How to connect a printer to PC via ethernet?

[gregrocker]

A friend wants to connect a large industrial Konica Minolta Magicolor 7450 II printer to his PC via ethernet to possibly get better performance. He is asking for my help to install a PCI Ethernet adapter he bought for this purpose.

I've only seen these be used for PC internet connections, and only seen printers connected via ethernet to networks. So first off I need to know if this can even be done. He has no router, just a 1-ethernet-port Linksys cable switch with a second port for tiny square printer-type plug.

He hopes this will be a solution to slow performance and pausing between pages by this big production printer used to print manuals, which is connected by USB now. I'm hoping someone here knows if this is a viable solution, or perhaps a better one to consider.

If it will work, then should I install the PCI card, load its driver, then plug in the printer via Ethernet to see if it is detected, run Add a Printer, or if necessary run its' software disk?

Any and all help appreciated.

 

[jimbo45]

Hi there.

I'm assuming this is a DIRECT connection (not via a Router).

1) you will need an Ethernet CROSS OVER cable in this case as you are connecting the printer DIRECTLY to the computer and not via a router etc on a LAN. A standard LAN connection is no good.

2) set the computer to say 192.168.1.1
3) set the printer to say 192.168.1.2
4) use subnet mask 255.255.255.0

Now simply add printer with address 192.168.1.2.

This shouldn't effect Internet connection etc.

(Adding the printer will need the Printer software but I assume you have that anyway).

Now IMO it's a mute point whether the printer will work better this way or via a fast wired LAN - I'm not sure what the speed of your LAN card is -- in any case the printer itself will have limitations on output speed. It might be a better solution to upgrade the LAN box to have more than one port on it so you could then simply connect the printer up to the LAN in the standard way). It should be better than a USB connection though - especially if it's running at USB version 1 speed.

Pausing between pages though might be a function of how the printing is performed - you might like to see what the settings are on how the printing is produced.


Don't forget also in either method this printer can be SHARED if required if the computer is already on a LAN.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[2xg]

Hi Greg,

In addition to jimbo's post.... make sure that the computer(s) in the network are using the same subnet as he has already posted i.e. 192.168.1.X. Having a gigabit switch NICs helps with the network performance.

Hope this helps.

Ray

 

[gregrocker]

We are not using crossover cable, just an ethernet cable between printer and PC.

We then manually set the IPV4 Properties addresses to what you suggested above but do not have the other Default gateway or DNS Server addresses to put in. Are these found by running ipconfig>all while connected to the internet, and how do we connect to get them - with automatic settings?