File & Printer Sharing

[paladinfes]

I want to set-up a simple network(?) at home.

I know to turn "on" file sharing & printer sharing and to connect one computer to my printer via a USB cable. And, this computers needs to be on to facilatate sharing.

I also know that the other two(2) computers need to be hooked-up to the computer with the printer cable connected.

But how do I do this?

Are special cables required?

Does the "printer" computer need additional hardware?

please help.

Thanks

 

[philbernie]

You can get a crossover cable to connect two computers to talk to each other, but better yet, just buy an inexpensive wireless router like http://www.frys.com/product/5665691?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG for $20. Do you have cable or dsl internet? The wireless router will make Internet connection as well as file and printer sharing a lot simpler for you.

 

[paladinfes]

I think I failed to explain accurately.

I have three(3) computers and want each to have access to the printer.

I do not want to set up a router because it requires to be on-line when printing and often this is not the case.

So, any ideas?

 

[philbernie]

What do you mean you have to be on-line to print? Do you mean that to print, you have to have internet access for both computers? Not even. In fact, the router does not have to be connected to a cable modem or dsl modem to print and share files using a router.

 

[paladinfes]

I do not want to use a router.

For personal reasons, my wife and I use separate and independent Broadband internet connections.

We want to share the same printer. In the past, we used a Belkin printer switch. But now, I use Vista Business and she XP Pro.

The Belkin fails to "see" the Vista computer (even after downloading & installing an updated Beta version of their software driver).

Hence the problem. We now have to physically plug and unplug the printer USB printer cable for each of us to print. Not a very good solution.

I want to repeat: we do not want to share an Internet connection ... only the printer.

 

[vibe]

With PCs on different networks I cant think of a way of doing that that isn't very long winded each time you have to print - Remote desktop across the internet connections will allow you to share printers but you'll be opening up the world to your PCs.

Does the printer have mutliple ports on it? like USB and LPT - could use different ports for each PC.

 

[philbernie]

Find another printer switch that will work with Vista.

 

[earnfreerupees]

Printer sharing is the easy task, Printer

http://hubpages.com/_98321/hub/Share-Your-Printer-over-a-Home-Network-LAN-with-Windows-XP

File folder

http://hubpages.com/_98321/hub/How-to-share-folder-in-windows-XP