need some wireless network advice

[shinoman28]

just want to ask, if you setup a wireless network, do u need to have atleast one computer connected to the wireless router via cable to be able to share files and printer over the network?
I have a wireless network at home, and i configured the router and everything and Im being able to connect my 3 laptops and 1 pc vwirelessly to the internet, so my router is just sitting by itself near my phone connection. i tried to share my files over the network, but i cant seem to make it work, so i just use my portable hard drive if i want to transfer files, i can live with it. but recently i bought a network ready laser printer, thinking its so much convenient to be able to print using any of my computers. i did whats on the manual, installed the driver to my main latptop, connect the printer to the router through ethernet cable. but i cant print.the printer is visible in the printer folder, and set as the default printer, but it seems that the instruction cant the reach the printer at all, thats why im assuming that there's something wrong with my network.i imagined since its a network ready printer, once i installed it, it would appear at my network places folder.
any answers, tutorials, help, hows to would be much appreciated.. thanks heaps

[Whyzman]

just want to ask, if you setup a wireless network, do u need to have atleast one computer connected to the wireless router via cable to be able to share files and printer over the network?No. Normally, a computer is attached via cable to configure the wireless router, but after setup it is not necessary to be tethered.
i tried to share my files over the network, but i cant seem to make it work Not my expertise, but I believe you need to enable file sharing: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/304040

but recently i bought a network ready laser printer, thinking its so much convenient to be able to print using any of my computers. i did whats on the manual, installed the driver to my main latptop, connect the printer to the router through ethernet cable. but i cant print.the printer is visible in the printer folder, and set as the default printer, but it seems that the instruction cant the reach the printer at all, thats why im assuming that there's something wrong with my network.i imagined since its a network ready printer, once i installed it, it would appear at my network places folder.When Linksys worked with me to setup my network printers, they had me connecting the printers through an ethernet cable initially to setup the printserver's ethernet card. What router do you have??

[shinoman28]

i have dlink wireless modem router. maybe my network is not setup correctly, u reckon? what i did was just rename my workgroup name for all my computer to "HOME", is that the right way to do it?when i check my network places, computer with the same workgroup name actually is visible.

[jlreich]

Have you enabled file sharing as Whyzman mentioned?

If you have make sure your firewall isn't blocking file sharing. A quick way to test this is to temporarily disable your firewall and see if you can get into the shared folder.

[shinoman28]

i can get into shared folders and was able to read the files on that folder.

[jlreich]

When you disabled the firewall?

[shinoman28]

i was able to gain read and write access to the shared folder, regardless whether my firewall is on or off..i tried both and no problem in accessing those folders. that statement would suggest that i dont have any problems with my network, u think? coz im able to share my internet connection, was able to do file sharing, printer is in the shared folder as well. but i cant print. lol haha

[jlreich]

So now it's just getting the printer to work?

Go into "printers and faxes" in the start menu and run the "add a printer" wizard and choose network printer.

[shinoman28]

i added the printer, its been set as the default printing. i tried printing, but on the printer window, in the status, its says printing and after a few minutes, "error-printing"..please be patient with me lol..

[shinoman28]

hold on the computer that i installed the driver of the printer was shut down, and on my printing jobs screen on my other laptop seems that it lost all the jobs i had in there, just because the other computer was shut down? then whats the point of it being networked?at this point, im assuming that my printer's not been setup properly..

[jlreich]

Is the printer hooked up to the router or one of the computers?

What make/model is the printer? This is so I can look up the manual and see what might be wrong.

The print drivers will need to be installed on all of the computers that will need to use it.

[shinoman28]

i only have one ethernet cable at the moment, so initially when i install the driver my laptop1 was connected to the router wired, after the installation i remove the cable and connect wirelessly. and then connect the printer to one of the port in the router.i went to my other computer1(connected to the network wirelessly) and added the printer from the my network, the path was HOME//laptop1/brotherprinter..but when my laptop1 was shut off, and i go to add printer, the brotherprinter is not there anymore.it make sense coz the connection is directly to laptop one, but there was no other path to choose from.and from these i know that i didnt setup the thing correctly, but i did everythng on the manual and stuff. so i called brother to tell me that the printer is network ready, but it has to be connected to the network wired(i mean, all the comp in my network has to be connected wired to the router). and if i want to make it wireless. they cant support me with it.it can be done but they cant help me coz they sell wireless printers as well. i knew from the beginning that there's something wrong with the setup manual, it wasnt comprehensive. and i think the printer needs to know the ip addresses of the computer in the network, but there was no utility or instruction where to do it..
printer - brother 2070n
router - dlink g604t

[jlreich]

i think the printer needs to know the ip addresses of the computer in the network
No, the computers need to know the IP of the printer. ;) I don't have time now but I will look up the printer manual later and see what I can find.

[PrntRhd]

Yes, you set up the printer with a fixed (static IP) address outside the DHCP assigned range.
You port the print driver to TCP/IP with the printer IP address, it can find it at the fixed address each time.

[yawningdog]

You don't install this type of printer by adding a networked printer. It seems counter-intuitive but that's not how it works.

In the "add new printer" wizard, you select a local printer, and on the next screen select "create a new port" of type "standard TCP/IP port". When you get to the add port screen, you then enter the IP address of the printer. Windows is going to ask for drivers, so have them handy.

Once the TCP/IP printer is installed locally on a print server, the rest of your computers can add the printer by adding a network printer instead of a local TCP/IP port. You can add the printer locally for the rest as well, but you will need to install the drivers each time.

PrntRhd is correct in that you need to statically assign an IP address which is outside the scope of your DHCP server but still in the same network. Or you can reserve that IP address for that one host if your DHCP service has that capability.

[shinoman28]

Yes, you set up the printer with a fixed (static IP) address outside the DHCP assigned range.
You port the print driver to TCP/IP with the printer IP address, it can find it at the fixed address each time.

on my router configuration webpage(i dont know the technical term), under the dhcp tab, its saying that my starting IP address is 10.1.1.2 and ending ip address is 10.1.1.254..when you say outside the DHCP assigned range,am i suppose to change the ending address to 10.1.1.253, so i can use 10.1.1.254 as my static ip address for the printer? or something to that effect? am i making sense? lol


You don't install this type of printer by adding a networked printer. It seems counter-intuitive but that's not how it works.

In the "add new printer" wizard, you select a local printer, and on the next screen select "create a new port" of type "standard TCP/IP port". When you get to the add port screen, you then enter the IP address of the printer. Windows is going to ask for drivers, so have them handy.


im guessing that i have to manually assign an ip address for the printer, but how do i know whats the valid one.

and for the drivers, u reckon i use the cd that comes with it or just download the driver over the brother website or it doesn’t matter..thanks

[Whyzman]

Three possibilities to get the information you need: Contact d-link and ask their tech-support what range of numbers is outside DHCP that you can statically assign.

2) Start>Run>CMD>Enter>ipconfig>Enter You will then be able to see the IP address that has been DHCP assigned to the computer you are on. If you perform the same Command on the other computers you have connected you will get some idea of the range DHCP is assigning. Only problem is, I cannot tell you how vast DHCP resources run...(e.g. 50 possibilities, or 100)? Again, tech-support for this information might be fastest.

3)One of our learned networking folks might know it right off the top of their heads... :)

[shinoman28]

just a side question, i set the ip addresses of my computers to be static, so its better when i use peer to peer thing. i know that i can use any ip address from 10.1.1.2 - 10.1.1.254..if i choose any number inside that range, and assigned it to the printer, would it work?how come it has to be outside the range? (so that if the router dynamically assign ip addresses to the computers, it woudnt have any conflicts?im guessing)

[shinoman28]

In the "add new printer" wizard, you select a local printer, and on the next screen select "create a new port" of type "standard TCP/IP port". When you get to the add port screen, you then enter the IP address of the printer. Windows is going to ask for drivers, so have them handy.

i tried this but printer is not found in the network. the printer is connected to the router, my computer is connected to the network wirelessly, the ip address i put was 10.1.1.254(called dlink bout the dhcp, the guy told me to change my ending ip address to 10.1.1.253, so i can use the 10.1.1.254).
didnt work coz of below..

Yes, you set up the printer with a fixed (static IP) address outside the DHCP assigned range.
You port the print driver to TCP/IP with the printer IP address, it can find it at the fixed address each time.

you set up the printer with a fixed (static IP) address outside the DHCP assigned range. how?

[shinoman28]

yes its working..haha
i downloaded a utility from brother website, for me to know the ip address of the printer, and the rest i did what u told me guys.
thanks heaps, really appreciate ur efforts and time. all the best

[Whyzman]

Very sweet! :D