Step 1(A). Find a Printer with a Built-In Server
Obviously the purpose of this article is not to review printers, but it is important to get the right printer for your needs. In a home or home office environment, I would reccommend a multifunction office printer with a print server built in. HP, Canon, and Lexmark all make these type of printers. For office users, I would reccommend a midrange laser printer with a built-in print server. For corporate environment, try a full-featured copy machine (Kyocera-Mita makes excellent ones). Simply plug the printer into the network, and use the given utilities for further configuration. Many printers offer an HTTP, or web-based, configuration system that is accessed by typing the printers IP in the browser. You’re Done!
Step 1(B). Find a Print Server and Use an Old Priner
If you already have a printer, and it does not have a built-in server (if it does not have a network card, it does not have a built-in server), then you can go ahead and buy a print server.
I chose the JetDirect 150X. Its an older model I was able to find on eBay for a great price. It’s designed to handle Novell, NT, or standard Windows IPX/SPX networks, which made it a great choice for me, as I randomly change my network configuration. Because of its small footprint, I can put it pretty much anywhere, which was a plus. I chose to place it directly on top of my printer, although I may in the future duct tape it to the wall just for kicks.
Step 2. Connect Print Server to Printer
In the case that you do not buy a printer with a built-in server, your print server should connect directly to the printer via parallel. Then, connect your print server to the network via standard CAT5 cable. Although some print servers are designed for token ring networks, my home network is presently an Ethernet LAN, so I shall be giving instructions accordingly.
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