6 PC's + Printer Wireless Network

[stefnyc]

Hi fellas,

I have a small office that needs to go G wireless. 6 PC's:

1. notebook - WinXP
2. notebook - W2K
3. PC - WinXP
4. PC- WinXP
5. PC - Win98
6. PC - Win2K

Also, there is a HPG85 All-in-one center.

So, right now i have a Netgear b router, the printer is shared on PC No 5 and the whole network is wireless. The Internet is cable.

The Netgear b router works great, but is too slow for the amount of data, that flows trough the network. The users are printing up to 100 pages per day, and the computer that shares the printer works slow because of that. Also, we have an ACT! database on that PC, and every other computer connects to that database.

So, i am thinking for two possible upgrades:

1. Build a good, fast computer, that is going to be a server, with the database and the printer shared on it. Then upgrade the network to G using Linksys WRT54GS.

-or-

2. Use something like SMC Barricade g 2.4GHz 54Mbps Wireless Router with built in USB Printer Server, and share the printer trough the router.

Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance!

 

[amdskip]

My suggestion would be to dump the wireless network. I would never run an office on wireless for reasons such as security and reliability. You could have wireless setup for the laptops but I would not use it for the desktops at all. I would build a server to handle your database and printer even after the network is fixed just to make things nicer.

 

[skyking]

I'd second that on principle. If you can run copper, do it.
Some USB printers behave well when connected to a server, some do not. You will lose the all in one capabilities if you go with a printserver setup: only the printing will continue to work reliably.
If you need to keep the scanner functions in the office, keep that all-in-one hooked up to the most convenient desktop, and get a real network printer that hooks up to ethernet. Once you do, you won't go back.

 

[stefnyc]

Yes, i forgot that if i share trough the "printer server" it's going to lose the multi-function ability. Ok, then i can do that: Buy Linksys WRT54GS, wire the desktops and wireless the notebooks, and build a single machine for the databases and backup.

Do you guys think, that Linksys WRT54GS is a good choice?

 

[amdskip]

Yes, that router should work great for you.

 

[Tatonkaland]

I have 6 desktop computers,2 laptops and 2 laser printers connected to a Linksys WRT55AG Wireless A G broadband router.
I am running p2p and share 2 printers and an all in one printer occassionally.
Overall the networking runs smoothly, printers and all.
I use only MAC address for security, too many problems with WEP none with MAC.
1 desktop is in room with 2 cement side walls and the signal gets weird and kept dropping on B , the 802.11a seemed to solve the problem.
Only other issue is we are next door to a courthouse and jail and on Tuesdays and Thursday when court is in session my signal and link drops dramatically, I have to change channels on these days.
I previously used netgear for 21/2years and switched in July to Linksys for the firewall and better security.
I use mostly netgear adapters, surprising;y the Linksys adapters are weaker in speed and signal strength. on my system.
Three computers are win2000 - the rest are XP.
The file sharing on Win 2000 is much easier to use then the XP, but the print sharing runs smoother on Win XP.