I have one computer on my network (conveniently the desktop with the printer attached) that i cannot figure out how to share. the other computers in the house talk to eachother just fine, but this one doesnt. the only reason i can think of why is that it is a POS dell that didn't come with a network card, so i used a Belkin USB to ethernet adapter: http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProdu...duct_Id=104991

the only documentation i can find on how to make that work for sharing is for windows 2000 and i'm not using that.

do i just need to bite the bullet and get a real network card for this computer?

 

I went a different route since I didn't want to leave my desktop on all the time - they make ethernet to paralell (or USB) adapters for your printer. It basically makes the printer a network printer by hooking it directly to your router. That may be a cheaper option for you if you can't get your current setup working.

 

Just reboot!



:banana:

 

typical IT guy reponse...



mike, i think i'll look around for one of those adapters.

 

so i've been looking up those print server things. i can use either a usb or a parallel server for this printer. which is better? or is it more of a price difference?

 

Does your printer have a preference towards one or the other? If not then go with the cheaper of the two.

 

USB works or there is a cheap one that works wonders. I don't know what it's called but it goes for about 40 bucks

 

I had a hard time finding the paralell for my HP5, but the USB ones were everywhere (and cheaper). Go USB.

 

i picked up a netgear usb one. the wired computer works great with it, the wireless computers still can't print

 

You need to setup the print drivers on all computers that are on the network.

 

i wish it was that easy.

 

It was for me...

 

wierd. i hooked my laptop directly to the router with the wireless card out, and followed the setup instructions (again, for like the billionth time) and it worked great. unplugged it from the router, put the card back in, re-booted and it still prints.

 

operator error

 

yeah, it's gotta be that...

installing it per the instructions with the wireless activated = fail
installing it per the instructions with the wireless de-activated = success

either way, it works now.