Help with new printer

lindabea

Hi, yesterday I loaded the printer driver to my laptop using the wifi configuration and it worked fine. Today I loaded the printer driver to my desktop using the USB configuration as my desktop does not have wifi. This too worked fine. However, when I then checked to make sure that my laptop still works, I kept getting a communication error. I thought it might have something to do with the usb cable so I disconnected it from the print, but it made no difference.

Is it technically possible to run the printer with both USB and wifi? I'd be grateful if someone can suggest what I'm doing wrong.

m5rcc

You don't mention the printer model nor your laptop, but yes it is possible to run both at the same time...

lindabea

m5rcc wrote: »

You don't mention the printer model nor your laptop, but yes it is possible to run both at the same time...

Thanks for your reply. My laptop is a dell and the printer is an epson sx235w. If is't possible to run both at the same time, any idea what could be wrong. I thought perhaps that when I loaded the software this am to make to USB connection to my desktop, it may have overwritten the software for the wifi connection needed for my laptop.

callistris

Your desktop doesn't have to be wireless to work with the printer, as your printer is connected to your home network, your desktop will still find it ok as its connected to the router that the printer connects to wirelessly:)

Assuming you have it connected to your network correctly!

lindabea

callistris wrote: »

Your desktop doesn't have to be wireless to work with the printer, as your printer is connected to your home network, your desktop will still find it ok as its connected to the router that the printer connects to wirelessly:)

Assuming you have it connected to your network correctly!

Does the printer need to be near the router? The printer is connected to my desktop with a usb cable at the back of my property and not able to get an internet signal. Could this be the reason for not being able to connect the printer to my laptop using wifi. When I connected the laptop yesterday, I was close to the router and able to get a connection to both the printer and the internet.

Bollotom

I found the same problem and also found that my Desktop network name was WORKGROUP and my lappy Network name was HOME. I was told they had to have the same name. Also I had to make sure the printer sharing was on. Don't know if that makes a lot of difference but it worked for me.

lindabea

Problem solved folks. Thank you Callistris for giving me 'food for thought' You pointed me in the right direction to resolve the problem. Apparently the wireless printer needs to receive a signal from the router to be able to connect to the laptop, but as I was too far away from the router, (desktop at back of property), I wasn't getting a connection. This is a great pity really as I was hoping that when I want to print from the laptop, I simply take it to the printer (near the desktop) and connect wirelessly to it. This is really very inconvenient, as I now would have to disconnect the printer from the desktop and take it near the router instead. My router seems to have a very low signal projection or it could be the walls interfering with the signal. I think I'll phone sky and see if they have a better router.