Computers Discussions

Actually, the networking device should be transparent to the operating systems. The Linksys router doesn't care what your operating systems are... in fact, you probably have no idea (and could care less) what the operating system inside the printer is. As long as each device sends/receives data in accordance to the standards used by the Linksys, it will happily join everything in a network.

If the printer isn't connecting to the network, certainly your encryption key is a prime suspect. You might have the WiFi radio in the printer switched off or disabled. Perhaps the printer is out of range -- unlikely, but it happens. The WiFi radio in the printer could be broken. I have had a couple of WiFi devices break.

An alternative way to use the printer would be to connect it to a computer and use that computer as the printer server. You should be able to use the network to send documents to that computer, then the computer will route the documents to the printer. Or just keep fiddling around with the wireless network and see if you can get it all configured.

Good luck!

--Bob

If you do not want to spend the money to replace the wireless router, connect the printer directly to one of the computers and share it out.  Once the printer is share all of the computer can connect to it and print. The first time a computer connect to it, you will need to download and install the print drivers so have the CD with the drivers handy. 

Here's how:

• 1. Install/connect the printer to one of the computers and install all of the drover and application software.
• 2. Navigate to the printer (under Printers & Faxes)
• 3. Right-click on the printer and then click on Sharing...
• 4. Follow the prompt, ensuring that the Share Name is something easy to remember.
• 5. Complete sharing setup.
• 6. Click on Start/Run and type the name of computer with the printer attached into the Run box (e.g. \\computer1). The shared printer will show up as an icon in the resulting dialog box.
• 7. Double-click the printer and install the print driver; (either the drivers will be downloaded from the computer you attached the printer to, or you'll be asked for the install disk.
• 8. After the installation of the drivers is complete the printer icon will show up under Printers & Faxes on your computer.

Very important: The computer the printer is attached to must be on in order to printer to the printer.  Let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

Hi Bard & Bob-

I followed the directions on how to share the printer. The printer now shows up on my laptop, which I could not even get it to do before, so there's a victory. I made it my default printer. When I try to print something, it says the printer is not responding. It's not a generic pop-up box, it's the one generated by the printer where it shows ink levels and stuff. I made sure to shut the screen saver off on the computer that is connected to the printer, then I reset the factory settings on the printer in case my wireless networking efforts screwed that up. It did not work.

I am so close! Do you have any further suggestions?

PS - on the subject of the SSID for the wireless - is there any reason why using the same one on three computers would connect, but the same one wouldn't work on the printer or PDA? If it's a big, long explanation, you don't have to go into it. Really I just want to use the printer.

Did you install the print drivers for the printer on your laptop?  This is a vital step.  You don't have to shut the screen saver off, it only important the computer stay on. 

One the subject of SSID: the issue you are having with them most likely has to do with incompatable wireless standards.  What speed does your Wireless Access Point send and recieve at?  What stndard does it use; A, B, or G?     

On the lines of the last post by the Bard, have you checked to see that the router is using the latest firmware version? If it is older ... wireless printers have been added more recently. It may be a case of updating that.

To update firmware, go to the LinkSys website, look for and download the latest firmware for your router to a machine you can connect to the router with an ethernet cable (you don't have to do this all the time, just for the update and configuration).

Connect the desktop or laptop to the router via ethernet cable and open your web browser. type http://192.168.1.1 and navigate to hit (hit go). Login with your administrator username/password (usually admin/admin). Go to the tools page and follow the firmware upgrade instructions.

Another thought -- it could be that your printer keeps getting different IP addresses from the DHCP server in the router. 

Download the router setup instructions and follow the section specific to setting a static IP address for the printer ... then enter that address in the printer configuration. When you set up the printer for wireless connectivity, tell the wizard you are using a staticIP and enter that address. This will help the network find the printer more easily.

I do have the latest firmware, but the router IS old. I have no problem with buying a new router, it's just that they go from like $19 to $320. With that price range, who knows what's too cheap or too expensive? When I read reviews for routers it's like 50% love it, 50% hate it. So, I have just been basically treading water with this old one because I know it works. I would probably get another Linksys, since I've had really good luck with this one, but again, which one?

Bard- here's the thing about the printer drivers on the laptop: you have to install the whole software package for the printer, there is no option for a custom install where you can choose just the driver (not the scanning software, etc). When you complete the install, it asks if you want to connect the printer one of three ways: Ethernet Cable, USB Cable, or WiFi. I don't know which one you would pick to just share it.

I should probably buy a new router. That would probably end most of these problems. So, new question: Do you have any ideas for a capable wireless router? $19 seems like it would be way too cheap. Are they really that cheap? Do I need a $300 one? Would that be compatible with older OS's or do they all consider OS to be transparent?

I would really appreciate some guidance on purchasing a new router. No reviews are helping me...

Pitch, I don't know if you have purchased a new router yet, but the connection you choose is based upon the physical connection from the printer to the laptop. If you plug a USB cable in, choose USB, if you plug it in via Ethernet, choose ethernet. That does not affect sharing. Once you have the printer installed, and working on the laptop, open printers in control panel, right click on the icon for the printer you want to share, and look for "sharing" in the list. Set what you need to, and on the other computers, install a network attached printer, navigate to the printer you shared, and violet... you be a printin mfer. alternatively you can figure out what you are doing wrong about getting the printer to appear on the network. I guarantee you are doing something wrong, or something is misconfigured. You do not need new hardware... period. On a side note... If you get Cold Fusion working, could you let me know first? There's some money to be made in that field I think.