Help with setting up a network printer on home network.

Forums › LAN (ethernet/Wifi/routers/Bluetooth) › Help with setting up a network printer on home network.

paulnholmes

7 posts

Wannabe Geek

#213911 18-Apr-2017 15:38

Hello,

I was given an HP Laserjet 4200n, I figured it would be quite easy to set up and use at home. It's not been so straight forward due to the use of a powerline adaptor and second router to extend the network to a place where the printer can live without getting in the way. When the printer is connected to the 'main' FritzBox router in the house, it can be found and added as a printer with no problems. When I then take the printer and connect it to the 'remote' router (which is connected to the Fritzbox via a TP-Link Powerline adaptor and successfully broadcasts WiFi to that part of the house), it cannot be detected at all and cannot be set up as a printer in that location.

I'm probably missing something in terms of IP addresses, subnets etc. so any help that will enable me to find this printer when it's connected to the second router and enable it to be printed to from any device connected to the home network would be much appreciated. Please excuse the 'not very technical' description above!

Thanks,

Paul

Spyware

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#1766827 18-Apr-2017 15:48

Is the 'remote' router doing NAT routing, i.e., is it connected to main router via its WAN interface (rather than LAN interface).

Spark Max Fibre using Mikrotik CCR1009-8G-1S-1S+, CRS125-24G-1S, Unifi UAP, U6-Pro, UAP-AC-M-Pro, Apple TV 4K (2022), Apple TV 4K (2017), iPad Air 1st gen, iPad Air 4th gen, iPhone 13, SkyNZ3151 (the white box). If it doesn't move then it's data cabled.

paulnholmes

7 posts

Wannabe Geek

#1766872 18-Apr-2017 16:41

Yes, it is connected via its WAN port to the main router (via the TP-Link powerline adapter)

Paul

Spyware

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#1766931 18-Apr-2017 18:22

Add a static route to 'main' router.

E.g., 192.168.10.0 (network on LAN side of remote router) 255.255.255.0 (network mask on LAN side) 192.168.2.10 (gateway, i.e., WAN interface address of 'remote' router).

Make the remote router WAN interface address static so that it doesn't change and invalidate the route. Make printer address static then manually edit printer address (port) setting in printer driver.

RunningMan

9184 posts

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+1 received by user: 4834

#1766936 18-Apr-2017 18:38

The basic problem is you are using two routers, when what you need is a router, and a wireless access point (AP). Your network is currently broken into 2 segments, with devices that are connected to the main router unable to see anything connected to the second.

The ideal solution is to replace the second router with an AP, however if you want to reuse the devices you have then the most robust solution is if the second router can be configured as a bridge instead of a router - not all consumer devices will do this, but it may have a "bridge mode" or similar which can be turned on.

Failing that, a common trick is to log into the settings of the second router, and disable DHCP, then connect the incoming ethernet cable to a LAN port, rather than the WAN port. This should create a bridge between the two networks, with devices connecting to the second router then picking up DHCP addresses from the primary router.

1101

3141 posts

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+1 received by user: 1143

#1767129 19-Apr-2017 09:57

Best solution, remove 2nd router
get a powerline kit that has wifi on the remote unit . Plug the printer directly into it (they often have 2 lan ports + wifi).

or
get rid of 2nd router & use a wifi access point (NOT a wifi router)

or , messy solution
dont use the WAN port of the 2nd router
- plug the powerline output into a LAN port on 2nd router
- disable DHCP on 2nd router & add static IP on same subnet as main network router

trig42

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#1767163 19-Apr-2017 10:11

1101:

Best solution, remove 2nd router
get a powerline kit that has wifi on the remote unit . Plug the printer directly into it (they often have 2 lan ports + wifi).

or
get rid of 2nd router & use a wifi access point (NOT a wifi router)

or , messy solution
dont use the WAN port of the 2nd router
- plug the powerline output into a LAN port on 2nd router
- disable DHCP on 2nd router & add static IP on same subnet as main network router

Do this.

Easy to do, doesn't require you buying anything new. Just log into the second router, turn off it's DHCP server, assign it an IP address on the same range as your first router (eg., if first router is 192.168.0.1, give this one 192.168.0.254 - write it on the bottom so you wont forget it too), leave WiFi on and then remove cable from WAN port and connect to a LAN port.

Dyson

Shop now for Dyson appliances (affiliate link).

paulnholmes

7 posts

Wannabe Geek

#1767403 19-Apr-2017 15:21

Thanks for the advice everyone, I followed the instructions given and now have the printer setup and working!

Cheers,

Paul