Problems with wireless printing

[Shirley silver surfer]

We have an HP Photosmart 3210 All-in -one printer , nearly three years old.
Husband now has a laptop which he uses in the study where I have been using mine for some time. We both use a wireless connection to the internet which works well.
As we both like to use the printer we thought it would be a good idea to install a wireless print server. This appeared to be a success BUT neither of us can print 4x6 photos from the photo tray - husband's disappear into the ether and mine just produce a paper jam! I also cannot use the scanner, but I suppose this is one of the limitations of the 'All-in-one' idea. Other than abandoning the expensive print server and returning to the long cable across the room solution can anyone help, PLEASE?

[Grimsqueaker]

which print server do you have, and does it support the 4x6 photo functions you are trying to use ??

Scanning is a whole different issue, and will definitely be dependant on the limitations of the wireless print server

[Shirley silver surfer]

The print server is a NETGEAR WGPS606 and according to their website it supports the printing function of the printer. No mention is made of 4x6 printing

[Grimsqueaker]

from the info available, I suspect the problem is being caused by the print server not fully supporting the ability to select the seperate paper feeds..


looking at the hp website for your printer, it seems to indicate that it has an ethernet port as well as USB, if this is the case then you can connect the printer to the router used for your internet connection, and you will have full functionality of the printer via HP's drivers and utilities.... you may need to uninstall and reinstall the printer from your PC's though...

[dave pusey]

Scanning will not work via a Wireless Print Server.

As for 4x6 there is no reason why it shouldn't work via a Wireless Print Server. I have a the Linksys PSUS4 attached to my printer (it's a Wired Print Server) and everything works fine, even CD printing.

Maybe you could try connecting the printer/scanner via USB permenatly to the desktop and then sharing the printer queue across the network. (see link here for details... Step By Step: Share a Printer on Your Home Network)

[Shirley silver surfer]

Thanks for the advice. I did try using an ethernet cable to connect the print server and the wireless hub but everything went pear-shaped.

As we haven't got a desktop PC - just two laptops - I decided to contact the place where we bought the print server -way up in Milton Keynes! They said that as I hadn't had it more than 28 days I could take it back to their branch in Southsea for a full refund. Needless to say it was good old John Lewis!
Took it back today with no problems.

Have decided that the best advice is 'if it aint broke, don't mend it'. During my experiments managed (accidently) to switch the wireless key on my laptop and have spent some time on telephone line to India (BT Helpline) trying to reconnect wirelessly.
All appears to be well now.......I hope!

[Grimsqueaker]

glad to hear you are not out of pocket on this one Shirley....

did you try connecting your printer using an ethernet cable to your router (forget the print server).... According to the manual for your printer there should be a yellow blanking plug on the back of the printer that you remove to reveal an ethernet port.

HP reckon it is then just a case of running setup and selectng 'network' as the connection method ( how many times have i heard that over simplification )

[dave pusey]

did you try connecting your printer using an ethernet cable to your router (forget the print server).... According to the manual for your printer there should be a yellow blanking plug on the back of the printer that you remove to reveal an ethernet port.

That sounds like the best option to me.

Maybe as it is built in to the printer itself, the scanning may also work too.

[Hugo]

My initaial reaction was 'Serves you right for buying an Hp product'.

I bought one of their products (a printer) for the first time a few weeks ago. It will be the last.

I am still foaming at the mouth when I think of how it wants to take charge!

[Grimsqueaker]

Virtually all brands have their issues Hugo..

With HP's it seems to be paper feed problems, Lexmark's domestic range is just plain horrid which is odd because their business range printers are damned good products, Canon printers are fine as long as you use them regularly.... Can't really comment on Epsons as I havent had one..

I used to have a brother laser printer until the toner ran out, by which time we had decided we wanted a colour printer... We now have a Samsung CLP310N colour laser, networked wirelessly, and i have to say the output is pretty damned good..

[Elaine ..Spain]

Tim or Dave - wonder if you can help with another problem re networking of printers.

OH has a desktop - Brother laser printer plugged into USB port.
I have a laptop - Epsom photo printer plugged into USB port.

Both computers have ethernet cables into Router.

Somehow I have managed to set up the laser printer so that I can print on it from my laptop - but I cannot seem to set up the colour printer so that hubby can use it from his computer. It is probably something quite simple that I haven't thought of! :o Any ideas.

[Grimsqueaker]

Elaine,

I seem to recall you are on Vista, is that right... ?

if so, go to the start menu and type network at the bottom, then select "network and sharing centre' from the top of the list...

check that printer sharing is turned on in there...

[Elaine ..Spain]

Yep - I am on Vista - OH on XP

It says printer sharing is on and then in brackets - password required ??

[Elaine ..Spain]

Ah - just read what it says against the password protected sharing tab - which at the moment is set to ON. Presume I have to set this to OFF

[Elaine ..Spain]

I can see one potential problem!
When I look on OH's computer under View Workgroup computers - I can only see listed his computer and my old laptop. It doesn't recognise my new laptop.
I presume my new laptop needs to be added somehow! :o

[Grimsqueaker]

its possible that the workgroup name on your laptop isnt the same as on the others..

back to the start menu, type 'system' at the bottom, then select System from the list

scroll down to where it says Workgroup, and check that this matches the workgroup being accessed by the other two PC's

If it doesnt, click on the change settings link

[Elaine ..Spain]

OK Tim - will check it out tomorrow because I am now working on old laptop balanced on my knees while watching tele!

[Grimsqueaker]

keep us posted with how it goes

[Shirley silver surfer]

Thanks for all your help. If I had been sensible I would have asked for your advice before buying the print server! I shall try tomorrow to connect up using an ethernet cable. When I read the printer manual it was all carefully explained (doh!). I won't hear a word against my HP printer - it has been superb for nearly three years and produces excellent photos using 6 inks (I only have to change one colour at a time when it runs out and that makes it more economical than the 3-colour cartridges). I may be back if I run into trouble as I'm using XP and husband is on Vista!!!!

[Shirley silver surfer]

OK. I connected the printer to the router and installed the printer using network settings. Then I deleted the old printer. I can now print A4 and 6x4 photos and every thing appears to be fine......but I can't use the scanner part...I get an error message that the computer cannot connect to the scanning device.
I have no idea how to connect husband's (Vista) laptop, though. Any ideas, please?
(Preferably in words of one syllable!!!)