Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[00Vette]

I have a USB printer I'd like to add to my 4500, but I can't figure out how to get it to work.

Its a Kodak scanner/printer that I bought for my wife last christmas (its not wireless) and I'd like to hook it up to the router so all the computers on my network can print from it.

This is one of the reason's I bought this router... because it supported USB printers (supposedly).

Anyway, I'd greatly appreciate it if one of you or any of you could help me with this issue.

Thanks,
Jon

[Trikein]

What is the model number of your printer? Also, you need to download and install the shareware utility. Also, keep in mind, any computer you wish to use the printer I believe needs to download the utility. For that reason, this is not the best method for networking a printer. Your better off just networking the printer to the router via ethernet, or using WPS to create a wireless network for your printer. If you still wish to use the Shareport utility, please see the fallowing links and respond with any questions or problems you have.

Shareport Utility


Shareport Manual

[00Vette]

The printer is a Kodak ESP 5 all in one printer

Unfortunately the printer doesn't have a ethernet chord or I would have defintely gone that route... and its also not wireless. Remind me again why I bought this printer? LOL... but I just want to hook it up to my network some how.

Thanks for the help and I'll print out and read the stuff you gave me.  I'll let you know if I have any questions.

thanks again!

Jon

[00Vette]

How do you use WPS to create a wireless network for the printer?

[Trikein]

Nevermind about WPS. Thats for wireless printers. Surprised it doesn't atleast have Ethernet. But yea, looked up some reviews, and that printer didnt grand reviews. Not the worst I have seen, but pretty light on features.

But anyway, your options are Shareport on the router(which means you need a utility on each PC), printer sharing with USB to desktop(which means desktop must be one for other computers to use it) or you need to buy a print server. Something like this But that is another piece of equipment. so yea, give it your best shot and let us know

[FurryNutz]

I would do this, since i've worked with Kodak before. Yee haa. Since it doesn't have a Ethernet,

1. I would add the Kodak to a PC that remains online most of the time add it normally. Then go into printers and faxes and share out the printer. If you share it out and all of your PCs are on the same network, you'll be able to add the shared printer to the other PCs by adding it and the drivers needed for the printer. If I remember this can be done with Kodak.

2. I would find a USB to Ethernet device and see if you can get an IP to install for it. HP has Jet Direct devices like this however I'm not sure if they will work on Kodak, highly doubtful.

[Trikein]

Windows 7 and Vista I think stores most of those drivers. It could work automatically. I knew it picked up my Brother printer pretty easily. My XP machine....no so much. LOL

[FurryNutz]

You can still manually load the drivers too...

[Trikein]

I agree. And many times that is best, since the Windows drivers are usually outdated. Was mostly making conversation. :-)

[FurryNutz]

I always try to use updated drivers from OEMs for the most part. I like to talk sometimes too.

[00Vette]

Alright, here is the update.

So I downloaded the sharepoint utility to my laptop and main desktop PC and tried to share the printer that way. The printer was recognized by the two computers however when I tried to use the printer from either computer it wouldn't print. It would have many different issues from network being disconnected to device being offline to not recognized. It was a mess...

But I have to throw a big thanks to trikein for the help. It did work, just need to work some bugs out. You did say it wasn't the best method, and you were right... it was a PITA.

So I'm going try to share it from my main PC and see how that works. But doesn't the computer that the printer is hooked up to have to be on in order for for networked computers to print off of it?

If that is the case, then I think I'm going to sell the Kodak on craigslist or something and go get another printer that I can properly network.

[FurryNutz]

Yes the PC that the printer is shared on has to be on in order for others to print to it.

[Trikein]

Yea, between different OS, AV's, and configuration (wireless vs wired) it gets really complex fast. Thats why I like my Brother Printer
On Newegg

Color Laser, got mine on sale for 219$. A rock solid printer. A little bit of a pain to set up, but just check out all these different ways to configure it. Brother Downloads lists The Driver Deployment Wizard is a Gem. That combined with Network Connection Repair Tool can gives you alot of power in how you set it up.

But anyway, yea, I don't hear great things about the Shareport program. They have a forum just for it you may want to try out if you get stuck. Using "File and Printer Sharing" can work, but that also runs into problems between different OS. Just remeber that XP vs Windows 7 and Vista have different Workgroup Names by default. Thats a common issue that gets alot of people. Good luck.

[00Vette]

Thanks a bunch! I'll check out that section.

I'm going to go get me a new printer... this will do for now, but not permenant. I'm also going to get a Network attached server to backup files... so I'm gonna do some research on networking printers. But whatever printer I do get, It needs to have a scanner as well. My wife needs a scanner to scan checks into out account. Kind of imporatant.

Thanks again!

[Dragonware]

OMG! Sorry to see you have the same problem I logged on to check for.  11 responses and not one answering YOUR question, "How to I get my DGL 4500 router to work with a USB printer."    You got everything but your answer. .....even a dis on your choose of printers.  Only one refers to the Sharepoint Utility, but not how to use it.

I guess this not where, you come for tech support

I have a USB printer I'd like to add to my 4500, but I can't figure out how to get it to work.

Its a Kodak scanner/printer that I bought for my wife last christmas (its not wireless) and I'd like to hook it up to the router so all the computers on my network can print from it.

This is one of the reason's I bought this router... because it supported USB printers (supposedly).

Anyway, I'd greatly appreciate it if one of you or any of you could help me with this issue.

Thanks,
Jon