options for sharing a printer at home?

[ValuedCustomer]

here's the situation: I have 2 PCs and 1 laptop. My connection is a 2-wire DSL modem that serves as an access-point. the pcs are located in 2 different rooms with both connected by wire/cat-5 and the laptop connects wireless.

what I'd like to do: share a printer amongst the 3 machines.

question: what are my options?


Thanks very much for any advice you can provide! :beer:

 

[Aikouka]

Just hook it up to one PC that's preferably on the most and use File and Printer Sharing in windows to share it.

 

[SuperNaruto]

network printers are dirt cheap now too.. depending on that kinda of printer..

if its standard parallel port, you can find stuff like this for 10 bucks on ebay.. and it'll bet a network connection.. and you'll never need to turn on the computer to print anymore..

http://www.netgear.com/Products/PrintServers/WiredPrintServers/PS101.aspx

 

[ValuedCustomer]

sweet! - thanks for the advice all - :thumbsup:

 

[Tom Scruffy]

I've got a question. I've got two computers, one running Vista Ultimate, the other with XP. My network is an incoming internet cable connection to a cable modem, then into a Netgear Router and out to the both computers with ethernet. The printer attaches to the XP unit with an USB cable

I have a printer that is attached to the XP computer, that I want to be able to print from the Vista unit. Basically, I want both computers to use the same printer with the XP one acting like a printserver.

I can see the other XP computer's printer from my Vista computer, but when I go to add new printers, I see the XP computer's printer, I highlight it, and then hit install, it tells me that "The server for the Canon Pixma IP6000D does not have the correct Printer Driver installed, If you want to search for the proper printer driver hit OK" When you hit OK, it tells you that the file ".INF" on (unknown) is needed. Type the path where the file is located then hit enter.


I'm not sure what to do, download a Vista driver from the web for my XP computer and then what? Where do I put it and how do I get that printer to work on the Vista unit without losing the correct driver for XP so the printer still works on the XP computer?

Anybody, been there? Suggestions?