Installing a network printer as a separate network element

Installing a network printer as a separate network element allows you to solve the problem of compulsorily starting the computer on which the network printer is shared. But in this case it is necessary to take into account one important detail that there are printers with built-in Wi-Fi module or Ethernet connector, as well as printers that do not have network interfaces.

Printers with network interface

If the printer has network interfaces, you must connect it to the network by turning on the wireless network module or connecting the cable to the network equipment. Next, you need to set up a network printer. To do this, through the printer menu or through a special application that comes with a set of drivers, you must specify the type of addressing used - a static address or dhcp. If static addressing is used, you must enter the address, network mask and gateway, if necessary. Also, you must change the network name of the computer to make it easier to recognize it, but it is not necessary. All - the printer is configured.

The installation of the network printer in this case is performed from the official disc of the manufacturer, which is attached to the device itself. In this case, at the initial stage of the installer configuration, you must specify that the installation is performed for the network device. Then the entire network segment will be scanned for this printer model and it will be displayed in the list. If there are several devices of this model in the network, then we determine the devices by the previously entered address, or by the network name. Next, the network printer is installed in the normal mode.

Using the Print Server

If there is a printer that can be connected only locally to the computer, then you can simply open it to the PC where it is installed. But this connection option is not very convenient, because network printing will be dependent. The output from this situation can be the use of a print server.

Print Server is a device that allows you to use a printer with interfaces for local connection as a full-fledged network printer. The device itself is compact enough. The print server has an interface for connecting to a printer as a USB port or an LPT port, as well as a network interface for connecting to a common network (Wi-Fi, Ethernet). Thanks to such a device it is possible to connect the printer through a network that is initially local.

So, the printer on the local port connects to the print server, which connects to the network either by cable or wirelessly. Next, you need to configure the print server. To do this, it is connected via USB or COM-port to the computer on which the software that comes with the device is installed. If the software is not included, then the configuration is done via the web interface. Through the application or browser, the network settings of the device are configured - such as the type of addressing, address and name. And in the last step, the network printer is installed on the network computers.