Networking advice

[ClydeJr]

I need to get 4 PCs (3 XP, 1 Win95) networked together so they can all use the same printer. The printer is going to be a wide format version (able to print on 11x17 paper). None of the PCs are going to be hooked up to any other networks or the internet. All the PCs either have a network card or built-in networking on the motherboard. How would be the best way of doing this? Can I do this by just getting a hub and hooking everything up to the hub?

[Sky]

Does the printer have a spooler and ethernet and stuff built in, like a networked printer? You could just connect them all via ethernet if so, otherwise just set one computer to be the print server for the others (share the printer from that machine).

[Lanei]

Get a multiport switch instead of a hub, the price per port is not different enough to give much savings, and it's probably hard to find a hub unless you look for one specifically anyway.  One standard patch cable from each computer to the switch, give each computer a different IP address on the same subnet and, in the vernacular of some folks i've heard speak, bobs your uncle.

I'd suggest connecting the printyer to one fo the Windows XP machines for a number of reasons that should make your life easier.
Firstly, if there is a Microsoft driver for the printer, XP is more likely to have it.
Secondly, there should be an option on XP that allows you to set up drivers for the printer to be installed over the network when clients set up to use the shared printer, thus saving having to install the dirvers on all of the machines.  Pay close attention to the dialogs when you install the printer and set up sharing.

[Rof]

If you hook them up with a hub they will all see each other, and be able to see the printer if it's shared from the machine the printer is attached to. The standard MS file and printer sharing will be fine. You'll probably need to tweak each machines networking settings but it's no big deal. Probably best to use TCP/IP (default in XP) and give each computer an explicit IP address. Or use NetBEUI, which is easier to set up, though I've have problems with it before.

There are some strange interoperation problems you can get from trying to network Win95 and WinXP, because by default they don't really understand each other's user/password model. (Standard way under Win95 is to have a password for each shared directory/printer; standard under XP is to have a user account that allows you access to directories or printers). Since you're not hooked up to the internet, you (probably) won't need any network security and that makes things easier.

[Sky]

Get a multiport switch instead of a hub, the price per port is not different enough to give much savings, and it's probably hard to find a hub unless you look for one specifically anyway.

Yep, when someone says 'hub', my mind thinks 'switch'. Hubs are nigh obsolete, use a switch instead.

[Ironwood]

Um.

How are you at digging holes in my back garden ?