# Solved: Printer network between two "networks"



## SadieKate (Mar 10, 2008)

My husband and I each work from home in separate offices using separate DSL lines due to it being separate employers/VPNs but we would like to share an all-in-one printer/fax/etc. We both run Windows XP on our laptops.

My laptop:
Ethernet DSL connection (router has wireless capability)
local HP printer (dinosaur workhorse HP Laserjet 4000n)
Two phone lines (let's call them O-1 and O-2)

His laptop:
Ethernet DSL connection (router has NO wireless capability)
One phone line - O-1 only

How can we share the printer? I really don't understand print routers, but can we share if we have a wireless print router? I've been looking at the HP OfficeJet L7780 has a built in "WiFi 802.11b/g". Could I have the printer on a local cable to my laptop and he print to it wirelessly? Would we do better to get a printer router that both printers can be hooked to? The L7680 is $100 cheaper and appears to only lack the built-in wireless and an extra paper tray. Would I do better with a printer route for both printers and then he can use either one? When you just need B&W, the laserjet can't be beat. Any other ideas or how to's?

I've browsed this site for a while and found it so helpful so I've taken the plunge with my first question.

Thanks


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## draceplace (Jun 8, 2001)

How about a usb cable that reaches both laptops? Then it can be installed as a local printer on each pc. You might fight over it occasionally but lo-tech is sometimes the best way to go.


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## skinnywhiteboy (Jan 26, 2001)

Whatever computer the printer is connected to, just share it out. Then simply navigate to it through the network and install it on the other machine. NOTE, the machine that the printer is connected will act like a print server and must be turned on for any printing to take place on the other machine. Also, why do you have separate DSL lines (just curious)?? You should be able to VPN into both networks from your LAN without the need for separate Internet connections as long as you have a router.


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## SadieKate (Mar 10, 2008)

draceplace said:


> How about a usb cable that reaches both laptops? Then it can be installed as a local printer on each pc. You might fight over it occasionally but lo-tech is sometimes the best way to go.


Um, let's see. Out the door of my office, down the hallway past a bath, a bedroom doorway and into the far corner of my husband's office. You think 25 yards of cable would be enough to get around the corners? What color cable should I use for the decorative effect?


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## Wanderer2 (Jan 29, 2008)

I don't think the HP 4000N has usb but good idea anyway.

Especially when you consider what has to go into place before the two pcs are on the same network to use the same printer.

Do you have router access? That is key for the following configuration.

You connect both routers with a crossover cable between router lan ports
You disable dhcp on both routers
You configure both routers lans to be in the same subnet. You start by assigning router1 ip 192.168.1.1 and router2 192.168.1.2 for example. You then do static ip assignments to the workstations. PC1 would have 192.168.1.10 for ip with gateway 192.168.1.1. PC2 would have ip 192.168.1.20 with gateway 192.168.1.2. This way you each continue to use your own company supplied internet access.

You can then cable to either router a network printer like the 4000N. You assign it a static ip also via the menu. I usually put my printers in the 192.168.1.254 and below range. You then configure ip printing to the hp printer and walla you now have a shared network printer.

edit: I think skinnywhiteboy missed you are on two separate lans and I am assuming two different ip ranges. Until you have made a physical and ip connection you can't "share" the printer.

PS better to run the cable under the house if possible. Straighter run = less cable and no decor to consider.


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## SadieKate (Mar 10, 2008)

skinnywhiteboy said:


> Also, why do you have separate DSL lines (just curious)?? You should be able to VPN into both networks from your LAN without the need for separate Internet connections as long as you have a router.


Employer billing issues, separate offices and don't like wireless. I download/upload huge docs for one thing and the wireless was just a PITA.



skinnywhiteboy said:


> NOTE, the machine that the printer is connected will act like a print server and must be turned on for any printing to take place on the other machine.


We have laptops because we each travel for business so one or the other may not be available. Will a print router solve this? Or the built-in wireless of the all-in-one?


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## skinnywhiteboy (Jan 26, 2001)

Yes you can either get a router with a built in print server, or a standalone print server. Either one should meet your needs.


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## SadieKate (Mar 10, 2008)

Wanderer2 said:


> I don't think the HP 4000N has usb but good idea anyway.
> 
> Especially when you consider what has to go into place before the two pcs are on the same network to use the same printer.


I think I saw somewhere or other a USB adaptor for a parallel cable, though I have no idea if there are huge degradations in speed, data, etc.

Your advice sounds like it would work (and maybe even iggerant little me could follow it), but I'm starting to think the pain and cost of the hardware and cable, and someone to install the wall ports is outweighed by the cheapness of just buying a second printer. I was hoping that through wireless we could do it. Thank goodness we had two dedicated electric circuits installed in my office, but I hate running all the equipment 24/7 since we never remember to turn off anything but the computers.

So if I don't use a printer router, can I just plug the USB cable for a new HP printer into my USB hub and actually get the thing to work? I've had both an HP printer and a Polar IR device inoperable using hubs.



Wanderer2 said:


> PS better to run the cable under the house if possible. Straighter run = less cable and no decor to consider.


I don't crawl under houses since I don't coordinate with spiders.


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## SadieKate (Mar 10, 2008)

skinnywhiteboy said:


> Yes you can either get a router with a built in print server, or a standalone print server. Either one should meet your needs.


So, I can use this with two networks? One connecting via wireless? It was probably that I forgot about the distinction of router vs server.

Is my pea brain following you?


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

Along the lines of Wanderer2's suggestion ...

Get a multi-function printer that can connect to the wireless router via ethernet (best) or via wireless.

The PC(s) connected via wireless or ethernet to that router now (after the proper installation procedure) have access to the new printer.

The PC not connected to that router then needs to (also) connect to that router via wireless. Use a manually assigned IP configuration on the PC's wireless connection leaving Gateway and DNS blank. That PC now (after the proper installation procedure) has access to the new printer. It continues to access the internet through its own router as it does today.

The printer connected to your PC (which is connected to the wireless router) can now be shared and the other PC(s) can connect to it.


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

My understanding was that you have one printer connected to your PC, and are considering buying a new multi-function printer. Is that correct?


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## DoubleHelix (Dec 10, 2004)

If you're connected to a VPN, you won't be able to access a networked printer on your home network. That's part of the security of a VPN.


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## SadieKate (Mar 10, 2008)

TerryNet said:


> Along the lines of Wanderer2's suggestion ...
> 
> Get a multi-function printer that can connect to the wireless *PRINT??? *router via ethernet (best) or via wireless.


You don't mean the DSL router, correct?

Yes, the HP 4000n is currently plugged directly into my laptop docking station.

I want to add a 2nd multi-function printer in my office.

My DSL router is wireless and only has my laptop plugged into it.

My husband's DSL router is not wireless, but the lap is wireless-enabled.

I was hoping that we could install the drivers or whatever on my husba'd's laptop so it would see the HP L7780 which has a built in "WiFi 802.11b/g".

Would a print router/server make this possible?


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## SadieKate (Mar 10, 2008)

DoubleHelix said:


> If you're connected to a VPN, you won't be able to access a networked printer on your home network. That's part of the security of a VPN.


It's not a network printer if it is plugged locally into my computer. No one at my company can see the printer sitting in my home office.

And, I can be on my VPN and my husband could still connect to the internet via the wireless function on my DSL router. He just can't get to my VPN.


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

"If you're connected to a VPN, you won't be able to access a networked printer on your home network. That's part of the security of a VPN."

Thanks, DoubleHelix! You are correct, and I had forgotten about the VPNs.

SadieKate, the wireless router I meant is, from your first post, "Ethernet DSL connection (router has wireless capability)." However, my whole post is pretty meaningless because of the VPNs, as DH pointed out. With a VPN you can use a printer connected directly (e.g., parallel or USB) to your PC, but not one that is connected to the network or another PC.


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## SadieKate (Mar 10, 2008)

OK, let's take the VPNs out of the equation. We're each only connected to the VPN part-time, but we'd still each be on separate DSLs. And I never had any intention of connecting any printer through my "Ethernet DSL connection (router has wireless capability)." Both printers would be plugged locally into my docking station.


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## DoubleHelix (Dec 10, 2004)

The original post mentions setting up printer sharing so both computers share one printer. If you're using a VPN at all, it factors into the situation and usage. You could only print to the shared printer if not connected via VPN.

f the computers aren't networked (connected to two separate DSL modems), you're not going to be able to setup printer sharing.


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

"Both printers would be plugged locally into my docking station."

If that's functionally the same as being connected to your PC then you would share them both. Probably only the print function would be available remotely.


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## Wanderer2 (Jan 29, 2008)

Folks are we missing something here?

How are you connecting these two networks together? They have to be connected physically.

The "n" in the 4000 means it has a network interface. Advantage of a network printer [once you have a common network] is your laptop SadieKate doesn't have to be on for your husband to print.

If you are going to add a new printer this is the feature you want [direct network attachment]

"I don't crawl under houses since I don't coordinate with spiders"  That is what husbands are for according to my wife.

Having your husband switch to wireless just to print does appear to be a solution though dual homed pcs [two nics] are a constant battle. By his grabing a dhcp ip from your wireless router that puts him in the same subnet as your laptop and printer.


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

"By his grabing a dhcp ip from your wireless router that puts him in the same subnet as your laptop and printer."

Yeah, but assigning an appropriate manual IP and mask with Gateway and DNS blank prevents any confusion about which router he is using for internet access.

I too thought the network printer is the way to go; can't think of any reason not to when buying new except to save initial cost.


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## SadieKate (Mar 10, 2008)

TerryNet said:


> "Both printers would be plugged locally into my docking station."
> 
> If that's functionally the same as being connected to your PC then you would share them both. Probably only the print function would be available remotely.


Yes, the docking station just provides a non-portable way to plug in all your peripherals and power. Since there are no cables plugged into the PC; you simply detach the laptop from the docking station and walk away.

Remote printing is really all he needs. 99.5% printing, 0.5% scan of a single signature page and email back to his secretary for insertion into a document. I realize the scanned document will probably head to the local PC (mine), not his, but that's OK because it is so rare.


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## Wanderer2 (Jan 29, 2008)

SadieKate what you write leads me to think that you think if you pull your laptop from the docking station that your husband could still print. That is incorrect. Any peripheral devices connected to the docking station are only accessable thru YOUR laptop. This is because you are sharing them. No laptop no share no print.

That would not be the case if you followed my first post. Assuming of course your 4000n has the network interface in it.


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## CompanyGuy (Apr 26, 2008)

I realize this thread is a little old now but others may find it as I did.
No one mentioned bluetooth as an option. Even with the VPN active, a BT connected printer will look local - with the right BT print buffer, it will look local to both machines. This is an option because they are both using laptops - almost all of which have BT.

It won't be the fastest print solution and you need to carefully consider which BT buffer you buy if you are using a multi-function printer (for the scan feature, etc.).


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## SadieKate (Mar 10, 2008)

Wanderer2 said:


> SadieKate what you write leads me to think that you think if you pull your laptop from the docking station that your husband could still print. That is incorrect. .


Nope, wasn't thinking that at all.

Problem is solved. Thanks, everyone.


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## SadieKate (Mar 10, 2008)

CompanyGuy said:


> This is an option because they are both using laptops - almost all of which have BT.


In what world is this? Let's see 3 computers, two of which are brand spanking new - no BlueTooth.


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

Gonna give us any clues, or do we have to beg for your solution?  Glad you got it working.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Many new laptops come with no Bluetooth, that's not such a surprise.


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