OK, question for you network whizzes out there -- I'm looking to set up a wireless home network that will basically connect the following:

One wired desktop One wireless desktop (future) One wireless laptop (although it isn't wi-fi ready right now and I can't install a card -- its a work computer -- so I think I'm looking at a USB situation) Two Tivo boxes, with another one to follow in a few months -- these run on 801.11g, per my understanding. One printer, which is connected to the wired desktop.

Currently, I am sharing an internet connection through a garden-variety router between a desktop and a laptop, both wired. The printer is attached to the desktop.

First question is whether I can share my printer to my laptop using my current configuration. A dude at Best Buy indicated that if I install the printer software on the laptop and share it on the desktop, I ought to be able to print directly to the printer attached to the desktop. Is this true? Does that work even though I'm basically just sharing an internet connection and haven't really set up a network per se, i.e., I can't share files between the computers?

If I can't do this, what sort of gear will I need? Do I need a print server of some sort? Also, can I move things back and forth between the Tivo boxes when I'm just sharing an internet connection, or do I need to have a more elaborate network set up? Finally, I gather that when you share an internet connection, your speed may degrade because you're sharing bandwidth -- does the router allocate a specific amount of bandwidth to each device on the network it recognizes, or is all the bandwidth available to whatever item is using it at the time? In other words, if the only computer using the internet connection at a particular moment is the desktop, does it get the full bandwidth, or a fraction of it?

Pardon the noobish questions, I'm just puzzled here. Thanks for any input.

Re: Network Printing

you can share your printer, you will need to activate file and printer sharing on your desktop and then search for the printer through your laptop and install it. Mind you, you will need to ensure that your desktop is turned on at all times in order to print from the laptop to the printer.

If you need to know in further detail how to do it, let me know

Re: Network Printing

thanks, I'll try it when I get home and drop you a line if I have any problems...

Re: Network Printing

Alternatively you could pick up one of those wireless print servers, they are like 50 bucks and then you don't have to leave the other computer running like K mentioned (and they are pretty small too).

Re: Network Printing

[QUOTE=neoee]Alternatively you could pick up one of those wireless print servers, they are like 50 bucks and then you don't have to leave the other computer running like K mentioned (and they are pretty small too).[/QUOTE]

problem with that, I think, is that they don't work with all-in-ones, which is what I've got.

Re: Network Printing

^ ^ Good point, toasty. You'd have to see if your model even works. That's why I haven't gotten one for my all-in-ones. Drats.

Re: Network Printing

banned