Hi all,

I have two desktop computers, one SMC router, and one laser printer. The printer data cable is a USB type cable which can plug into a USB port on either computer. The router can connect as many as four computers, using (I think) a different type of cable connection.

Currently I usually print from one computer and that's the one where I have the printer plugged in (to a USB port in the back of the box). Suppose I wanted to print from the other computer via the router. Is that possible, assuming both computers are booted up? How would I configure the printer manager in the second computer (Mandriva)?

to be a network printer, your printer must connect to your SMC router.
If possible, maybe you can buy a convert adaptor, USB to CAT5, it converts your printer becomes an ip-printer.

Configure CUPS so the second computer can print to the printer that is attached to the first computer..

Dunno if both PC's are linux or not..

http://www.faqs.org/docs/Linux-mini/...-Printing.html

http://www.macosxhints.com/article.p...indows+printer


for Linux to Linux.. install Cups on both machines setup the printer on the one it's connected to then check the other machine (use the cups web interface http://localhost:631 ) and see if CUPS can 'see' the printer. if not add it and point it at the IP address of the other PC and queue name you used to setup the printer.

I agree that installing a cheap print server would be the best way to go. An ethernet to usb print server can be found on ebay for probably under $30 or so. This will connect the printer to your network rather than to a computer, the the computers are configured to address the printer through the network. An advantage of this is that only the computer being used has to be turned on,

However, it is certainly possible to share the printer on the network from the computer it is connected to, also. If your mandriva box has CUPS set up on it, it is really pretty simple. On that machine, open a web browser and enter "localhost:631" in the address bar. It should open up a configuration page that the cups daemon runs on port 631. There will be some configuration options, look for the one that says to share connected printers on the network and enable it. You'll print from the other computer by sending your print jobs to port 631 on the system with the printer attached. You should find all the help you need right on the cups web page.