Basic question - home network?

**DaveB** · 12 January 2009, 16:47

Depends on what sort of printer you have and whether it is capable of being networked. If it is then just plug it into the router and you are sorted. Otherwise you will probably have to leave it permanently connected to the desktop machine and share it from there with the proviso that that pc needs to be switched on to be able to print.

Otherwise something like this should do the job for you.

**Ken Dodd** · 12 January 2009, 16:54

new printer

Forgot to say that I am in the market for a new printer, and will be buying one pretty soon.

Do I need to look for one that can be networked, or is the the router that controls this?

**Moscow Mule** · 12 January 2009, 17:22

Originally posted by Ken Dodd View Post

Forgot to say that I am in the market for a new printer, and will be buying one pretty soon.

Do I need to look for one that can be networked, or is the the router that controls this?

It's the printer.

**pmeswani** · 12 January 2009, 20:58

Originally posted by Ken Dodd View Post

In the office at home, I have a desktop computer hard-wired to a wi-fi router for access to the internet. I have a laptop which I use away from home during the week, and this connects wirelessly (as you would expect).

I also have a printer which I use occasionally. When needed, I either connect the printer to the desktop or to the laptop using the USB cable. The router is always 'on' and the desktop is only 'on' when someone is using it and the laptop is unavailable.

When I produce a document on either machine, I need to use a USB stick to save it on the other -to ensure that I have documents available on both.

My question is this:
Should I be thinking about connecting all three machines together in a more clever way?

If so, what is it - a network?
How do I ensure that my documents synchronise - or is this possible?
Can I print form the wireless laptop without plugging it in to the printer using USB (connect printer to router)?

Any help gratefully received.

Short term solution... invest in a Network USB Hub and plug your printer into that. Something similar to http://www.purelygadgets.co.uk/showp...306&wysiwyg=10 or http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?...21384&T=Module.

If you want a new printer, then get one that has a Ethernet interface. It may be worth the investment....

**Gonzo** · 13 January 2009, 00:36

In our house we use one desktop and two laptops.

The desktop is wired into the router, the laptops connect wirelessly.

For disk storage I have a NAS device wired into the router - all computers can store and share data on it and it is easier to ensure everything is backed up regularly if it is all on one device.

For printing, one printer has an ethernet connection into the router, another is older so I have to use a USB hub, to connect it, but that does mean that all computers can use both printers.

One tip though - check the cost of replacing an older printer with a new one before buying the USB hub. You might find that it is not worth keeping the older one going if you have no other uses for the USB hub. Although you could also use the USB hub to share an external hard drive between computers to achieve a sort of "cheapskate's NAS solution".

**Svalbaard** · 13 January 2009, 10:42

Sound like you need some NAS to hang off of the hub and then set up some simple fileshares between this and your PC and laptop. All new files go onto the NAS so they are shared between both systems - so no synchronisation needed.

I think some NAS frames can connect via wifi and have printserver capability for printers that connect via USB - so this may solve the printing problem as well.

Basic question - home network?