What is it that I need

I have a Linksys Wireless router and because of the wiring
in my condo there is only one cable jack where I can get a
good signal. Unfortunately it is in my living room. So, for
the past two months I have had a card table set up in the
living room where I have my PC.

What I want to do is move all of my computer operations to
one of my bedrooms that I have set up as an office. Of
course I realize that I could buy a wireless card for my PC
and work that way, but I also have a laser printer hooked
right into the router and the printer does not have a
wireless card.

What I need to know is whether there is some type of device
that I can set up back in the office that will act as a
wireless receiver that then has several hard-wired ports
that I can jack into. This would solve the problem in two
ways because I would be able to plug both my printer and PC
into that device.

I suspect that there are devices like this, but I just
don't know what they are called or who makes them.

kstahl <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in news:PLOdnXRbOuV6jgvfRVn-
(E-Mail Removed):

> I have a Linksys Wireless router and because of the wiring
> in my condo there is only one cable jack where I can get a
> good signal. Unfortunately it is in my living room. So, for
> the past two months I have had a card table set up in the
> living room where I have my PC.
>
> What I want to do is move all of my computer operations to
> one of my bedrooms that I have set up as an office. Of
> course I realize that I could buy a wireless card for my PC
> and work that way, but I also have a laser printer hooked
> right into the router and the printer does not have a
> wireless card.
>
> What I need to know is whether there is some type of device
> that I can set up back in the office that will act as a
> wireless receiver that then has several hard-wired ports
> that I can jack into. This would solve the problem in two
> ways because I would be able to plug both my printer and PC
> into that device.
>
> I suspect that there are devices like this, but I just
> don't know what they are called or who makes them.
>

If it were me, I would hire someone or do it myself and string some wire
using the RJ45 jacks from the room where the router was at to the
office/bedroom and connect that wire to a LAN port on the router. Then I
would get one of the things in the link and plug the other end of the
wire with the RJ45 into the device to extend the network and relocate
part of it.

http://www.homenethelp.com/web/expla...d-switches.asp

One can plug the printer into them too along with the computers. It would
be the same as everything being connected directly to the router. The
switch would be the better of the two.

Duane

On Thu, 26 May 2005 14:22:31 -0400, kstahl <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>I have a Linksys Wireless router and because of the wiring
>in my condo there is only one cable jack where I can get a
>good signal.

Any particular reason to not disclose the model number Linksys router?
If it's a secret, could you at least disclose whether it's a wireless
router or just an ethernet router. Perhaps it's a WCG-200 cable
modem, router, and wireless in one package?

>Unfortunately it is in my living room. So, for
>the past two months I have had a card table set up in the
>living room where I have my PC.

My detective wizard decodes that this means you only have one PC and
that it's not a laptop. I love mysteries, but I do wish you would
offer better clues.

>What I want to do is move all of my computer operations to
>one of my bedrooms that I have set up as an office. Of
>course I realize that I could buy a wireless card for my PC
>and work that way, but I also have a laser printer hooked
>right into the router and the printer does not have a
>wireless card.

Ahah, a clue. The router has a printer port. Well, that eliminates a
large number of possible devices. No printer port on the WCG-200 so
that's not it. None of the other Linksys wireless devices have a
printer port, so it's probably not a wireless router. Of course, you
didn't specify the model laser printer or whether it uses USB or
parallel, so that still presents a problem. None of the other routers
shown on the Linksys router web page have a printer port, USB or
parallel, so I'm lost. Are you sure it's a Linksys router? If the
model is secret, what color is the box so I can continue guessing?

>What I need to know is whether there is some type of device
>that I can set up back in the office that will act as a
>wireless receiver that then has several hard-wired ports
>that I can jack into. This would solve the problem in two
>ways because I would be able to plug both my printer and PC
>into that device.
>
> I suspect that there are devices like this, but I just
>don't know what they are called or who makes them.

I'm not sure why you have the printer plugged into the router. It
probably makes more sense to plug it into the computah if you only
have one computah. However, if you have more than one computah, then
I guess using the router as a print server makes sense.

If you want to go wireless, you'll probably end up plugging the laser
printer into the computah. That means you can plug a wireless card
into your computah, connect to whatever you have sitting on the end of
the CATV cable, and be done with it. Depending on how many walls you
have to go through, it should work.

However, if you just want to get it out of the living room, it might
be better to install a splitter at the TV, and run a 2nd RG-6/u coax
cable from the splitter to your cable modem. Then, you can have
everything in the office, exactly as you have it in the living room.
Be sure to use a 5-950Mhz or higher splitter to insure that it works
with the cable modem.

It is possible to play wireless extension cable between the cable
modem and your router. It's called a bridge or more specifically, a
transparent bridge. You will end up buying two radios at about
$70/ea. I'm not sure this is such a great idea as I don't have a
clear understanting of what you are trying to accomplish and what you
have to work with.


--
Jeff Liebermann (E-Mail Removed)
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 AE6KS 831-336-2558

"Jeff Liebermann" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> On Thu, 26 May 2005 14:22:31 -0400, kstahl <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>>I have a Linksys Wireless router and because of the wiring
>>in my condo there is only one cable jack where I can get a
>>good signal.
>
> Any particular reason to not disclose the model number Linksys router?
> If it's a secret, could you at least disclose whether it's a wireless
> router or just an ethernet router. Perhaps it's a WCG-200 cable
> modem, router, and wireless in one package?
>

"I have a Linksys Wireless router...."

Consider it disclosed. All it takes is to READ what the OP wrote.

> I'm not sure why you have the printer plugged into the router. It
> probably makes more sense to plug it into the computah if you only
> have one computah. However, if you have more than one computah, then
> I guess using the router as a print server makes sense.
>
> If you want to go wireless, you'll probably end up plugging the laser
> printer into the computah. That means you can plug a wireless card
> into your computah, connect to whatever you have sitting on the end of
> the CATV cable, and be done with it. Depending on how many walls you
> have to go through, it should work.

What's a "computah"?

On Fri, 27 May 2005 00:02:39 +0100, "Liam" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>"I have a Linksys Wireless router...."

>Consider it disclosed. All it takes is to READ what the OP wrote.

Ok, so I'm not perfect. I kept rewriting my comments and fumbled. My
appologies.

Trick question: Which one of these Linksys wireless routers has a
printer port?
http://www.linksys.com/products/grou...rid=33&scid=35
What I don't understand is why most people seem to feel that the make
and model are not needed to answer a question. One would not go to a
mechanic and ask for advice on their vehicle without disclosing the
make and model. Same with just about any consumer appliance, product,
or contraption. Yet, computahs seems to be unique as such information
is commonly withheld. I've tried to answer three questions today and
all three were lacking in product details. Why?

>What's a "computah"?

I kinda like to spell things the way I say them. It also makes it
easy for me to catch my recycled quotes with Google. In case you
missed the obvious, it's computer spelled the way most people
pronounce it.

"I don't give a damn for a man that can only spell a word one way."
-- Mark Twain


--
Jeff Liebermann (E-Mail Removed)
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 AE6KS 831-336-2558

On Fri, 27 May 2005 00:02:39 +0100, Liam wrote:

> What's a "computah"?

you know what it is... you're not from the grammar police, are you? :-)

Jeff Liebermann wrote:

> On Thu, 26 May 2005 14:22:31 -0400, kstahl <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>
>>I have a Linksys Wireless router and because of the wiring
>>in my condo there is only one cable jack where I can get a
>>good signal.
>
>
> Any particular reason to not disclose the model number Linksys router?
> If it's a secret, could you at least disclose whether it's a wireless
> router or just an ethernet router. Perhaps it's a WCG-200 cable
> modem, router, and wireless in one package?
>
>
>>Unfortunately it is in my living room. So, for
>>the past two months I have had a card table set up in the
>>living room where I have my PC.
>
>
> My detective wizard decodes that this means you only have one PC and
> that it's not a laptop. I love mysteries, but I do wish you would
> offer better clues.
>
>
>>What I want to do is move all of my computer operations to
>>one of my bedrooms that I have set up as an office. Of
>>course I realize that I could buy a wireless card for my PC
>>and work that way, but I also have a laser printer hooked
>>right into the router and the printer does not have a
>>wireless card.
>
>
> Ahah, a clue. The router has a printer port. Well, that eliminates a
> large number of possible devices. No printer port on the WCG-200 so
> that's not it. None of the other Linksys wireless devices have a
> printer port, so it's probably not a wireless router. Of course, you
> didn't specify the model laser printer or whether it uses USB or
> parallel, so that still presents a problem. None of the other routers
> shown on the Linksys router web page have a printer port, USB or
> parallel, so I'm lost. Are you sure it's a Linksys router? If the
> model is secret, what color is the box so I can continue guessing?
>
>
>>What I need to know is whether there is some type of device
>>that I can set up back in the office that will act as a
>>wireless receiver that then has several hard-wired ports
>>that I can jack into. This would solve the problem in two
>>ways because I would be able to plug both my printer and PC
>>into that device.
>>
>> I suspect that there are devices like this, but I just
>>don't know what they are called or who makes them.
>
>
> I'm not sure why you have the printer plugged into the router. It
> probably makes more sense to plug it into the computah if you only
> have one computah. However, if you have more than one computah, then
> I guess using the router as a print server makes sense.
>
> If you want to go wireless, you'll probably end up plugging the laser
> printer into the computah. That means you can plug a wireless card
> into your computah, connect to whatever you have sitting on the end of
> the CATV cable, and be done with it. Depending on how many walls you
> have to go through, it should work.
>
> However, if you just want to get it out of the living room, it might
> be better to install a splitter at the TV, and run a 2nd RG-6/u coax
> cable from the splitter to your cable modem. Then, you can have
> everything in the office, exactly as you have it in the living room.
> Be sure to use a 5-950Mhz or higher splitter to insure that it works
> with the cable modem.
>
> It is possible to play wireless extension cable between the cable
> modem and your router. It's called a bridge or more specifically, a
> transparent bridge. You will end up buying two radios at about
> $70/ea. I'm not sure this is such a great idea as I don't have a
> clear understanting of what you are trying to accomplish and what you
> have to work with.
>
>

I'll post everything on the bottom to keep from getting
confusing.

No reason for not saying which router. Just didn't think it
was important. It is a WRT54GS Wireless-G 2.4G Broadband
Router with SpeedBooster.

I actually have a main PC which has a 3.06Ghz processor, 1G
memory, 160G storage in a casing that isn't much bigger then
a shoe box. It is an FIC "ice cube" system. I also have an
Inspiron 700m laptop with wireless and an IBM Thinkpad with
wireless.

The router does not have a printer port. In addition to
providing wireless access it has four hard-wired ports in
the back. I used to just plug my printer into one of the
those ports. There is nothing special about the port itself
since there is nothing that designates any particular port
as a printer port. The printer I have is a Brother
HL-51700N. You are not guessing any of this stuff very well.
Maybe you should not have tried to guess. In any case it
simply doesn't matter what brand of printer it is. It works
by plugging into a router or by using the regular printer
port except that I don't want to tie it to just one PC -
which is why I want to use it as a network printer.


--
Blogging at http://HexagonalPeg.blogspot.com

Jeff Liebermann wrote:

> On Fri, 27 May 2005 00:02:39 +0100, "Liam" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>
>>"I have a Linksys Wireless router...."
>
>
>>Consider it disclosed. All it takes is to READ what the OP wrote.
>
>
> Ok, so I'm not perfect. I kept rewriting my comments and fumbled. My
> appologies.
>
> Trick question: Which one of these Linksys wireless routers has a
> printer port?
> http://www.linksys.com/products/grou...rid=33&scid=35
> What I don't understand is why most people seem to feel that the make
> and model are not needed to answer a question. One would not go to a
> mechanic and ask for advice on their vehicle without disclosing the
> make and model. Same with just about any consumer appliance, product,
> or contraption. Yet, computahs seems to be unique as such information
> is commonly withheld. I've tried to answer three questions today and
> all three were lacking in product details. Why?
>
>

Because there isn't such a thing as a printer port. There
might be in some other world, but on the Linksys router all
ports are exactly the same.

Taking a moment's reflection, kstahl mused:
|
| What I need to know is whether there is some type of device
| that I can set up back in the office that will act as a
| wireless receiver that then has several hard-wired ports
| that I can jack into. This would solve the problem in two
| ways because I would be able to plug both my printer and PC
| into that device.

I think a wireless solution for your PC is the easiest answer.
Perhaps a WAP54G access point configured in client mode to your wireless
router would be the solution to your printer as well. Configure the WAP
to work in client mode and associate with the router, then plug the
printer into the WAP ... should work a treat.

Someone else may be able to answer this one, but perhaps adding a
switch to the mix would be the answer for your PC and printer both ...
connect each to a switch, and then connect the switch to the WAP54G in
client mode. I know it will support one "client" but I do not know if
it will support two. As I said, perhaps someone else can provide that
information.

Of course, another wireless router in bridge mode "bridged" to your
existing router would work as well.

On Thu, 26 May 2005 22:37:08 -0400, kstahl <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>No reason for not saying which router. Just didn't think it
>was important. It is a WRT54GS Wireless-G 2.4G Broadband
>Router with SpeedBooster.

Got it. No dedicated USB or parallel printer port. Knowing what you
have to work with is important.

>I actually have a main PC which has a 3.06Ghz processor, 1G
>memory, 160G storage in a casing that isn't much bigger then
>a shoe box. It is an FIC "ice cube" system. I also have an
>Inspiron 700m laptop with wireless and an IBM Thinkpad with
>wireless.

Ok. You have 3 computahs which explains why you need a networked
printer.

>The router does not have a printer port. In addition to
>providing wireless access it has four hard-wired ports in
>the back. I used to just plug my printer into one of the
>those ports. There is nothing special about the port itself
>since there is nothing that designates any particular port
>as a printer port. The printer I have is a Brother
>HL-51700N.

Try HL-5170DN.
http://solutions.brother.com/hl5170dn_all/en_us/
Networked printer with built in ethernet print server.

>You are not guessing any of this stuff very well.

True. However, nobody else is doing any better. My apologies for
being unable to decode the topology from your description. I'll have
my sorcerer inspect my crystal ball and see if it needs a tune-up.

>Maybe you should not have tried to guess. In any case it
>simply doesn't matter what brand of printer it is.

It matters what type of interface is used. USB, parallel, ethernet,
IrDA, fiber, wireless, etc. If you had said "network laser printer",
I would not have complained or asked.

As a general rule, it's a good idea to supply:
1. What problem are you trying to solve, or what are you trying to
accomplish?
2. What do you have to work with?
You did ok on the first but were lacking on the 2nd. I find it
difficult to answer questions if either is missing.

>It works
>by plugging into a router or by using the regular printer
>port except that I don't want to tie it to just one PC -
>which is why I want to use it as a network printer.

Now that we've established that it's all my fault that I couldn't
decode your description, methinks we can blunder onward.

You haven't indicated if you'll consider running a coax or ethernet
cable between the existing location and the office. If a cable is
acceptable, then you can run either coax cable (as previous described)
to move the entire system, or CAT5 (as others have suggested) to
connect between the cable modem and the WRT54GS. Personally, I would
run the coax cable so I could have a TV in the office.

The WRT54GS supports WDS (wireless distribution service) which can be
used to extend the system into the office. The cable modem and
existing WRT54GS stay in the living room. An additional WRT54G or
WRT54GS is installed in the office and configured to act as a WDS
repeater. This should help with the setup:
| http://www.linksysinfo.org/modules.p...showpage&pid=7
WDS allows your routers to simultaneously act as a wireless
transparent bridge and as a wireless (infrastructure) access point.

You can connect your laptop client radios to either access point.
(They'll both be on the same RF channel and have the same SSID, so
switching between access points may be a challenge). There will also
be a difference in maximum performance. Wireless client connections
to the office access point will be limited in speed by the store and
forward nature of a WDS repeater. Every other connection (direct
ethernet to either WRT54GS, and wireless to the living room WRT54GS),
will run at full speed. It may not be an issue unless your cable
modem is running at perhaps over 6Mbit/sec.

There's one more combination of hardware that might be worth
considering. Run CAT5 from the living room router and connect to a
WRT54G router wired as an access point. To do this on the 2nd router,
you should:
1. Ignore the WAN port. The cable goes between LAN ports on both
WRT54G boxes.
2. Disable the DHCP server.
3. Setup the IP address to something that does not duplicate the
first router. For example, if the existing router is on 192.168.1.1,
then put the 2nd access point on 192.168.1.2.
4. Setup the same SSID on both, but use a different non-overlapping
channel to avoid mutual interference.
5. The printer just plugs into one of the unused LAN ports on the 2nd
WRT54G.

If your domicile is on two floors, I would definitely consider the
last method as running a repeater through a marginal path (through the
floor) is a guaranteed problem.

Good luck.


--
Jeff Liebermann (E-Mail Removed)
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 AE6KS 831-336-2558