Lepre-Chaun said:
Hi,
Currently on my network i have 1 Desktop PC (HP), 2 compaq laptops, an
acer laptop. The printer connected is a HP Deskjet F370 via usb.
When the host pc (HP) is asleep i cannot print from another computer on
the network. I was wondering if there is a way to allow uers to print
when HP is sleeping?
Thanks in Advance
You've discovered the disadvantage to sharing a printer connected to a
networked computer ... you can only used a networked computer's shared
resources (files, printers, etc.) when the computer is active.
If you want to be able to print from one computer on the network whether
or not any other computer on the network is active, you'll have to
install a print server. This can either be a separate piece of hardware
or a printer with its own print server built-in.
Here, for example only, are two Linksys print servers:
WPS54G
http://tinyurl.com/2t6bya
WPSM54G
http://tinyurl.com/yvuw32
In general, these devices are not as inexpensive as you might like.
Amazon currently shows the WPSM54G (which claims to work with
multifunction printers) for $87.
The Linksys products above are wireless printer servers. If you don't
need that ability, you can save a bit. Most of the big home networking
manufacturers make these products: Linksys, Netgear, D-Link, etc.
Depending on your printer requirements, you might consider buying a new
"network ready" printer. I had been recommending the hp 6900 series of
wireless network-ready printers, but although I like the printers, the
software that hp practically forces you to install is getting more and
more problematic.
--
Lem -- MS-MVP
To the moon and back with 2K words of RAM and 36K words of ROM.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Guidance_Computer
http://history.nasa.gov/afj/compessay.htm