Network printer

gary996 · 15 May 2007 at 14:14

Is it possible to install a network laser printer onto my other network port on my mobo. ( I have the DFI lanparty board which has the Marvell Yukon port which is not being used and the Nvidia one which is my cable connection)
If this can be done ........HOW??

thx Gary

Dangerous · 15 May 2007 at 14:21

You have the wrong idea about how they connect. A network printer will obtain/given an IP address from a DHCP server. Then you'll connect to some sort of printer server to print from it.

Basically means you don't have the printer directly connected to any PC/server

gary996 · 15 May 2007 at 14:28

I know (or think I know) if I put a router in I can plug into that. I was just wondering if you could take it straight off the spare port on the mobo?
Or am I talking poo poo?

swinnie · 15 May 2007 at 14:29

If you want to make a network printer that is non-network compatible you can get print servers, but if you can afford go for an HP Jet Direct Box. Make sure that you order the right one. They can supply Parralel and USB Boxes.

Hope that helps!

Adz · 15 May 2007 at 14:32

gary996 said:
I know (or think I know) if I put a router in I can plug into that. I was just wondering if you could take it straight off the spare port on the mobo?
Or am I talking poo poo?

Yes you can. Assuming it's new, it'll be set up to use DHCP as Dangerous says. Therefore connect it to your router, let it be assigned an IP and use whatever management software you have for it to access the IP configuration. Now, assuming your main LAN is on 192.168.0.0/24, set the print server's IP to 192.168.1.1 (255.255.255.0). You will obviously now lose connectivity. Now, connect the printer directly to your secondary NIC on your PC and set that interface's IP address to 192.168.1.2 (255.255.255.0). Et voila

.

I can't imagine why you would actually want to do this of course

.

squiffy · 15 May 2007 at 14:36

Some NAS's support printers, just bung in USB printer to the back. I think my DNS-323 has this feature, so does Linkstation Pro (correct me if I'm wrong)

gary996 · 15 May 2007 at 14:37

Thanks for the replies. Why I want to do it? Just wondered if it could be done. Don't have a lot of usb ports left so thought it could go on the network port. Also I might put the laser printer in another room Downstairs, where I have cabled to (cat5e)