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    klmgb's Avatar
    klmgb Posts: 114, Reputation: 13
    Junior Member
     
    #1

    Jan 16, 2006, 08:33 AM
    WAP vs Router
    So what is the difference between WAP and a router? I have a router with 4 computers wireless and 2 desktops wired. All have their own internet access (I don't access the internet through any one computer). I want to get a wireless printer server. Would I hook that up to another port on the router and then hook up my only printer to that so all the computers could access the printer all the time, no matter which computer is on or off? Right now my printer is hooked up to one of the laptops and I print from all machines through it.

    Actually two questions here

    Thanks
    NeedKarma's Avatar
    NeedKarma Posts: 10,635, Reputation: 1706
    Uber Member
     
    #2

    Jan 16, 2006, 08:41 AM
    Here is info on WAP: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WAP
    I believe you are using regular old 802.11b/g for your wireless network.

    If your printer is network-capable and has an ethernet port then yes, you could hook it up to your router and not have to worry about having the laptop on all the time for printing. Then you would set up the PCs for IP/network printing.
    Curlyben's Avatar
    Curlyben Posts: 18,514, Reputation: 1860
    BossMan
     
    #3

    Jan 16, 2006, 08:46 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by klmgb
    So what is the difference between WAP and a router?
    Basically, not a great deal. A WAP allows access to a wired network and normally is part of a router. Here's a whole load of information about WAPs.

    Part 2. Yes, you can connect your printer to your router, assign it a static IP address and print to it. You must make sure that ALL of the computers that are printing have the correct print drives installed on them.

    Hope this helps.

    ------------------------------------

    Lol, snap.
    Just what Need said ;)
    klmgb's Avatar
    klmgb Posts: 114, Reputation: 13
    Junior Member
     
    #4

    Jan 16, 2006, 09:26 AM
    So, do I need a printer server or can I hook the printer up to the router and have all computers access it there. And either way does the printer need to be network capable. I have a HP 4215v now and its not necessaily network capable. Would I need a new printer?

    Thanks.
    DJ 'H''s Avatar
    DJ 'H' Posts: 1,109, Reputation: 114
    Ultra Member
     
    #5

    Jan 16, 2006, 09:28 AM
    WAP - people generally use this through their mobile phone, allows them to check their email whilst on the go etc. It's by no means as good as the internet, but it's great for those little things like email when you are out and about.

    A Router - this is used for Broadband mainly and is great for connecting more than one PC up in a network. Wireless is even better - but there is the possibility of conflicts in ISP address as others are able to hack in on their laptops and use the signals to connect to the internet - it can cause the internet to crash and you have to then power down each computer, unplug each computer on the network and the router and then plug it back in and power them back up one at a time, starting with the server.
    NeedKarma's Avatar
    NeedKarma Posts: 10,635, Reputation: 1706
    Uber Member
     
    #6

    Jan 16, 2006, 09:47 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by klmgb
    So, do I need a printer server or can I hook the printer up to the router and have all computers access it there. And either way does the printer need to be network capable. I have a HP 4215v now and its not necessaily network capable. Would I need a new printer?

    Thanks.
    Your model is not network capable out of the box, you can tell because the only interface it has is USB. Your options are:
    - change the router to one that has USB print server capabilities (http://www.dlink.com/products/catego...0&sec=0#cid_37)
    - add a print server wireless add-on to your printer (http://www.netgear.co.uk/usb_print_s...121.php?type=h)
    - new printer with ethernet port
    - leave setup as is, printing through a computer

    Hope this helps.
    klmgb's Avatar
    klmgb Posts: 114, Reputation: 13
    Junior Member
     
    #7

    Jan 16, 2006, 10:12 AM
    Sounds like the easiest is to leave as is for now. But, eventually I'm going to get a printer server and hook it up that way.

    Thanks for all the info
    NeedKarma's Avatar
    NeedKarma Posts: 10,635, Reputation: 1706
    Uber Member
     
    #8

    Jan 16, 2006, 10:45 AM
    Not a problem. Here, if the fancy grabs you for an impulse purchase:
    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16833139001

    :D
    ScottGem's Avatar
    ScottGem Posts: 64,966, Reputation: 6056
    Computer Expert and Renaissance Man
     
    #9

    Jan 16, 2006, 02:24 PM
    Just to put set things straight a WAP is a Wireless Access Point and is used to connect 802.11 devices to a network. It has nothing to do with mobile phones.

    A router is a device that "routes" data packets from one network device to another. The Internet is made of thousands of public and private routers that are constantly sending/receiving data. These are sohpisticated routers that know where to route the data packets to get them closer to their ultimate destination.

    Broadband routers are a specialized form of router generally for use on home or small business networks to share a broadband connection to the internet. A wireless broadband router, includes a WAP built in, but a WAP can be added to a network that already has a wired router. In such a case it may only be set to connect wireless devices.

    To connect a printer directly to a network switch or hub (like the one built into a broadband router) you need a printer server. Some printers may have one built in, otherwise you need to connect the printer to the print server and the print server into your switch. There are wired print servers and wireless (802.11) ones. The advantage of using a print server is so that no PC has to be on to share the printer. The advantage of a wireless printserver is that it allows the printer to be located anywhere. But generally you want to wire any device when its practical to do so. Wired connections are faster, more stable and more secure than wireless. Wireless are no more prone to crashing then wired. However, a wireless connection is subject to interference which could cause loss of the Ineternet connection temporarily. If your wireless is setup correctly there should be on conflicts in ISP addresses.



    That doesn't mean that wireless is not secure, there are ways (MAC filtering, encryption) that can make your network adequately secure.
    ScottGem's Avatar
    ScottGem Posts: 64,966, Reputation: 6056
    Computer Expert and Renaissance Man
     
    #10

    Jan 16, 2006, 03:22 PM
    Whoops, Its been pointed out to me that I owe DJ an apology. It appears WAP has an alternative meaning in the UK that does have to do with mobile phones and accessing some WEB sites.

    However, that usage still has nothing to do with networking and is different from the acronym Wireless Access Point which was the issue here.
    DJ 'H''s Avatar
    DJ 'H' Posts: 1,109, Reputation: 114
    Ultra Member
     
    #11

    Jan 17, 2006, 02:38 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by ScottGem
    Whoops, Its been pointed out to me that I owe DJ an apology. It appears WAP has an alternative meaning in the UK that does have to do with mobile phones and accessing some WEB sites.

    However, that usage still has nothing to do with networking and is different from the acronym Wireless Access Point which was the issue here.
    Thank you for the apology. The information I gave is correct, but as I have now discovered to the UK only (as it would seem) You really should have a bit more faith in me, I would not have wrote anything if I did not have a clue. I think you should check your facts before you start posting bad comments against my posts.
    ScottGem's Avatar
    ScottGem Posts: 64,966, Reputation: 6056
    Computer Expert and Renaissance Man
     
    #12

    Jan 17, 2006, 07:04 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by DJ 'H'
    Thank you for the apology. The information I gave is correct, but as I have now discovered to the UK only (as it would seem) You really should have a bit more faith in me, I would not have wrote anything if I did not have a clue. I think you should check your facts before you start posting bad comments against my posts.
    While its true, that the info you gave was correct, it really had nothing to do with the question. And therefore it was misleading to the asker. There were two previous answers that had correct info, if you had checked them out.

    I apologized because it was brought to my attention there is an acronym WAP that does have to do with mobile phones. But your entire response to that question was really not very helpful and displayed an elementary knowledge of networking.

    The question was about 802.11 wireless networking. The WAP you referred to has nothing to do with that. In addition your description of a router was specific to small home networks and didn't deal with the basics of what a router is. Your statement about wireless being better was not good advice, since a wired network is faster, more stable and more secure. Neither was the other info you gave about crashing.

    If you had checked your facts about the acronym WAP and broadband routers (wired and wireless), I probably would not have had to comment at all.
    DJ 'H''s Avatar
    DJ 'H' Posts: 1,109, Reputation: 114
    Ultra Member
     
    #13

    Jan 17, 2006, 07:10 AM
    So what is the difference between WAP and a router?

    A generalised question which I answered accordinly to the best of my knowledge and ability.

    Subject closed.
    ScottGem's Avatar
    ScottGem Posts: 64,966, Reputation: 6056
    Computer Expert and Renaissance Man
     
    #14

    Jan 17, 2006, 09:18 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by DJ 'H'
    So what is the difference between WAP and a router?

    A generalised question which I answered accordinly to the best of my knowledge and ability.

    Subject closed.
    I thought I made that clear in my answer. A WAP (Wireless Access Point) is used to connect wireless devices to a network. It handles the communications between the wireless devices and the network itself. A WAP alone won't connect to a broadband modem.

    A router is a network device that manages the flow of data between wide area networks.

    What is normally referred to as a broadband router generally is 2 or 3 devices in one. The router part manages the flow of data between the broadband modem and your network. Almost always these devices include a switch of at least 4 ports. This switch allows for connecting network devices to form a LAN. A wireless router add a WAP into the mix to handle communications with wireless (802.11) devices.

    A router, more generally is a network device that routes data from one network to another. The Internet is a collection of privatge and public routers that are constantly routing data packets.

    I have no doubt that you answered the question to the best of your knowledge and ability. The problem is that knowledge was not sufficient for the question. Therefore the answer was not helpful and was misleading in some ways.

    Since the question had already been answered adequately by others, it would have been better for you to have skipped that question.

    Note: What I have done here is give you feedback as your signature requests. My purpose is to help you in making sure your answers are more helpful in the future. I am not trying to put you down in any way. I'm simply pointing out how this one answer was lacking.
    DJ 'H''s Avatar
    DJ 'H' Posts: 1,109, Reputation: 114
    Ultra Member
     
    #15

    Jan 17, 2006, 09:25 AM
    Let sleeping dogs lye!!

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