Ask Me Help Desk - Hardware needed to connect 4 PCs plus a network printer

I am here in assistance regarding how I can connect 4 PCs plus a Network Printer.

I hae so far done most using what my friend already had, i.e a PC, a Mac, a PIXMA MP980 Printer. NETGEAR Router WPN824 and a Motorola SurfBoard SB5101 Cable Modem. Laptops x2.

He doesn't want anything wireless, so I am left with ONLY 4 ports on the Router.

All Computers whether Desktop or Laptop are connected to the Internet via the Router and Cable Modem.

My problem is I've run out of Ports, meaning I cannot connect the Printer so that only the PC and Mac have access to it, i.e he doesn't want the Laptops that the children use in their rooms to have access to the Printer though Internet access is fine.

Do I use a 8 Port Hub instead of the Router or a Switch in place of the Router?
I ask as I have another friend that suggests a switch instead of a hub, he reckons Hub only devices are limited or something like that and will cause problems.

All suggestions appreciated in regards to what I should ditch and or buy in place to make it easy, luckily my friend told me to get whatever is needed as expense is of little concern, BUT I don't want him to purchase something that is not needed.

cheers,

Bastian

Not sure if this will help your problem.. dont really understand it, but

Hook up the 8port router and then limit the security on the printer to only the computers you want to be able to print to it.
Right click on the printer
Go to properties
Security Tab
Remove the "Everyone"
Add the names of the computers you want.

Hope this helps.

Use only ONE router. You do not need another one.

You can connect a switch to your router to expand the number of connections available. A switch is more desirable than a hub because a switch is a bit more intelligent in how it handles network traffic.

Access to the printer can be handled by share level security. You can make the connection to the printer via one of your computers that stays on all the time and then share it from that computer. You can then select which computers are allowed to print through the share permissions.

You can add a managed switch. Managed and unmanaged switches have uplink ports that can connect to the router.

If you put everything on the managed switch and just use the uplink port to the router, then all access rules will be in the managed switch.

Some firewall appliances may also work. They could possibly be placed between the printers. You can put the printers on a switch or hub by itself and use the uplink port and then the appliance between them to limit access

You might have to either use fixed IP addresses or restrict the network use by MAC addresses and disable DHCP.

Check out D-Link | Welcome

Both solutions could work even if part of the network is wireless. You would just need a wireless access point.

FWIW;
Hubs put all traffic on the network, switches intellegently route traffic between ports and no one else on the network sees the traffic.

Just to put this in more simpler terms. A switch can be "daisy chained". This means you can have several switches in a sequence to add more devices.

I'm in a similar configuration, I have more than four network devices so I need more switch ports. I added an 8 port switch to my router by connecting the uplink port on the router to one of the switch ports. This gives me a total of 10 ports for network devices. If I expand to need more, then I add another switch daisy chained from the 8 port switch.

Chuck:

Remember there is a Macintosh involved here too.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mouse51180

Not sure if this will help your problem..dont really understand it, but

hook up the 8port router and then limit teh security on the printer to only the computers you want to be able to print to it.
Right click on the printer
Go to properties
Security Tab
remove the "Everyone"
add the names of the computers you want.

Hope this helps.

I don't have a Eight (8) Port Router and I stress the Wireless part of the Router isn't to be Used, meaning I am looking for the simplest and Cheapest method to connect the 4 Computers to the net and one network printer to be used by 2 of the 4 Computers ONLY and not all 4.
No Computer is to be on all the time, so printer sharing via 1 is not an Option.

I know that had I been allowed to use a PC as a Server and the rest as Clients it would be easier?

But it is not what they want so I seek advice in utizing what they have and or start againg with another method where the cost is around 100 AU Dollars.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScottGem

Just to put this in more simpler terms. A switch can be "daisy chained". This means you can have several switches in a sequence to add more devices.

I'm in a similar configuration, I have more than four network devices so I need more switch ports. I added an 8 port switch to my router by connecting the uplink port on the router to one of the switch ports. this gives me a total of 10 ports for network devices. If I expand to need more, then I add another switch daisy chained from the 8 port switch.

I might NOT have made my intentions clear.

I know that connecting a 8 Port Swtich to my Router gives me lot more Ports for Network devices, but what I would like to know is Can I siply replace the Router with the 8 Port Switch or is the Router needed as well if so why?

I ask because presently I know very little about Networking until I start my course in 2 months time, which I am looking forward to.

Thanks in Advance

Quote:

Originally Posted by chuckhole

Use only ONE router. You do not need another one.

You can connect a switch to your router to expand the number of connections available. A switch is more desirable than a hub because a switch is a bit more intelligent in how it handles network traffic.

Access to the printer can be handled by share level security. You can make the connection to the printer via one of your computers that stays on all the time and then share it from that computer. You can then select which computers are allowed to print through the share permissions.

Out of curiousity can sharing of a Printer be handled using share level by USB connection method? i.e. Connecting the 2 PCs via a USB, either directly or via a USB Hub?

Quote:

Originally Posted by KeepItSimpleStupid

You can add a managed switch. Managed and unmanaged switches have uplink ports that can connect to the router.

If you put everything on the managed switch and just use the uplink port to the router, then all access rules will be in the managed switch.

Some firewall appliances may also work. They could possibly be placed between the printers. You can put the printers on a switch or hub by itself and use the uplink port and then the appliance between them to limit access

You might have to either use fixed IP addresses or restrict the network use by MAC addresses and disable DHCP.

Check out D-Link | Welcome

Both solutions could work even if part of the network is wireless. You would just need a wireless access point.

FWIW;
hubs put all traffic on the network, switches intellegently route traffic between ports and no one else on the network sees the traffic.

Thanks, but no part of the Network is wireless, which is why I am looking for a solution, i.e cheapest and easiest, e.g adding a 5 or 8 Port Switch to the Router or just use the 8 Port Switch in place of the Router if possible (The less devices around the work station the better).

What is the difference between Managed and Unmanaged Switches? Price and ?

Well, I just mentioned that wireless is possible at a later time with EXTRA hardware. I've picked up a router that can be used as an access point for $20-$40 USD. I just thought it was worth mentioning.

Managed switches are used in the corporate environment and rarely in the home.

Do a search on eBay for a managed switch at a cost you can afford and at lease one more port than you hope to expand too. An 8 port model generally can get you 7 ports+1 uplink.

The instructions will likely blow you away. Look at the online instructions for some "Buy it now" "managed switches". You can choose from usually 10/100 or 10/100/1000, but sometimes the uplink ports are 1000. It's just some gotcha's.

In the instructions look to make rules where certain devices cannot talk to something or devices are allowed to talk to based on MAC addresses or the address of the interface.

It's best to plug all your devices into a central switch and make the rules. The switch would be an upgrade when printing, for instance.

The uplink port of this switch will be the only thing plugged into the router.

KISS's option for MAC Address filtering is the first one I thought of as well but assumed you were not going to spring for the extra money for a managed switch and then figure out how to do the filtering. In a small network such as this, I would probably go that route.

There are a couple of other options to MAC address filtering on your print server via a managed switch (higher cost than unmanaged). One is to set a local Security Policy on the computers that are not allowed to print (or can be set on users as well) and another is to install the print drivers on each PC and set security on the Printer ports for specific user accounts (or all users) on that PC.

OPTION ONE:
Click Start, Run and then type MMC.EXE and click OK. Click File and then Add/Remove Snap-In.

From the list of available Snap-ins, select the Group Policy Object Editor and select Add > and then select the Local Computer and then Finish.

There are two parts to the Local Group Policy configuration - Computer and User Configurations. Expand the Computer Configuration and then Windows Settings, Security Settings, Local Policies, Security Options. Scroll down the list to Devices: Prevent users from installing printer drivers. Set this option to Enabled.

To set this as a User option (depending on who the logged on user is) go to User Configuration and select Administrative Templates, Control Panel, Printers and select the Prevent addition of printers. NOTE: This MUST be done with the specific user accounts logged on as it only effects the specific user profile.

Exit the Group Policy Editor and test your work. This should prevent the installation of ANY printers.

OPTION TWO:
Right-click on My Computer and select Manage. Go to System Tools, Local Users and Groups and select Users. Verify the user list on that PC and which ones are allowed and not allowed to print.

Next, open the printers and faxes management and right-click on each printer and select Properties and then Security. Add the specific users to the security list that are NOT allowed to print. Select each user and in the Permissions for that user, click on the Deny checkbox next to Print. Deny permissions take presedence over allow permissions even if they are allowed to print as a member of one of the groups. Perform this action for each user account on EVERY PC that users are not allowed to print from or for specific users that are not allowed to print.

NOTE: if the users are Administrators on the PC's, they will be allowed to go into these settings and UNDO everything you have done. Also, if new printers are added, security is not set on the additions (back to Local Group Policy).

It is easier for users to stumble across the security settings for printers than it is for them to open the Microsoft Management Console and figure out how to edit the Local Group Policy. Group Policy is not as easy to accomplish. You will have gauge for yourself which of the three options (MAC address filtering, Group Policy or printer security) is best for you.

Quote:

Originally Posted by hardwaresoftie

I know that connecting a 8 Port Swtich to my Router gives me lot more Ports for Network devices, but what I would like to know is Can i siply replace the Router with the 8 Port Switch or is the Router needed as well if so why?

The switch performs a function of connecting devices into a local area network. If you do not need your network to connect to the Internet, then a switch may be all you need.

The router performs the function of taking the connection from your broadband carrier and sharing it with all the PCs on your LAN.

eBay prices for managed switches don't appear to be that bad (<$200 USD) . You just have to make sure it will do the task.

One way that might make the task simpler to configure is to put the switch on just the printers. And the uplink port to the router.

Remember that physical access is just as important as computer access.

Installing a driver and using a crossover cable while having physical access will work.

Some filtering options on managed switches are port specific, so moving a cable is all that's required to print.

I am sure that somewhere along the process, one may wish to easily allow printing, so you have to think about how easy it would be to change it back.