Three computers and one printer

[chhuili]

I have three computers and one printer with an USB port. Currently, the printer is attached to one of the computers. When any of the computers needs to print, the attached computer has to be on.
Is there any solution to make the printer as a node of the home network so that each computer to send a task to the printer indepentantly ?

Thanks for all answers and suggetions.

 

[吾言]

You will need a print server with USB port. D-link used to have a model with parallel port.

 

[chhuili]

最初由 吾言 发布
You will need a print server with USB port. D-link used to have a model with parallel port.

Please show me in details on how to set the print server on Windows 2000.

 

[吾言]

Sorry, I mean a stand alone print server which can connect the printer to your home network. D-link has a model of router with 4 port switch and printer server function built-in. But I think that for parallel port printer.

BTW, you know how to set up a print server on Win2K, don't you?

 

[chhuili]

最初由 吾言 发布
Sorry, I mean a stand alone print server which can connect the printer to your home network. D-link has a model of router with 4 port switch and printer server function built-in. But I think that for parallel port printer.

BTW, you know how to set up a print server on Win2K, don't you?

Thanks for your info. I do not know how to set up a print server. When I saw "print server" in your first post, I searched in google, and I thought it is not related to software, it is a configuration. But I do not have any idea abou that at this time. Did yo mean it is hardware ?
Following your guidelines, I find the following info:
Connect your printer to network using the NC-2100p external print server.
http://solutions.brother.com/nc2100p/
My printer is Brother MFC-6800 which is the model in the list.
Thanks!
By the way, as I checked, the printer has both parallel and USB port.

 

[大熊猫]

http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/pr...d=10495&logon=&langid=EN&dept=18&WLBS=fsweb16

买这个就行，才40。

 

[chhuili]

最初由 大熊猫 发布
http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/pr...d=10495&logon=&langid=EN&dept=18&WLBS=fsweb16

买这个就行，才40。

That is really a good suggestion. I already have a wireless SMC Barricade 4-Port Broadband Router without printer server. If I had more knowledge at that time, I should buy it once.

Thanks for both of you above to provide me great solutions in different ways!

 

[大熊猫]

这样的话你就把一台机器一直开着吧。现在的机器可以不用关机，关显示器就行，也不费多少电。

 

[bbj]

There is a software comes with that SMC router. Connect the printer to the router and install the software on each computer that wants to share the printer. After you installed it, there will be a new port on the port list of the printer(SMC100 something, could not remember). Use that port instead current port.
Btw, if you also share Internet connection with that router, the problem will be, when somebody printing, the Internet connection speed goes down significantly.

 

[chhuili]

When Windows 2000 runs few days, the system will get trouble. Linxu can run few months without problem. So I try to make all computers access the printer independantly. I want to buy a device which connects printer to router, but I could not find it in future shop. Currently the only choice is to buy anther router with printer server.

Since the router I am using does not have built-in printer server feature, I do not have the software to be installed on each of computers.

 

[herb]

老大们怎么都推荐parallel的？ 好像楼主是usb的吧？

try this，

D-Link CABLE/DSL ROUTER 4-PORT SWITCH USB PRINTER SERVER

Lowest Price:
$53.77

Part Number: DI704UP

There are also tons of routers with usb printer server.

 

[chhuili]

最初由 herb 发布
老大们怎么都推荐parallel的？ 好像楼主是usb的吧？

try this，

D-Link CABLE/DSL ROUTER 4-PORT SWITCH USB PRINTER SERVER

Lowest Price:
$53.77

Part Number: DI704UP

There are also tons of routers with usb printer server.

Thanks for your info.
Yes, it has both parallel port and USB port. I already have three routers and I do not want to buy one more. Is it possible to buy a printer server only ? From the D-Link web site, I see this kind of product. I could not see it in the store.

 

[chhuili]

I got a solution without spending a cent by connecting USB port to one PC and connecting parallel port to another. Two PCs connect to the printer and work fine. I can't get the good solution to have third computer connected as well. The third computer does not use printer often. It is a Linux server(http, ftp, file, ssh) without monitor. So I am satisfied with this solution for now.

吾言, 大熊猫, bbj and herb, thanks to all of your postes that lead me to the solution. Actually at the beginning, I did not have the knowledge of the printer and I did not realize there is another port on it. Knowledge is power and knowledge saves money.