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[anders_g]

Just bought a DNS-323 and thought I could use it as printerserver. I am not quite clear of this, but it seems I must have a router that supports SharePort to do that? That should mean that my present DSL-2640B is not suitable?

/Anders

[dosborne]

If you connect your printer to the DNS323, and it is a standard printer, then you don't need shareport.

[fordem]

First - the DNS-323 has a USB print server which does not require the use of shareport, or for that matter a router - I could just for example, plug a printer into the DNS-323's USB port, connect my laptop to the DNS-323's ethernet port and print to that printer.

Something you should be aware of - not all printers can be used with a print server - this is dependent on the printer controller architecture and the printer drivers, more than on the print server itself, so there are a few printers that will not work with the DNS-323's print server (or any other brand of print server for that matter).

Some of the printers that do not work with a print server, may work with shareport, which technically speaking is not a print server at all, but rather a means of sharing a USB port.  You can load an add-in application onto the DNS-323 that allows the USB port on the back to be used with shareport, and this MAY allow printers that cannot be shared with the built-in print server to be shared.

Having said all of that ...

Most of us will use the DNS-323 in a network with a router, and it really doesn't matter what make or model or if it supports shareport or not - so put a disk (or two) in your DNS-323, plug it into your router, and get it going - when you've got it set up, connect your printer to it and set that up.  Post right back here if you run into difficulties.

[gunrunnerjohn]

Something else to be aware of.  Windows 7 LPD support has a memory leak which basically precludes you using the DNS-323 server unless you want to regularly stop and start the spooler service.

[anders_g]

Most of us will use the DNS-323 in a network with a router, and it really doesn't matter what make or model or if it supports shareport or not - so put a disk (or two) in your DNS-323, plug it into your router, and get it going - when you've got it set up, connect your printer to it and set that up.  Post right back here if you run into difficulties.

Thanks for your answer! The disk handling is set up and works fine! But the printer won't print. I guess it is my usual luck with selecting a printer. This one is a Dell All-In-One (printer, scanner, fax you name it) and it is probably the problem?

/Anders

[gunrunnerjohn]

Well, you do realize that an all-in-one will ONLY support the printer on a print server, regardless of what print server you use, right?

[fordem]

Getting all-in-one printers to work with print server is usually quite challenging - you may be able to get it to print, attached to the DNS-323, but the scan will not work, the fax features you'll have to figure out on your own.

If you can live with just the print features let me know - or - learn about the add-in applications for the DNS-323 and install Shareport - there's a server app for the 323, and a client app for your PC, that may work for you - and no, the router doesn't need to support it.

[anders_g]

Getting all-in-one printers to work with print server is usually quite challenging - you may be able to get it to print, attached to the DNS-323, but the scan will not work, the fax features you'll have to figure out on your own.

If you can live with just the print features let me know - or - learn about the add-in applications for the DNS-323 and install Shareport - there's a server app for the 323, and a client app for your PC, that may work for you - and no, the router doesn't need to support it.

I might be able to live with just printing - fax isn't interesting to me at all. I installed the SharePort on the DNS-323 and on my computer. In the DNS-323 web interface I can see there is a printer installed, but the SharePort on my computer says: "No USB device is detected..." That was really the reason for my original question, but now at least I can rule the router problem out. Thanks!

/Anders

[fordem]

What about scanning?

Shareport should connect and at least find the printer - I have no great experience with it, I just tried it with a couple of USB flashdrives and stuff like that, but I have no real need for it.  Maybe you have a firewall on the PC that's blocking it.

If you can live without scan and fax, try this...

Uninstall both shareport apps, connect the printer directly to the computer and install the drivers and make sure it prints, next, disconnect the printer from the PC and connect it to the NAS, open the printer properties on the PC and select the port tab, and add a new local port called, \\<ip-of-dns-323.\lp where <ip-of-dns-323> is of course the ip address of your DNS-323 (you need a reserved DHCP or static address for this to work).