I have a DSL modem linked to a wireless G router (plus a PB G4 and a laser printer) on one floor of the house, and, on another floor of the house, in another workspace, a second PB G4 (which receives connection to the first floor PB, printer and internet through the downstairs wireless router's broadcast signals), as well as another (as yet, unconnected) laser printer on the second floor of the house near the second PB.
Until now, I've been connecting wirelessly to to the internet, first PB and printer, but doing all my printing on the downstairs printer, and constantly running up and down stairs to retrieve my printed documents. I've acquired the second printer in an attempt to have the option of having a local printer near the upstairs PB. Also, I have a scanner I'd like to be able to use in the upper location. Here is where the problem begins. In trying to get the upstairs printer connected to the upstairs PB, it seems that I can only accomplish this by disconnecting from the upstairs PB's internal Airport card wireless connection with the wireless network, and reconnecting the AppleTalk of the PB to any of the following: Ethernet, internal modem, USB, or Firewire. Actually, I don't remember whether all these options are available, but the main point is, that I don't seem to be able to be simultaneously connected to both the wireless network and to the upstairs printer on a hard- wired (ethernet) basis. The seeming necessity of first disconnecting AppleTalk from the wireless (and losing connection to the downstairs setup, including the internet; then switching AppleTalk to pay attention to the Ethernet (my probable choice), then hooking up an Ethernet cable connection to the upstairs printer and/or scanner, each and every time I'd like to either access the internet and/or downstairs printer, and back and forth, and back and forth - has my head spinning. I believe there must be some easier way. I imagine I'm missing some key piece of information here. I'm running OS 10.5.6 on the upstairs PB, and 10.4.11 on the downstairs one. Although possible, I could drill through the old plaster and cement over wood lath walls and stairwell, closets and rooms in a circuitous (and very messy) path between the two locations to run an ethernet cable perhaps 125 feet from the downstairs wireless router to the upstairs (to either the ethernet port on the upstairs PB, or to an ethernet switch, or to another wireless-G router, or to a wireless-G access point (for which I'm not sure I can obtain proper Macintosh drivers - it's a FON Movimiento Model FON2100A/B/C), or first to the ethernet switch and then to the access point; or possibly another combination: Yikes! I believe you get the idea. I haven't any idea how to make this work, and imagine there may be a straightforward way of achieving this. Alternatively, if you feel I have no other choice than to run the ethernet cable between the two locations, what way should I hook up whichever components are needed to do the job upstairs, to enable me to both access the internet (wirelessly, as I have been, to the downstairs router; or through the ethernet connection - as well as to be able to simultaneously utilize the upstairs computer, printer and/ or scanner? Or, maybe I should connect an internet switch to the DSL modem, with an ethernet cable to the downstairs PB & printer, and another internet cable through the circuitous maze of the walls to the upstairs workspace, where I would then install one of the wireless-G routers. Another possibility is an ethernet cable from the downstairs wireless router to the the second wireless router upstairs, to which I can directly, by ethernet, connect the upstairs printer and the scanner, and connect to the upstairs PB wirelessly through the PB's Airport. This possible solution, I assume, requires one DSL output being able to simultaneously be connected to two different (but fairly nearby) wireless routers, without causing confusion. If you've read this far, I'm sure you see that I don't know enough to sort this out, so I'm hoping you can help! Thanks so much! All the best, stanton --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed Low End Mac's G3-5 List, a group for those using G3, G4, and G5 desktop Macs - with a particular focus on Power Macs. The list FAQ is at http://lowendmac.com/lists/g-list.shtml and our netiquette guide is at http://www.lowendmac.com/lists/netiquette.shtml To post to this group, send email to g3-5-list@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to g3-5-list-unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/g3-5-list?hl=en Low End Mac RSS feed at feed://lowendmac.com/feed.xml -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
