Small network suggestions? Work related.

ojo

ojo

ojo

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Hi

I work in a small classroom and I am thinking of installing a small network between four computers. This is mainly to share a printer.

Now:

The printer is some Minolta Bizhub photocopier/printer/fax thing. It is USB but appears not to have a network connection(?) It is connected to a Belkin USB 4 port switch which I found in a cupboard.

The rest of the computers are on the other side of the room and cannot realistically be moved.

What I want to do is connect all computers with the spare Netgear 10base hub I have floating about.

However, there is an issue or two: The printer appears to be only usb... which is a bummer. Will this mean that if i was to print using one computer it will have to pass through the computer it is directly attached to... or is there an alternative?

Also, the three other computers are located over the other side of the room. To minimise cabling is it possible to "daisy-chain" the network cabling or will it have to be a separate cable from each computer? If so it is going to be messy...

I must admit I am not expert but it is the only way to get things done. I can't buy too much equipment as it will have to come out of petty cash, but my students deserve something!
 
ojo said:
Will this mean that if i was to print using one computer it will have to pass through the computer it is directly attached to... or is there an alternative?
Click to expand...

You should be able to hook up a print server, which is basically a USB connector for the printer and an RJ45 to hook up to the network.

To minimise cabling is it possible to "daisy-chain" the network cabling or will it have to be a separate cable from each computer?
Click to expand...

Not trivially.
 
ojo said:
The rest of the computers are on the other side of the room and cannot realistically be moved.

What I want to do is connect all computers with the spare Netgear 10base hub I have floating about.

Also, the three other computers are located over the other side of the room. To minimise cabling is it possible to "daisy-chain" the network cabling or will it have to be a separate cable from each computer? If so it is going to be messy...
Click to expand...

Why not put the hub with the 3 computers then have a single wire going to the other side of the room to the remaining one. Or are the 3 still quite far from each other?
 
ojo said:
Also, the three other computers are located over the other side of the room. To minimise cabling is it possible to "daisy-chain" the network cabling or will it have to be a separate cable from each computer?
Click to expand...

I never thought I'd be suggesting this, but if you just need a 10Mbs network, then you could use coaxial cable to link each PC with just one cable.

Netgear did/do a 4 port hub with a coax connector just for this situation.
and there are loads of dual media 3com NIC's going 2nd hand

.
 
Thanks for the suggestions. Oddjob - I may do some shuffling about of computers and place the hub over the other side of the room. It is just that they are horribly positioned... I will get my students to help :p

Tolien - The print server things seem quite expensive for what they are and will take up a slot on the hub. But they sound a real good idea and could be a future investment. But after six months of campaigning for broadband we are still sharing one dial up connection between four computers... :eek:

Bitslice - is that the BNC type thingie? Good idea but will mean me replacing all network cards and extra cost. But I see the point :)
 
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