Networking & wireless: On again/off again network printer

OK, Here’s what I’m going to suggest….

The benefits of this setup are:
- iP4300 resides on your network
- iP4300 is available to any computer connected to your network (wired/wireless)
- No need to have multiple drivers loaded on each computer
----- Laptop = Vista drivers for the iP4300
----- Desktop (Melanie) = XP drivers for the iP4300

Long story short…I could bring a laptop running Windows 2000 to your home, download compatible drivers for the iP4300, setup a Standard TCP/IP port for the iP4300, connect to your network (with your permission) and print!

Here’s a real world example:
My girlfriend connects to my network with her laptop running XP and prints to my HP Officejet Pro L7680. I connect to her network with my laptop running Vista Ultimate and print to her Cannon MP730 (which by the way is an older model than your iP4300).

This solution will require you to invest in a print server and Ethernet cable. I recommend the TrendNet TE100-P1U printer server because it’s inexpensive and easy to install. It may be ordered on-line from....
Trendnet
http://trendnet.com/products/proddetail.asp?prod=130_TE100-P1U&cat=46 for $55.99
Dell
http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/productdetail.aspx?sku=A0968623&cs=19&c=us&l=en&dgc=SS&cid=30322&lid=680414 for $49.99
Office Depot
http://www.officedepot.com/ddSKU.do?level=SK&id=485015&cm_mmc=TLShopping-_-Shopzilla-_-Networking-_-485015%20TRENDnet%201PORT%20PRINT%20SERVER%20USB%2010%2F100%20WPERP for $47.95

I found one locally at MicroCenter for a friend. You’ll need an Ethernet cable long enough to run from the print server to a LAN port on your router (you do have an open port?)

Connection sequence would be:
iP4300 > USB > Print Server > Ethernet Cable > Router.

Things you want to do first:
- Install XP SP3 on desktop computer (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED)
- Download appropriate iP4300 drivers for the OS installed on the specific computer – store them on the desktop of each computer for easy access (* see note)
- Access your router's online admin and enable DHCP.

DHCP enablement is usually under the Basic Setup tab in router admin. You should select – Automatic Configuration for DHCP. Enabling DHCP will automatically assign an IP address for the print server/iP4300 or any other device you connect to your router. Be sure to save the settings and exit router admin.

After you make the above connections you’ll want to obtain the IP address of the print server/iP4300 by going online again to your router’s admin and look for the DHCP Client Table which will list the IP address for your print server/iP4300 – write it down – you’ll need it later.

I have a Linksys router and my DHCP Client Table is located under:
- Status tab > DHCP Server > DHCP Client Table

Assuming everything thus far has gone without a hitch you’re now ready to setup the iP4300 on your computers…one at a time. Here’s how:

Control Panel > Priners > Add a Printer > Add Local Printer > Create New Port > Standard TCP/IP Port
Click Next >
Select Auto Detect (if available) > Host Name/IP Address (type the IP Address you wrote down – you’ll notice that the “Port Name” field populates automatically as you type)
Click Next >
Install Printer Driver – here you can select Canon on the left and iP4300 on the right (* see note)
Click Next >

Follow instructions from this point on …it’s simple – when you are asked if you want to set the iP4300 as default select “yes” – When asked to print a test page select “yes”. If everything went as planned, you can click O.K. after the test page prints and start printing normally.

If everything works as it should you can delete the icons for the previous iP4300 installations via Control Panel > Printers on each computer. Keep me informed as to your decision.

* Note: If your iP4300 is not listed when you are asked to Install Print Drivers - Select "Have Disk" – (Browse to location where the drivers are located, Select the file, click "OK" - follow instructions from this point.