Printer networking query

The ergonomics of our house means that the printer we wish to use as a
network printer can't connect wirelessly to the router. And I'm minded to
think that printing and scanning wirelessly may not be as reliable as one
might like.

So. The printer is near my PC, up a floor and over from the router. I'm
hard-wired, but don't want another lengthy ethernet cable tacked by the
existing one.

Is it possible, therefore, to install a second NIC in my PC, and network the
printer THROUGH that?

Thanks

Jeremy Poynton

Jeremy Poynton wrote:
> The ergonomics of our house means that the printer we wish to use as a
> network printer can't connect wirelessly to the router. And I'm minded to
> think that printing and scanning wirelessly may not be as reliable as one
> might like.
>
> So. The printer is near my PC, up a floor and over from the router. I'm
> hard-wired, but don't want another lengthy ethernet cable tacked by the
> existing one.
>
> Is it possible, therefore, to install a second NIC in my PC, and network the
> printer THROUGH that?
>
> Thanks
>
> Jeremy Poynton

Much the simpler solution would be to buy a cheap 4 port switch and bung
that on the end of your existing Ethernet, then have a couple of patch
leads to your Printer and PC.

Alister.

"Alister" wrote:

> Jeremy Poynton wrote:
> > The ergonomics of our house means that the printer we wish to use as a
> > network printer can't connect wirelessly to the router. And I'm minded to
> > think that printing and scanning wirelessly may not be as reliable as one
> > might like.
> >
> > So. The printer is near my PC, up a floor and over from the router. I'm
> > hard-wired, but don't want another lengthy ethernet cable tacked by the
> > existing one.
> >
> > Is it possible, therefore, to install a second NIC in my PC, and network the
> > printer THROUGH that?
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> > Jeremy Poynton
>
> Much the simpler solution would be to buy a cheap 4 port switch and bung
> that on the end of your existing Ethernet, then have a couple of patch
> leads to your Printer and PC.
>
> Alister.
>

That so? Cool. Does the router need (re)configuring for this?

Thanks

Jeremy

"Alister" wrote:

> Jeremy Poynton wrote:
> > The ergonomics of our house means that the printer we wish to use as a
> > network printer can't connect wirelessly to the router. And I'm minded to
> > think that printing and scanning wirelessly may not be as reliable as one
> > might like.
> >
> > So. The printer is near my PC, up a floor and over from the router. I'm
> > hard-wired, but don't want another lengthy ethernet cable tacked by the
> > existing one.
> >
> > Is it possible, therefore, to install a second NIC in my PC, and network the
> > printer THROUGH that?
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> > Jeremy Poynton
>
> Much the simpler solution would be to buy a cheap 4 port switch and bung
> that on the end of your existing Ethernet, then have a couple of patch
> leads to your Printer and PC.
>
> Alister.
>

Is that another router then? Sorry if that's a dumb question? Or just an
old-fashioned switch? Any suggestions if the latter?

Jeremy Poynton wrote:
>
> "Alister" wrote:
>
>> Jeremy Poynton wrote:
>>> The ergonomics of our house means that the printer we wish to use as a
>>> network printer can't connect wirelessly to the router. And I'm minded to
>>> think that printing and scanning wirelessly may not be as reliable as one
>>> might like.
>>>
>>> So. The printer is near my PC, up a floor and over from the router. I'm
>>> hard-wired, but don't want another lengthy ethernet cable tacked by the
>>> existing one.
>>>
>>> Is it possible, therefore, to install a second NIC in my PC, and network the
>>> printer THROUGH that?
>>>
>>> Thanks
>>>
>>> Jeremy Poynton
>> Much the simpler solution would be to buy a cheap 4 port switch and bung
>> that on the end of your existing Ethernet, then have a couple of patch
>> leads to your Printer and PC.
>>
>> Alister.
>>
>
> Is that another router then? Sorry if that's a dumb question? Or just an
> old-fashioned switch? Any suggestions if the latter?

1. It's a simple switch. Newegg has a bunch for under $25.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...10%20-%20%2425
If you happen to have an old router around, you can easily use that as a
switch (because home routers are really 2 or 3 devices in one box:
router, switch, and wireless AP). If you have an old router and want to
use it as a switch, post back for details.

2. No changes have to be made to your existing router.

--
Lem -- MS-MVP

To the moon and back with 2K words of RAM and 36K words of ROM.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Guidance_Computer
http://history.nasa.gov/afj/compessay.htm