Networking Printers

[JCrou82]

Is it worth to have a printer server for 7 printers that do not currently have network cards, or am I better off just attaching these printers to workstations using parallel cables and then sharing them. What are my advantages or disadvantages to both.

Also I can have the possability of using a network server as my printer server. Should I combine the two or should I have a separate printer server?

Thanks in Advance

 

[Taoron]

Here we used to use Black Boxes to connect parallel printers to the network. It's actually a print server, since printers with a NIC usually have a print server in them. If you decide to go that route, you plug the printer via parallel into the box, then connect an RJ45 cable to the other end and assign it an IP.

http://www.blackbox.com

 

[JCrou82]

I'm sorry Taoron, but I'm not sure if I follow. You plug the printer via the parallel cable into the box, but then what do you connect the RJ45 (which I am assuming to be also known as a Cat 5 cable?) to. You said the "other end", what other end? Also, I went to blackbox.com and I don't really know what I am looking for there. Can you tell me the name of the product that you used?

Thank You and please forgive my lack of knowledge in this area.

 

[Taoron]

http://catalog.blackbox.com/BlackBo...00&ig_id=771&title=Ethernet+Print+Server+MP-1

They are nice units. They turn a parellel printer into a networked printer.

Networked printers today have a print server inside of them, and then if you're talking about a Windows 2000 server to share these printers / manage them, then you would add IP_10.x.x.x as the port name.

This is one of many solutions to your problem. And, I am only suggesting blackbox because that is what we use and what I have had experience with. You can try to search for "print server" on

http://www.warehouse.com

if you like, they may have different makes there.

 

[JCrou82]

Thank you so much for the suggestions. I will look into this and let you know what happens. I'm not sure if any of the printers that I have here ARE network printers. So hopefully this will be a less expensive solution than purchasing network cards and installing them on the printers.

Thank You

 

[JimInKS]

Sharing a printer connected to a PC works fine, is cheaper to implement and easier to setup. I would use the following critera in deciding if "sharing" a printer will work well.

- The printer can be located near a PC.
- Works best for a workgroup of 2 to 10 folks who are near each other.
- PC hosting the printer is running Win NT, 2K, or XP.
- Printer is not "high volume".
- You don't use a lot of different media in the printer. ie. someone accidently prints their spreadsheet on your envelope.

If you try sharing a printer and it doesn't work out you can always buy an inexpensive printer server like the HP JetDirect 170x and make it a network printer.

Regarding a separate print server. Being a print server does not usually put too big a stain on a system unless you have some exceptional printing requirments. Almost any current file server can handle 7 printers.

 

[Su513]

The only thing I would add, is to make sure that the client machines with the printer running off them are switched on all the time the office is open. I remember vividly being called 3 or 4 times a day to ask why the printer wasn't working, when the machine it was connected to was switched off. I know it sounds basic, but this can especially be a problem if it's someones workstation, and they are in the habit of shutting down when they leave the office.

 

[JCrou82]

Thank you...unfortunately this project has been placed in the back seat to a website revamp project. As soon as I get to work on this project, i'll post back to let you know my results.

Thanks