Two routers and a print server

[Atealtha]

Alright here is a strange scenario. One room has a 3 port router. I'm gonna order an 8 port router. One of the port in the 8 port will have a print server connected. 7 free ports, one will have the old 3 port router plugged in.

So, the computers hooked into the 3 port router also need access to the print server which is hooked into the 8 port router. Will those PCs be able to access the print server? I ask because they are on another "router layer" and wonder if they can just easily print.

Also if anyone can give me a crash course on a print server like this and how they work. Or maybe just a link explaining.

Thanks.

 

[WobbleWobble]

I'm not entirely sure on this particular print server, but most I've used work by printing to an IP address. When adding a new printer, instead of selecting LPT1, you choose a Standard TCP/IP port. Your print server will have some settings you will need to set in the following screens.

That's only if you're using 2K/XP. 9x machines will need LPR software, which is most likely supplied with the print server.

 

[Atealtha]

So, should the print server be on the 3 port router? I would setup one port on the 3p router to accept the printer port #. Then all computers on the 3p router has easy access, and if I assign the printer location to lets say 192.168.0.2 on the 8p router, it should automatically go to the appropriate port on the 3p router. Would this work?

 

[kamper]

Are you sure you don't mean "hub" or "switch" instead of "router"?

 

[Atealtha]

well I need all computers to be able to exchange files back and forth, and one computer will be a local ftp server as well. I have no experience with hubs or switches, as I have used only routers.

 

[WobbleWobble]

Just buy a 8 port switch instead of a router to simplify things.

If you go:

Computer A -> 3 Port router -> 8 port router -> print server

Computer A own't be able to see the print server without some configuration changes.

If you go

Computer A -> 3 port router -> 8 port switch -> print server

Computer A will be able to see the print server by just plugging in all the cables without any real configuration needed (asides from setting up the printer).

In my experiences, 8 port switches are probably cheaper than 8 port routers as well.

 

[Atealtha]

then how would I share the internet connection? I'm sorry I should have mentioned this.

 

[kamper]

Seriously Atealtha, I think you've got routers and hubs/switches mixed up. Even if you ran everything into an 8 port router each host would presumeably be on it's own subnet (eg: 192.168.1.x, 192.168.2.x, 192.168.3.x etc.). Nobody that I'm aware of wires a small network like that (unless you're trying to isolate specific servers). Can you describe the "routers" that you have?

If you have hubs/switches then you can just plug everything in anywhere with the exception that the line from one hub to the other must either be a crossover cable or be in an uplink port on one side.

 

[Atealtha]

Kamper, at home our router (yes I'm sure) assigns each computer ip 192.168.0.x so I never assumed anything like a subnet and such.

Well I did my research but I could not see what the hardware is because that office is locked. Forgive me for the not-so-smart posts. I looked around and saw none of the picture have a seperate port (and I did not know of crossovers yet). So I assumed for some reason that hubs and switches are strictly internal networking (I know, I know).

I think that an 8 port switch with an additional 9th uplink port will do. Even with one of those ports will be occupied by a print server, this seems good.
One last question with internal ip management. The switch will connect to the router, and the router uses its NAT, and the ips trickle down into the switch and to each computer? This was one thing I could not find online,
just this diagram.

 

[skyking]

Yes, you have it right. The client devices will get an IP from the router, and all the other settings, such as gateway, etc.
It does not matter if they are connected to the switch or router, so long as the switch is connected properly to the router.

 

[Atealtha]

Ok I checked the office, and in there is a 4 port hub, not a router. Now, each computer connected to the hub has its own ip that looks like this:

10.2.102.67
10.2.102.114

I'm assuming one of the ports has a crossover cable coming from the wall port connecting to the building network. Since there is no router, I'm wondering how ip assignment is being done now. I can only guess that the wall jack is coming from an internal router that the building network has. Should I just buy the switch, put the crossover into that, then plug in the hub into that switch, along with the print server?

 

[skyking]

somebody "up the line" administers that router. You need to talk to them and figure out the appropriate action. You could theoretically take down a whole network by adding a router to it improperly.
Before the rest of you chime in, what would a router plugged into this other LAN via one of the router's LAN ports do? Two dhcp servers can be fun