp solution figured out. I did find an auto sensing usb switch:
www.usbswitch.com/usb_4port_switch.html
But, we have 5 computers and its also starting to get expensive... cheap temp solution may be what I have to do until 4th quarter is over and we can starting partying with the money again.
Edit: stupid politics
i would hook it up to the network anyway there is no way of knowing with the way i told you how to do it because the printer is not on the network just the computer is and you are using file and print sharing
of course what you should do is talk to the head of IT or shoot an e-mail to uppermanagment and tell them your situation
also about not being able to have a printer on the network... how does that company operater? im sure they have printers... dont they?
of course what you should do is talk to the head of IT or shoot an e-mail to uppermanagment and tell them your situation
also about not being able to have a printer on the network... how does that company operater? im sure they have printers... dont they?
Do you have internet access? If yes, then you're on a network. 
If you're on someone else's network, then you might need to talk to someone in their IT about how to hook it up and share it so that everyone that you want to see it can see it. This likely sounds like connecting it to one computer, that computer sharing out the printer to others, and then the rest of you connecting to that printer over the network. But really, you need to know at least something about the network, at a minimum: how one of your PCs can see the other PC, maybe an IP address that you can ping and then later connect to the shared printer from.
If you figure all that out, the next step is to detach that printer from that computer, purchase a print server, and actually plug it into the network directly. Once you find the IP of the printer, add it like normal only as a TCP/IP port.
Keep in mind that you are more secure having your printer on the network directly as opposed to sharing it off a computer. Printers and their web admin apps are notorious for being exploitable. If I can get into your printer, then I can get into the computer it is connected to. If it is just on the network, I can own your printer, and print out 500 pages and waste your toner, but that's about it, for the short term. Definitely not glorious to own printers.
If you're on someone else's network, then you might need to talk to someone in their IT about how to hook it up and share it so that everyone that you want to see it can see it. This likely sounds like connecting it to one computer, that computer sharing out the printer to others, and then the rest of you connecting to that printer over the network. But really, you need to know at least something about the network, at a minimum: how one of your PCs can see the other PC, maybe an IP address that you can ping and then later connect to the shared printer from.
If you figure all that out, the next step is to detach that printer from that computer, purchase a print server, and actually plug it into the network directly. Once you find the IP of the printer, add it like normal only as a TCP/IP port.
Keep in mind that you are more secure having your printer on the network directly as opposed to sharing it off a computer. Printers and their web admin apps are notorious for being exploitable. If I can get into your printer, then I can get into the computer it is connected to. If it is just on the network, I can own your printer, and print out 500 pages and waste your toner, but that's about it, for the short term. Definitely not glorious to own printers.
nonsequitur
[H]ard|Gawd
- Joined
- Feb 13, 2002
- Messages
- 1,525
i get the impression you are leasing office space in another company's office park?
you should be able to put all 5 connections on one router, and have your host company directy pipe that node out the internet, but still keep your own subnet. i'm not a guru, but i think that would work. i've been on audits where i've taken my company's laptop to a site, and i've been given internet access without access to the host company's network. should work for you.
you should be able to put all 5 connections on one router, and have your host company directy pipe that node out the internet, but still keep your own subnet. i'm not a guru, but i think that would work. i've been on audits where i've taken my company's laptop to a site, and i've been given internet access without access to the host company's network. should work for you.