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General discussion

Sharing a Printer, Scanner, and Internet

Nov 23, 2003 2:43AM PST

Hello,
I want to share my printer, and the internet with my daughter's computer. Both computers are the same model, Dell xps-r400's. I don't necessarily want to network them together, simply make them both able to use one printer and the internet.
I have purchased a DSL 4-port router to get both of us online, and a 10/100 Ethernet card for my daughter's computer. I was told that I needed at least a 2/4-port switch to allow both computers to use the printer. I realize that only one computer would be able to use the printer at a time, that is not a problem.
I just recently bought a used HP 5200C Scanner which I would like to share as well. If anyone has ideas, please reply to this message. Thank you.

Discussion is locked

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It's been asked before.
Nov 23, 2003 3:01AM PST

How do I share such and such without a network?

The port switches are out there for parallel port, USB and "other." But you have all that you need to share such with a noteable exception on the scanner.

So YOUR CHOICE to ignore networking, even though it's your cheap and easy way out. Go get the switches and cables or better yet, price it out first!

-> That scanner. You have the wrong scanner for sharing across the network.

You also will spend far more in cables and switch boxes than what a second USB scanner would cost.

Look at the money and decide.

Bob

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Assuming both PCs aren't in the same room...
Nov 23, 2003 7:34AM PST

you're cheapest and easiest way to share the devices is over the network that you have to set up anyway for the internet access.

Check out http://www.wown.com

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Re:Assuming both PCs aren't in the same room...
Nov 25, 2003 8:37PM PST

Hi Keith M.,
The hard part about the whole process is that the computer is more than a word processor, which is about 95% of what I use it for. My daughter on the other hand likes to learn, play and listen to music.
I just put wown.com into my computer help favorites and will be reading about what I want to do here. It may be quite understandable to most people out there, I have difficulty understanding things I can't see plain and simple right before my eyes.
My daughters computer is just behind mine in the same room. She goes onto hers mostly for play, but for schoolwork before and after dinner. I usually go onto mine an hour or so after she is done. Practically everyday at least one or the other is on a night.
Thanks for your patience!Happy

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Both PCs are in the same room...
Nov 25, 2003 10:15PM PST

Then using the printer cables/switch is feasible. The switch will be the part that fails on you after a period of time (been there, done that).

I took the gradual approach to networking - got one PC working on the internet through the router and cable modem. Then added the second PC to the router. Then looked at file/printer sharing.

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Re:It's been asked before.
Nov 25, 2003 8:45PM PST

Hi Bob,
Once again you're absolutely right! I originally bought the 4-port switch for another hairbrain idea I had that went belly-up.
The printer is cabled to my computer using the printer port. The scanner is cabled using USB. The internet via the 10/100 cable to the DSL modem.
I don't understand networking at all. For the time being, until I fully understand exactly what networking is and how best to utilize it, I won't bother coming here for a while. My brain just doesn't compute as well as most. I do thank you for your advice however dumb I am, and I do appreciate your patience with me. Thnaks!Happy