How can I network 8 XP with printers

[Joe K]

I am helping someone.
They have a DSL 3M download. The modem is connected to a 4 port router.
There are 3 XP pro computers connected in the 1st office. They access
the internet OK.
All 3 access the printer OK.
In the 2nd office there are 6 XP's computers[ Pro and Home versions]
I want to connect these to the internet and access 2 printers in the 2nd
office.
What is the best way to do this ?
Can I get another router [an 8 port] and connect to the first router?
How can I have all 6 computers access the 2 printers.
I will be searhing the internet. Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[Chuck Davis]

Try this:
http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=bsd&cs=04&sku=A0048421

 

[microluck]

You don't need a seconf router, but a switch.

 

[DCRoyale]

I am helping someone.
They have a DSL 3M download. The modem is connected to a 4 port router.
There are 3 XP pro computers connected in the 1st office. They access
the internet OK.
All 3 access the printer OK.
In the 2nd office there are 6 XP's computers[ Pro and Home versions]
I want to connect these to the internet and access 2 printers in the 2nd
office.
What is the best way to do this ?
Can I get another router [an 8 port] and connect to the first router?
How can I have all 6 computers access the 2 printers.
I will be searhing the internet. Thanks in advance for any help.

not completely sure but I think that the Home ed will only support
networks up to 5 pc's.... put that 6th on... and issues arrise...

could be a workaround.... not completely sure .....

 

[LVTravel]

You are correct DCRoyale. Home will only allow 5 simultaneous connections
while Pro will allow 10 connections.

If the printers are all connected to the Pro boxes (if they are shared and
not networked via Ethernet directly) AND all data access is from the Pro
boxes (as file server/s) then the system will work with a simple switch in
the 2nd office, connected to one port on the 1st office's router. There
should not be any access to the hard drives of the Home boxes from remote
computers.

With the setup that is there, they can only add 1 more computer before they
will have to go to a server system (Win 2003 or Win 2000 server.)

I am helping someone.
They have a DSL 3M download. The modem is connected to a 4 port router.
There are 3 XP pro computers connected in the 1st office. They access
the internet OK.
All 3 access the printer OK.
In the 2nd office there are 6 XP's computers[ Pro and Home versions]
I want to connect these to the internet and access 2 printers in the 2nd
office.
What is the best way to do this ?
Can I get another router [an 8 port] and connect to the first router?
How can I have all 6 computers access the 2 printers.
I will be searhing the internet. Thanks in advance for any help.

not completely sure but I think that the Home ed will only support
networks up to 5 pc's.... put that 6th on... and issues arrise...

could be a workaround.... not completely sure .....

 

[Leythos]

I am helping someone.
They have a DSL 3M download. The modem is connected to a 4 port router.
There are 3 XP pro computers connected in the 1st office. They access
the internet OK.
All 3 access the printer OK.
In the 2nd office there are 6 XP's computers[ Pro and Home versions]
I want to connect these to the internet and access 2 printers in the 2nd
office.
What is the best way to do this ?
Can I get another router [an 8 port] and connect to the first router?
How can I have all 6 computers access the 2 printers.
I will be searhing the internet. Thanks in advance for any help.

I read this as you have to different offices - meaning two buildings, is
this correct?

If you have one building and the offices are in it, then you only need a
network switch and a network print server (unless the printer is already
networkable).

If you have two buildings, then the best method is to have FIXED PUBLIC
IP addresses for each, purchase VPN Routers, setup IPSec tunnels between
the two offices and then put the printer on the network and print over
IP to it.

If you have a single building with the offices close enough to each
other (100 meters), then you just expand the network with a switch, and
putting the printer on the network is still the best solution.

 

[Gordon]

LVTravel wrote:

With the setup that is there, they can only add 1 more computer before
they will have to go to a server system (Win 2003 or Win 2000 server.)

Ahem - there IS another alternative, and it's NOT a windows
solution.......In fact the majority of servers in the world run it.......

 

[Malke]

You are correct DCRoyale. Home will only allow 5 simultaneous
connections while Pro will allow 10 connections.

If the printers are all connected to the Pro boxes (if they are shared
and not networked via Ethernet directly) AND all data access is from
the Pro boxes (as file server/s) then the system will work with a
simple switch in
the 2nd office, connected to one port on the 1st office's router.
There should not be any access to the hard drives of the Home boxes
from remote computers.

With the setup that is there, they can only add 1 more computer before
they will have to go to a server system (Win 2003 or Win 2000 server.)

I am helping someone.
They have a DSL 3M download. The modem is connected to a 4 port
router. There are 3 XP pro computers connected in the 1st office.
They access the internet OK.
All 3 access the printer OK.
In the 2nd office there are 6 XP's computers[ Pro and Home versions]
I want to connect these to the internet and access 2 printers in the
2nd office.
What is the best way to do this ?
Can I get another router [an 8 port] and connect to the first router?
How can I have all 6 computers access the 2 printers.
I will be searhing the internet. Thanks in advance for any help.

not completely sure but I think that the Home ed will only support
networks up to 5 pc's.... put that 6th on... and issues arrise...

could be a workaround.... not completely sure .....

This isn't correct. The limitation to which you are referring is an
*inbound* concurrent connections limitation and not how many machines
can be part of a lan. This means connections going to one computer (not
users, not computers since each computer can make more than one
connection to another machine). Small businesses usually run into this
when they are using an XP Pro or Home machine as a "pseudo-server" to
function as a file, print, and/or application server. That doesn't
sound like what the OP's client is doing.

In fact, the OP's post doesn't tell us if the printers are connected
locally to various workstations or are networked printers. In any case,
the answer he got about using a switch is correct. Here is information
on the inbound concurrent connections limitation:

http://support.microsoft.com/?id=314882 - Inbound connections limit in
XP

concurrent connections:

5 for XP Home
10 for XP Pro/Tablet/MCE
49 for SBS 2000
74 for SBS 2003
Unlimited for full Server O/Ses

Malke

 

[Gordon]

Malke wrote:

Unlimited for full Server O/Ses

Including that /other/ one that is free? ;-)

 

[Malke]

Malke wrote:



Including that /other/ one that is free? ;-)

Well, I do suggest looking into a Linux server when appropriate and I do
this for several of my clients. But I don't think this has anything to
do with the OP's question which is why I didn't discuss it.

Malke

 

[Joe K]

I am helping someone.
They have a DSL 3M download. The modem is connected to a 4 port router.
There are 3 XP pro computers connected in the 1st office. They access
the internet OK.
All 3 access the printer OK.
In the 2nd office there are 6 XP's computers[ Pro and Home versions]
I want to connect these to the internet and access 2 printers in the 2nd
office.
What is the best way to do this ?
Can I get another router [an 8 port] and connect to the first router?
How can I have all 6 computers access the 2 printers.
I will be searhing the internet. Thanks in advance for any help.

Thanks to all. I will look into this soon.
There are 2 offices next to each divided by a wall.These computers are
standalone that will use office products and share a color and a B&W
printer.
I got some tech info from howstuffworks.com. I got a few books. Study
time...

 

[Malke]

I am helping someone.
They have a DSL 3M download. The modem is connected to a 4 port
router. There are 3 XP pro computers connected in the 1st office.
They access the internet OK.
All 3 access the printer OK.
In the 2nd office there are 6 XP's computers[ Pro and Home versions]
I want to connect these to the internet and access 2 printers in the
2nd office.
What is the best way to do this ?
Can I get another router [an 8 port] and connect to the first router?
How can I have all 6 computers access the 2 printers.
I will be searhing the internet. Thanks in advance for any help.

Thanks to all. I will look into this soon.
There are 2 offices next to each divided by a wall.These computers are
standalone that will use office products and share a color and a B&W
printer.
I got some tech info from howstuffworks.com. I got a few books.
Study
time...

Get a switch to plug into the extant router and assign static IP
addresses to the workstations. Get several networked laser printers, to
which you will also assign static IP addresses.

Malke