Help with connecting 2 non networked PC to one printer

[Spilchy]

I have 2 NON-networked PC`s in my office. I need for them to share one printer that I will buy for them. They both are plugged into a switch which is plugged into a router where they can get Internet access. They are not connected to a server or on a network.



Can I simply install a USB hub into the back of the printer where the lone USB port is? This way I can connect the 2 machines via USB cables to the hub?



I was thinking of plugging this into the back of the printer: Best Buy > GE HO97952 Mini 2-Port USB Hub - HO97952 , HO-97952 , HO 97952



If not, what can I use to connect them?



I was going to buy this printer: Lexmark E250dn -- Lexmark United States

[topnotchtouch]

Seth,



if you are actually getting the E250dn, that is a network printer. Why not hook it up to the switch as well and setup the two machines to print over TCP/IP.

The choice is yours



Choose between the standalone version (Lexmark E250d), which offers reliable, high-speed USB connectivity, or the network model (Lexmark E250dn), which includes internal Ethernet as well as PostScript 3 compatibility. You can also opt for a second drawer to boost your total input capacity to 800 sheets or run various media types without having to reload.

I have an E240n and that is the way my home network is setup. I have 3 Windows XP machines and 1 Linux machine that share the printer over TCP/IP.

[Spilchy]

Thanks for the help!



What is the TCP/IP settings of the printer? So I plug it into an empty port on the switch? Then I enter the TCP/IP settings when I "Add a New Printer?"



Do I need to make my 2 machines part of a domain or workgroup if I have no server?



Thanks again!



EDIT:



OK, I see that when I add a new printer after I click on "local printer attached to this computer", I can "create a new port" and select "standard TCP/IP port."



Then what? (I am working from home and don`t have the device on or the network configured as it indicates to do).

[topnotchtouch]

There will be a CD that comes with the printer that will install what you need to add a TCP/IP printer option to the port settings when you add a printer. That is the beauty of TCP/IP printing, you don`t need the Microsoft netbios workgroup/domain crapola. You just assign a static IP address to the printer and when you configure the TCP/IP port for the printer on the two computers you use that IP address.

[imported_paradigm]

you can`t just use a USB hub...but a USB switch would do the trick.



examples:



CompUSA.com: Belkin 4x1 USB Peripheral Switch, Black, USB Type A Female to 2x USB Type B Female - F1U401 - Accessories » Computer Cables » USB Cables & Hubs



or





CompUSA.com: Belkin 4x4 USB Peripheral Switch - F1U400 - Computer Upgrades » USB Devices



BUT, if you already have the computers on an internal network and are buying a network printer...do what was said above.

[topnotchtouch]

You will want a static IP address for the printer as you want to avoid any issues with DHCP possibly assigning a different IP to the printer at some point. You can either physically assign the address at the printer or you can stick with DHCP on the printer and do a static DHCP lease at your router. You will have to look in the manual on how to physically do that on the printer. I have my printer setup for DHCP and a static DHCP lease setup on my router so that my printer always gets the same address.



With my printer, when I installed the software on the workstations, it added the printer already configured for LPT1 and then I just went into the properties for the printer and added the Standard TCP/IP port there and gave it the static IP address that you have already configured on the printer.



That is the beauty of TCP/IP printing, no Microsoft workgroups or domain servers needed

[klnyc]

edit: Del my own post..

[topnotchtouch]

Make your life easier.. Get a "print server" you can buy these at BB,Walmart,etc.

This way you dont need to depend on other PC need to be "ON" all the time.

He is buying a network printer, why spend money on something he doesn`t need? It already has a print server built in. None of the machines have to stay on other than the printer....

[Spilchy]

Where do I get the static IP address from? I have this router: Linksys.com - Products/Wired/Basic Networking/Routers, Modems & Gateways/BEFVP41



---------



So I can use this SWITCH? CompUSA.com: Belkin 4x1 USB Peripheral Switch, Black, USB Type A Female to 2x USB Type B Female - F1U401 - Accessories » Computer Cables » USB Cables & Hubs



Seems like I can just connect this to the back of the printer in the USB port and then use two USB cables (one for each machine) to connect the switch to the computers which would only be a few feet from the printer.

[topnotchtouch]

Seth,



I can`t tell from the Linksys user guide if it does a static DHCP lease. You might look at the printer user guide and see about assigning a static IP address there. It really is not as complicated as it sounds. If you can get the IP address configured at the printer you are half way there. All you need to do after that is configure the Standard TCP/IP port on both workstations.



You might be able to get the printer to work with the USB hub but I would have to wonder what would happen if both computers tried to print at the same time. A USB hub is not a print server, I would image you will wind up with garbage... If you are going to pursue this route I would not waste the extra money on the network version, just get the E250d rather than the E250dn....

[klnyc]

Seth, if you in my area... I can give 2 NIC card, 50 feet of cat5 cable..vooila instant network

. And give you a 1U rack Dell power edge server too.

[topnotchtouch]

Seth, if you in my area... I can give 2 NIC card, 50 feet of cat5 cable..vooila instant network

. And give you a 1U rack Dell power edge server too.

I think when he was referring to "non-networked" he meant they were not part of a Windows workgroup or domain not that they were not on a network. :nixweiss

[klnyc]

Seth what OS are you running? Mac X,XP, Vista?