jbl

We need a new printer for home use, no heavy graphics mostly printed word stuff.
Wife wonders about a wi-fi one but I use an old macbook when sitting comfortably in the lounge and the printer is upstairs in the study. I cannot reliably use the macbook wifi because we are in an old cottage and the walls are thick !!!! so have it connected through the mains/solwise system. If I want to print I have to use her desktop imac upstairs. Does the modern printer have a good wifi set up that will connect with an old macbook or not, a stronger signal than what I get from the old 1.5 BT Homehub ?

Any thoughts appreciated.

Thanks
JBL

JackClark

You don't need to connect directly to the printer, it will connect to the wifi and so will you, job's a goodun.

john banks

Does the location where you have the printer have a network connection whether by wireless, wired, mains wired? Sounds like where you want to print from has a connection too? I am ready to make some suggestions but need to understand your setup. I have two printers, one attached by USB to an always on PC which is plugged into an ethernet switch, the other is plugged into an ethernet switch directly I used to use wireless and mains wired connections, now have wired with everything plugged in where it can be and four wireless access points and switches. It is a stone building/outbuildings and involved lots of threading through attics/cable fishing, but just to make a printer work and ADSL then mains stuff is fine. I wired everything because I want a lot more from my network now and in the future.

jbl

Thanks, I didn't explain too well perhaps.

I can't connect very well using the macbook wifi to the hub upstairs because of the thick stone walls in between. Have to use ethernet cable and solwise. Would the printer wifi be strong enough to send/receive signal from macbook through same thick walls ?

Cheers
JBL

Ash170990

iTrader: (1)

If all devices are wireless N you may get away with it, but in old houses wireless is poo! your best bet is to buy a few of these if you wanna stay wireless:
http://www.ebuyer.com/393462-zyxel-w...re2205-gb0101f
Otherwise look into powerline
http://www.ebuyer.com/367949-zyxel-p...la4201-gb0201f

jbl

Macbook in lounge connected via ethernet cable to solwise system~mains~ solwise in study connected to Hub. This works fine as wifi is very poor from hub to lounge because of thick walls. No point in getting a wifi printer if I have the same problem.

Cheers

JBL

JackClark

As mentioned the printer does not connect to your Macbook, they just need to be on the same network. So, can you easily connect to the wifi from where the printer will be or why not just put the printer close to the hub and use a cable.

Infected by sti

iTrader: (6)

Why don't you buy a wireless access point, or have you got any old routers? You can get away with using old routers around the house as this is what I do due to poor connection, cheap and cheerful solution if your router will accept it

Ash170990

iTrader: (1)

You have to cable in most WAP's so he'd be in the same situation, unless he ran cables... an extender (some WAP's will do this) just connect to the wireless signal and just boost it...

urban

iTrader: (1)

Home plugs might be an option for you.

john banks

I think we have the info to conclude that the printer can go in the study with the hub either wired or wireless, and that because the MacBook in the lounge is connected satisfactorily to the same network it shouldn't be problem because as Jack says each device connects to the hub rather than ad hoc directly to each other. If you tried to ad hoc connect by wireless between the lounge and the study (rather than through the hub) you are likely to have trouble, but there is no need to do this.

john banks

Another suggestion whilst you are at it might be to add a wireless access point in the lounge plugged into the solwise mains. Then your MacBook and any other wireless device could work without wires. Do you have any old wireless routers? Usually all you need to do is turn dhcp off on an old wireless router and plug it into the solwise with an ethernet cable and you should get a new wireless network in your lounge...

jbl

Thanks everyone, all comments/information much appreciated and very helpful.

Cheers

JBL