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STAT · 08:19 AM

You networking guys are absolutely brilliant at this stuff so I'm going to just come right out and ask. I currently have a Linksys wireless network in my house (WRT54G router connected to Motorola cable modem) that my wife and I connect to on our PowerBooks. The router and modem are connected in the kitchen and cannot be moved (long story). Our study is located clear across the house so we have minor range issues from time to time. On top of that, we're both wanting to be able to print wirelessly to a Samsung ML-1210 laser printer. Now to my question...

Can I somehow make my Airport Express (which I'm currently not using) act as both a wireless network range booster (connected to the Linksys network), AND act as a wireless printer connection for my Samsung printer?

And an offshoot of that question...I've used wireless printing some in the past, but always had to switch wireless networks when I wanted to print (thus losing my internet connection). Is there a way around that?

Thanks guys!!

Simon · May 13, 2008, 12:11 PM

I know what you want to do definitely works with an AP Express because I am using one of them to do exactly that at my place. However, I'm using my Express together with an Airport Extreme BS.

I don't know if the Express will work the same way with your Linksys. Why don't you go ahead and try? To extend the range of your network you want to enable WDS and set up the Express as a WDS remote. The printer sharing part is plug and play: plug in the printer and launch AirPort Utility to turn printer sharing on.

You will be able to print w/o changing the network or losing your internet connection. It works just the way you would expect it to.

mduell · May 13, 2008, 06:47 PM

The WRT54G doesn't support WDS (without running a third party firmware); even if it did, last I knew the Apple implementation of WDS didn't work with other implementations of WDS.

Originally Posted by Simon

The printer sharing part is plug and play: plug in the printer and launch AirPort Utility to turn printer sharing on.

I thought the "play" part was that you didn't have to do any configuring after plugging.

STAT · May 13, 2008, 11:27 PM

So should I get a $70 Linksys range extender or a $150 Airport Extreme base station? One way or another, I'm not getting a strong enough signal in my office.

As for wireless printing with the Airport Express, I'm currently having trouble getting it set up. I'm running OS 10.5 and can't seem to find the Printer Setup Utility that Apple says exists. I looked in Applications-->Utilities but it isn't there.

mduell · May 14, 2008, 12:38 AM

Yes.

Stogieman · May 14, 2008, 02:47 AM

In 10.5 there is no Print Utility. You need to go to the Printer & Fax panel in System Preferences to setup your printers. Wireless printing with the Airport Express is great. I have a Canon PIXMA ip4500 connected to mine. Just make sure you have the latest printer drivers installed on both notebooks. The printer should be listed as a Bonjour printer.

Originally Posted by STAT

So should I get a $70 Linksys range extender or a $150 Airport Extreme base station? One way or another, I'm not getting a strong enough signal in my office.

Why don't you replace your Linksys with another Airport Express? It's only $20 more than the Linksys range extender you mentioned. Hook one up to your modem and use the other as a range extender & wireless printing.

Simon · 03:24 AM

never mind

Simon · 03:24 AM

Originally Posted by STAT

As for wireless printing with the Airport Express, I'm currently having trouble getting it set up. I'm running OS 10.5 and can't seem to find the Printer Setup Utility that Apple says exists. I looked in Applications-->Utilities but it isn't there.

Does the printer show up in the shared printer list in AP Utility?

AP Utility > Double-click your AP Express > Printers

Once it shows up there you will see it in the Print & Fax sys pref (the replacement for Printer Setup Utility in 10.5) and you will be able to chose the printer in print dialogs.

STAT · May 14, 2008, 06:19 AM

Originally Posted by Simon

Does the printer show up in the shared printer list in AP Utility?

Nope. I can print just fine if I connect the printer directly to my computer but if I connect it to the AE and double-click on the AE in AirPort Utility, it says "USB Printers: None".

Simon · May 14, 2008, 07:11 AM

Originally Posted by STAT

Nope. I can print just fine if I connect the printer directly to my computer but if I connect it to the AE and double-click on the AE in AirPort Utility, it says "USB Printers: None".

Are you sure the Express has the latest firmware? The ML-1210 can be shared over AP. Have you tried rebooting the Express? Did you connect the printer before or after rebooting the BS?

STAT · May 14, 2008, 07:27 AM

OK! I reset the Airport Express, told it to join my existing Linksys wireless network, and I see my ML-1210 printer listed in the Printer tab of AirPort Utility. Now the only problem is that when I tell something to print (using TextEdit for testing), the printer job box comes up and alerts that the printer is currently off-line. Any ideas?

BTW, thanks so much for your help...it's greatly appreciated.

ghporter · May 14, 2008, 08:48 AM

What does the Printer Preferences pane say about the printer? Maybe there's an issue with the print queue. You might just need to reinstall the printer driver (or move up to the most recent one) to get this part of the equation running.

STAT · May 14, 2008, 09:21 AM

OK then the driver might be the problem. I can't seem to find a ML-1210 driver for OS 10.5. I remember that when I was on 10.3 or 10.4, I had to use some kind of third-party workaround driver to get things working. Sucked. Maybe someone here can point me in the direction of a driver that might work?

gsr1379 · May 14, 2008, 06:07 PM

I have same setup linksys and ae

try this thread there is a link to an app in there it fixes my prob

Apple - Support - Discussions - Solution from CUPS author... ...

STAT · May 15, 2008, 06:08 AM

Well I installed a bunch of drivers and stuff and thought I had it all working. When I tell a document to print, I hear the printer spool up...but then it just sits there and the job never actually prints. What might be causing this?

ghporter · May 15, 2008, 07:49 AM

That's the kind of response I get when I set up a connection to my Windows-oriented print server but don't give it what it wants in terms of a queue name. It always wants "LPT1" no matter what. That could be something like what you're seeing. The driver, the router, and the printer all have to agree on a queue name, or you won't get any output because the queue the printer is waiting for will never provide anything to print.

Nergol · May 15, 2008, 08:05 AM

mduell;

Yeah, but what's the fun of a WRT54G without third party firmware? I run DD-WRT, which is powerful, stable, and free. I'm not sure if it supports what STAT wants to do, but everyone who has a WRT54G should run it anyway.

gsr1379 · May 16, 2008, 02:20 AM

STAT,

That is the prob i had i ran the program in the thread i posted and that fixed the prob on both of my mac minis and my mbp