Printer Setup - 2 Networks / 1 Wireless AIO Printer

[KeiSenpai]

Hello,

For purpose of this post, I will use:

Wireless Network A (Refers to Cable Company Router / Cable Modem - Operating on N)

Wireless Network B (Refers to Router DHCP, accepts wireless connections then routes them through cable modem)

Access Point A (Refers to Access Point which takes wired connections and sends them wirelessly to Wireless Network B)

Switch A (Allows multiple connections to Access Point A)

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I am in need of some suggestions as how to manage to get this work. I have a HP AIO Printer connected to wireless network A. Devices on Wireless Network B cannot see or access the printer on wireless network A. The laptops connect to A, but my desktops in another part of the house connect through B. Everything use to be on the same network but split the network up due to the N router received from the cable company. I want the laptops to get the faster speed, so that is why I want to try to keep the current setup. I am just wondering if there is something I can change in my configuration to access the printer from my desktops.

Sorry if this sounds confusing.

Mike

[PrintDoc]

I recommend using only one network for everything.  Usually, ISP's hardware, especially routers (and the firmware they create for it) is junk.

I recommend getting a cable modem from your ISP (not a modem/router) and then go get yourself a new 802.11n router of your own.  You can find one on sale for less than $50.

What you are trying to do is very complicated and if you are not extremely familiar with networking you will not get it working right.

[KeiSenpai]

Hello,

I know it is complicated but I cannot switch my cable modem out because this is how it comes, router / cable modem for the service I have. Does anyone have any advice, I wouldn't mind combing the exisiting wireless network to communicate with the cable modem wireless either.

Thanks

[PrintDoc]

Have you contacted your cable provider about this?  I don't know of a cable provider that actually needs to provide a router to make the system work (modem, yes, router, no).

[KeiSenpai]

Hello again,

Yes, I contact my cable company. The service I have is 40mb (fastest available) and requires a special cable modem that comes with the N+ Router built in. I can disable the router but would not benefit from the faster speeds the N router can put out through wireless. I had my laptops connected to my WIreless Network B but we were experiencing slow speeds, about 15mb vs 30mb with the desktops on their own network and the laptops connecting to the wireless router built into the cable modem. I know my network is complicated, and I apologize.

Thanks,

Mike

[PrintDoc]

OK, I learned something new today, thanks for that!

Getting devices on these two networks to see each other through the router's firewalls is going to be very difficult.  What about buying your own "n" router, replacing your current personal router and attach everything to that?

One thing that will be helpful, even in your current setup, is that the two routers use different IP structures.  If one uses 192.168.1.X, make the other one 192.168.0.X or 10.0.1.X or 10.0.0.X.  If they have the same structure, there is a lot of confusion of which routers "owns" which IP address.

[KeiSenpai]

Hello,

Thanks in advanced for sticking with me on this.
I started installing the HP software on my desktop because I was able to access the IP address of the printer and see the web interface. It prompted me to enter the IP address and I did of 192.168.0.8 (Same address I accessed the web interface), though it did prompt with an error:

The PC and the printer are connected to different networks(192.168.1.0 and 192.168.0.0).  They must be connected to the same network.  This can happen when you use the manufacturer's default network name (SSID) and another nearby network is using the same name.

The wireless router A does assign IP addresses of 192.168.0.X & B assigns them on 192.168.1.X

Thanks,

Mike

[PrintDoc]

OK, good. The routers are issuing different IP addresses. That is what you want.  The printer will not install unless it is on the same IP structure (subnet) as the computer.  The software may not allow it, even if you open it so that one network can see the other the software may not install a printer on a different subnet.

So the next step is to get them on the same network.  If that is not possible (because of your wireless extenders and switches) I'd recommend my other solution which is to get your own 802.11n router and replace your existing personal router with it and attach every thing to that new router.  The cable company's router will just be a pass through (in fact, you could turn off the cable company's wireless radio to make things simpler).

[KeiSenpai]

Hello,

Even though I got that message, I was able to click Ignore & continue on the next page. After that, Windows Vista Ultimate recognized my printer, and now I am able to print from Wireless Network B. All computers in my house are able to do so! I made sure that UPnP is activated across my network and everything seems fine now. Firewalls on computers are set to allow communication and the firewall on the routers are set to allow communicate from with-in the networks to Printer.

Thank you so much for your help!

Mike

[PrintDoc]

Wow, good work!  I did not think the HP software would allow that, but I guess it does!  Thanks!