help please: connection to stereo amp & sharing printer

[ghoti]

I'd appreciate help on a pair of what I know are simple questions (sorry for my ignorance!).

I will soon have two computers (located in different rooms) that I do not presently want to network for internet access purposes, but for which I DO want to share two printers (an HP Laserjet 5P and an HP Officejet 7310). What's the best way to accomplish this? Will I need to run CAT 5 cable between the two, or what? (I do not want to go wireless even if it is possible to print in that manner.) Is there some sort of hub to allow the printers to be shared? While the 7310 uses USB, the 5P uses only a parallel cable connection. If I could choose, I'd have one of the printers located near each of the computers, with the ability for each computer to print to either printer.

As to the second question, I want to use one of the computers (it has a Creative SB0350 Audigy 2ZS sound card) to feed a stereo amplifier in another room to listen to streamed audio from on-line radio stations. The amplifier is only simple stereo (no 5.1, 6.1, etc.), but I suppose in the not-too-distant future, I MIGHT upgrade to a more advanced amplifier. What's the best sort of cable(s) to use to feed the amplifier?

Thanks for any help!

 

[JimPhelpsMI]

Hi, If you set up a LAN with cable or wireless Windoze already has the ability to share the printer same as sharing Folders and Drives. Check in Help under SHARING. I have two Comps side by side and a drop on my workbench and am sharing one printer. Good Luck, Jim

 

[Stan]

If both of your computers are new enough, they should have network cards built in. Then google 'cross over cable', and make a long cross over cable (or buy one from Newegg.. etc). Then set one machine to be 192.168.0.2 and the other to be 192.168.0.3. Share the printers on both machines, and you should be able to print to either one. Total cost = $10 for a cable.

A better way would be [Computer]<-switch->[Computer], bringing the cost up to $40 for a switch, $10 for cable.

The 'best' way would be to use print servers for the two printers, however they are wildly expensive ($150-$300 ea), so your looking more at $500 +/-

As for running cable to your amp... I would look at something like the squeezebox. Running audio cable 50-100ft is going to act like an antenna. I use an AppleAirport to stream music to my stereo. As for a amp that does 5.1 .. why does it matter? What music is anything but stereo? All my mp3s are stereo :~)

PM me if you got any questions.

 

[ghoti]

Thanks guys!

I looked at Newegg's listings for routers and printer hubs/ switches. Indeed, a few have both USB and parallel ports (which I would need). I do not see how I would accomplish my goal of having one printer located next to each of the computers (in different rooms), and the goal of being able to print to either printer from either computer without having to boot up both computers?

Stan, sorry, but what's the 'squeezebox', what's it cost, and where to get it?

 

[Lemon law]

If you have both computers running win Xp, a nic on each computer, and a cross over cable to connect them, sharing both printers on the network should be easy. Its the basic network set up I have and its cheap. But since the Nic on each computer is the network link, if one computer is off, its nic is also off. Meaning you no longer have a network because the computer that is off cannot talk to the other computer that is on.----and since a parallel cable and a usb cable has a leagth limit of about 12 ft. you may be doomed with either set up in terms of printing with a single boot network. But I still
leave that topic open for a real network expert.

So if you have a computer A that is connected to printer AA by a usb or parallel cable. Then you have computer B that is connected to printer BB by a usb or parallel cable. When the network is set up and printer sharing is enabled, the drivers for printer AA that reside on printer A will also be copied to computer B automatically. And the same for printer BB which initially had its drivers on only computer B. So both computer A and B will show two printers in the control panel.----and the user of either computer can select which printer to use.-----which should work when both printers and both computers are on.

But if computer A is booted up and B is off it can only print to printer AA. If computer B is on it can only print to printer BB when computer A is off.----or to look at it the other way it would be the same if computer A and B are on, but if the printer cable were disconnected from printer BB then computer A could not print to printer BB nor could computer B-----you would get an error message if you attempted it.

Maybe there are more complex and expensive ways to hook up a network with routers and switches
that might allow one computer to be off but still have the other control both printers but it would probably be very expensive.

One other thing I want to cover is that some printers have problems with the default dynamic client computer addressing. So its often recommended that static client address be used with those printers.------see microsoft knowledge base article KB 309642. I have a static client and am able to share my canon ip4000 without problems.-----other post difficulty sharing that printer using dynamic client addressing.---I have never tried to share my MP 730 hooked up to the client computer with the host computer.--just never tried as I have no need to.

But if you must change printer settings, its always best done in the computer where its connected rather than through the network---or so I have read.

But in terms of the music thing----I have no knowledge there.

 

[JimPhelpsMI]

Hi, More of my 2 cents. If you have a computer at each comp you can still share, but you will have to have the two comps on. Audio can be connected to stereo with an adaptor cable from Radio Shack. It will have an 1/8" phone plug on one end and 2 suitable, usually RCA, plugs on the other. This is assuming that your stereo has LINE IN (600 Ohm) inputs. Other inputs may work, but not as well. Jim