Naked Science Forum

Non Life Sciences => Geek Speak => Topic started by: sciencekid on 19/02/2012 23:41:39

Title: Can I operate a printer on two different wireless networks?
Post by: sciencekid on 19/02/2012 23:41:39
Hey, I just brought a HP Laserjet P1102w that's connected to my Mac. My mac runs on a different wireless network than my PC in my office. Can I run the printer through two different wireless networks. I have Windows 7 on PC  and I entered the IP address in the printer setup. Doesn't work. Help!!!
Title: Re: Printer Setup
Post by: RD on 20/02/2012 02:48:31
Plenty of lovely manuals here ...
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/manualCategory?cc=us&lc=en&dlc=en&document=&product=4110396

I think you have to install the specific printer driver software on both your Mac and PC,
(this driver software may be on a DVD which came with the printer).

Quote
If you are sharing a printer between a Mac and a PC, make sure you have installed the latest drivers.
http://www.ehow.com/how_4424963_printer-wirelessly-between-pc-mac.html
Title: Re: Can I operate a printer on two different wireless networks?
Post by: chris on 20/02/2012 09:41:19
If the two wireless networks can "see" each other and at least one of the APs has a bridge functionality (can act as a network repeater) then this is trivial. But it depends how you have configured the system. If the two networks exist completely separately and cannot bridge then this will be a struggle.

Chris
Title: Re: Can I operate a printer on two different wireless networks?
Post by: CliffordK on 20/02/2012 12:33:29
Why do you have two independent networks?  I'm assuming with separate routers, servers, etc?

Many devices like to lock into a single network, so your task may be difficult.

However, if your device has multiple inputs such as Network & USB, then it should be able to take input from either the network, or the USB, usually automatically taking input from both devices.

Looking at the HP Specs for the Laserjet P1102w (http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/newsroom/press_kits/2010/plugandprint/pdf/LaserJetProP1102w_3.30.10.pdf):
STANDARD CONNECTIVITYNETWORK CAPABILITIESOPTIONAL CONNECTIVITYThe "Print Servers" that HP is recommending appear to be external boxes that plug into the USB port of the printer.

There may be other brands available, perhaps at a lower cost than the HP Print servers.  For example the Linksys appears to have several wireless USB Print Servers.  They also have Linksys wired print servers and a Linksys 4 port switch with USB print server.

There are also a few brands of wireless routers with built in USB print servers.

So, if you wish to have two network inputs, then choose one network for the built-in printer wireless.
Choose the appropriate USB print server (wired or wireless).
Title: Re: Can I operate a printer on two different wireless networks?
Post by: CliffordK on 20/02/2012 13:48:49
Are you running on the two wireless networks simultaneously? 
Or just changing networks, one at at a time.

It should be easy enough to reconfigure the printer for the new network environment if  you move it.

You will have to make sure it connects to the new net, not just changing the IP address.
Title: Re: Can I operate a printer on two different wireless networks?
Post by: wolfekeeper on 21/02/2012 23:07:28
Doing this is moderately tricky since wireless networks usually use NAT and local non routable IP addresses; that's probably why using the IP address didn't work, that address is a local address on one network only (usually local non routable IP addresses are of the form 10.x.x.x or 192.168.0.x) and is not accessible from outside.

The problem with NAT is that it's not great at handling incoming requests from other networks; however you usually can configure one of the ports of the router to point to the printer, essentially set it up as a print server. So you have to give the printer a fixed IP on the wireless network and then configure a fixed port to point to it.

It's fairly fiddly: good luck.
Title: Re: Can I operate a printer on two different wireless networks?
Post by: Geezer on 22/02/2012 05:14:38
It might be easier to buy a second printer!
Title: Re: Can I operate a printer on two different wireless networks?
Post by: syhprum on 22/02/2012 14:19:00
It might be possible to get a screen shot of the mac as you can do between two windows 7 PC,s and get into the printer that way or the non tech way would be to put your data on to a USB dongle and move it from one to the other.
How about a Trojan !