Home Network and Access Point

[Bagzli]

Hi guys,

I've been reading up on creating a home network and the stuff I found online seems not to be what I want. I was wondering if anyone can point me in the right direction. Here's the thing:

In my household we got 3 lap tops and 2 desktops, sadly only one printer. Each of the computers is connected to the router via Ethernet cable or Wireless signal. All computer have internet and it works fine. The printer that I have is connected to one desktop pc which recently got fried. So now it is unusable and we have to connect it to lap tops to be able to print. What I am trying to figure it out is how to set up so that if I connect this printer to one of the computers (or maybe directly to router?) I would be able to print from the rest of them through the network or internet. I also want to be able to access the hard drives of other computers, so i can transfer files easier. I am not looking to spend a lot of money on this, currently I have a router/modem which came from ISP and all of the computers are connected to that. I also have a second router which is collecting dust at the moment.


My other question is how to improve the signal that wireless lap tops are getting in another room. There is a solid concrete wall between my room (where router resides) and the room where lap tops generally are and I am wondering if i can somehow configure the router that I have to be an access point only so that the lap tops in that room connect directly to that new router for stronger signal.

Any help is appreciated.

 

[Bagzli]

So, can anyone help out?

 

[strollin]

One simple way of sharing the printer would be to plug the printer into the working desktop then share the printer. This would make it available to any computer on the network. The drawback is that the desktop the printer is plugged into must remain powered up and connected to the network in order for the other computers to print.

As far as improving your wifi signal, there's a few things you could do. You could look into a repeater which would pick up your wifi signal and rebroadcast it or you could get hi-gain USB wifi adapters to use on the laptops that are having issues.

 

[Bagzli]

One simple way of sharing the printer would be to plug the printer into the working desktop then share the printer. This would make it available to any computer on the network. The drawback is that the desktop the printer is plugged into must remain powered up and connected to the network in order for the other computers to print.

As far as improving your wifi signal, there's a few things you could do. You could look into a repeater which would pick up your wifi signal and rebroadcast it or you could get hi-gain USB wifi adapters to use on the laptops that are having issues.

How would I go about setting up the printer? Also is it not possible to set up the spare router that I have as an access point? There is a phone jack in the room just wondering if its somehow usable since I have cable internet. I'd rather not spend the money if I don't have to, the sole reason I ask.

 

[lhamil64]

You would have to have an Ethernet jack in that room to connect the router to. Since most routers only have one wireless antenna, that one can't connect to one network and stream out another at the same time.

 

[strollin]

You would set your printer up as if only that desktop was going to use it. Once it was connected and working, you would "share" it on the network.

You might look into dd-wrt as a way to utilize your 2nd router to do what you want, providing it is a compatible router.

 

[Bagzli]

There is a wall jack in my room and in the room where laptops are, so how would I set this up then?

 

[Dngrsone]

You can get a simple network printer server for under $50 with shipping. It connects to your LAN with a regular RJ-45 cable and to the printer via USB.

There are also wireless models, but they will cost more and there is little benefit, in my opinion.

 

[lhamil64]

There is a wall jack in my room and in the room where laptops are, so how would I set this up then?

By "wall jack" do you mean an Ethernet port in the wall or a phone jack? If its a phone jack, you can't connect to the Internet through it unless you have dialup (or DSL technically).

 

[Bagzli]

phone jack, figured that might be the case. Thought I'd ask, thanks guys.