Changing the channel will help if the problem is interference from other devices. Which Dell wireless card do you have in the 5150? If it's the same type as the one in your other laptop, you could try interchanging them. If the 5150 has one of the mini-PCI cards installed, you should check to be sure that the antenna leads are securely connected to the card. That's illustrated
here in the 5150 service manual.
Regarding the printer - you can either connect it directly to one of the computers, or to your wireless access point or router using a network printer adapter. What the best choice is depends on the locations of the printer and the access point or router.
In short, you need to describe your network setup in more detail before anyone can make specific suggestions regarding the printer.
Thanks for responding. Here's the set - up: the Dell TrueMobile 2300 Wireless Broadband Router is upstairs and connected to both the DSL modem and the ethernet card in the Gateway PC running Windows ME. The notebook is actually a 5160 with a Dell Wireless 1350 Internal Wireless (802.11b/g, 54Mbps) Mini-PCI card. There is not any other interference, I think that is located near the PC. No cell phone bases, microwaves, etc. With regard to ensuring the antenna leads are securely connected, would that be prudent considering how new the computer is and should I really open it up and tinker with it. Is there a chance I could make things worse?
The printer is a Dell 922 and will be coming soon. It will be connected to the PC but I want to use it as a shared printer, I guess. It will be very close to the Wireless Broadband Router. Is a network print adapter expensive/necessary?
If the laptop experiencing the signal problem is downstairs and the router is upstairs, they may be too far apart for the radio signals to reach between them. If you move the laptop closer to the router, does the connection improve? If it does, it's unlikely that the antenna leads aren't firmly connected to the mini-PCI card.
If the signal doesn't improve, it's worth checking the antenna leads. While the leads are somewhat fragile, ordinary care including making sure there's no static discharge when you open the laptop with the power completely off, should be sufficient.
If you visually inspect the leads and find one that's disconnected or loose, you might want to contact Dell Support for assistance.
If the signal problem is distance, the solution can take three forms - a wireless repeater at a location that extends the coverage area of the router, an access point connected to the rest of the LAN with an Ethernet cable, or relocating the 2300. How practical any of those solutions is depends on the layout of the house.
The 922 printer has a USB interface, and doesn't ship with a USB cable, I noticed. If the printer is shared from one of the PCs, the machine that's sharing the printer will have to be turned on. It's possible to purchase USB print servers (here's one from
Linksys), but you might want to get everything set up initially with the printer connected to one of the PCs and see how much of a problem having to leave the machine sharing the printer turned on really is.
Also note that there are no standards defined for signal strength. Two cards may be getting the exact same signal/noise ratio, yet the software from one card may deem it to be 'Good' whereas the other one deems the level to be 'Excellent' or 'Poor'.
Jim, thanks for getting back so quickly. To the 1st question, yes the signal does improve as you get closer to the router. It would be difficult to relocate the router because it is connected to the DSL modem which is connected to the PC. Of the two ethernet cables, I think one is 12ft and the other is 25 ft in length, but the router still needs to be connected to its power source, the outlet. I am not sure what you mean by an access point connected to the rest of the LAN with an Ethernet cable. Is a repeater expensive? How is it installed?
Regarding the printer, I have USB cables leftover from other devices, etc. The PC being on is not a problem. I assume I just need to set the printer as a "shared printe" after installing it on the PC, then installing the printer onto the laptop and configure it to access the shared printer.
Jim, I just checked and found out that the Dell 922 is not compatible with Windows ME. So I guess the wireless printing option is out for the laptop? Can I make it compatible, or is there no way the Windows ME will recognize or be able to recognize the Dell 922?
Jim, is it possible to install the printer onto the Dell laptop that has XP and then use the printer wireless, without using a USB cable? Can it be routed through the router?
If there's no Windows ME driver available for the 922, you're going to need to connect it to a system that does have drivers, unfortunately. I noticed that there's driver support for XP and Win2K only, and should have noted that, along with the USB cable issue, in my earlier post. Even if you bought a USB print server and connected the 922 to the print server, you'd still have the problem of no driver support for ME. That wouldn't prevent a network print server from working with the XP system, though.
Yes, with a device like the USB print server connected via Ethernet, or even a
wireless USB print server. That doesn't solve the "no drivers for Windows ME" problem, though. Note also that a wireless USB print server will have the same distance/signal strength issues that the wireless laptop does.
You might want to take a look at Linksys's
educational section, so you'll have a better idea of the range of possibilities. Incidentally, the reason I keep citing Linksys is simply that I've had good experience with their products, and their Web site contains a wealth of useful information. They're not the only vendor, though!
It sounds like the card's OK, but it's too far away from the router.
The idea of a repeater is that it only needs AC power and a location that allows it to "see" both the wireless router and the client machines that are trying to connect wirelessly. We had to run Cat5e cable under the floor, and set up two wireless access points, to get decent coverage in our house - and it's only one story. So one possibility is that you could somehow run Cat5e Ethernet cable between floors, and operate a second 2300 in "access point" mode somewhere on the first floor. That would require AC power to the second 2300, as well as an Ethernet cable connection back to the "upstairs" 2300. Also note that access points don't all need to be from the same vendor. I don't think that's true for repeaters, though.
Here are some
notes about maximum cable length from HomeNetHelp.com. While the specified length may be 100 meters, the practical length may be less than that depending on the components in the devices on both ends of the cable. The longest run we have installed here is about 75 feet, between a wireless access point and a switched hub.
The TM 2300 (a second one) can also be configured in "bridge" mode, another term for "repeater" mode. That's illustrated and discussed in the
"Advanced Wireless" section of the TM2300 manual, under "Wireless Bridge". If that works, only AC power, and enough wireless coverage in the location of the 2300 in bridge mode so it can relay signals between the wireless clients downstairs and the 2300 upstairs. You'll almost certainly need to do some experiments to see what's feasible.
Jim, let me see if I understand. Considering the printer that I ordered is not compatible with Windows ME, I can still use it for the laptop that is running WIndows XP. In order for me to use that printer wirelessly, I need to purchase a wireless USB print server, connect that to the wireless router(Dell TM 2300), as well as the Dell 5160 Notebook. The printer will have to be located near the router in order to receive sufficient signal strength? Then I will be able to print wirelessly?
Why is Windows ME so incompatible with many of the new types of hardware? It almost seems as if Windows 98SE has more compatibility. Anyway, if there's a way to get or upgrade to Windows XP inexpensively, I'd appreciate the knowledge.
The wireless USB print server needs to be within range of wireless router or the wireless bridge, if you're still considering that option. It will need only two connections - AC power, and the USB cable to the printer, since the print server communicates wirelessly with the rest of the network. The actual path that data being sent to the print server from the wireless interface in the 5160 will be 5160 wirelessly to the 2300, then wirelessly to the print server, and finally USB to the printer. No cabling would be needed to the 5160, since it and the USB print server are connected to the same IP network.
If the printer's close to the router, you could also obtain a "wired" print server, like the Linksys PSUS4. The data path in that case would be wireless from the 5160 to the 2300, then Ethernet to the print server, and USB to the printer, as before.
Assuming everything works as advertised, you should then be able to print wirelessly. The caveats would involve driver problems with the Dell printer - will it be able to handle the fact that the printer's no longer connected via USB to the 5160? Only time, or feedback from somebody who already has it working, will tell the story. There's an unresolved incident involving configuring the PSUS4 print server over a wired connection that's in another Forum thread. Since it's unresolved, I don't know what the problem is. The user was able to configure the PSUS4 when the laptop was connected by Ethernet, but was having problems printing over the wireless connection.
Regarding Windows ME - It wasn't one of Microsoft's more successful operating system products, and so vendors don't see much reason to invest in the entirely different driver technology for ME, as contrasted with Win2K and XP.
I believe upgrade copies of XP can be used with ME, although nobody recommends anything but a clean (format the hard drive) installation of XP from ME. If you post the specifications of the Gateway machine (amount of memory, disk capacity, processor type and speed) in the Software/XP board, I suspect someone will be able to advise as to whether the machine's a candidate for an XP installation. The list price for an XP Home upgrade is $99, but it may be possible to purchase it for less.
Yep, you've got it! No direct connection from the laptop to the printer is needed. Assuming it all works, the time investment would be the setup time. Incidentally, I'm in the midst of setting up a Linksys PSUS4 USB print server here. In my case the printer is a Canon i950. Cost locally was $57, and there's a $10 rebate from Linksys available. So far, the printer works, but the Canon printer status monitor can't get data back from the printer!
I'm not done with it yet. I just purchased a digital SLR camera, so I need the laptop's USB port to be available for the camera, and still have the printer on the network. As I said, sometimes printer drivers can be cranky about the connection type!
The Gateway's pretty neutral as far as the wireless issues are concerned. It's not neutral as far as printer support goes, since the printer's not supported on Windows ME, even if it's not directly connected. The machine may be an upgrade candidate, depending on its specs.
If you're interested in discussing the wireless range problem some more, it might be a good idea to begin another thread.
Jim, I think I get it. The laptop(5160) would communicate wireless w/ Dell TM2300. The Dell TM2300 would communicate through ethernet cable with wired print server. The wired print server would communicate through USB with the printer. So, the laptop wouldn't need to be connected directly to the Dell 922 printer? Maybe I should just keep the printer in one location and plug it into the laptop when I need to print. Would probably save money and time. I just wanted to try and make everything wireless, but the old PC I think is making it difficult. I'll get the specs on the gateway. I appreciate your timely responses. I am learning, but not very fast unfortunately.
lsteinberg23
9 Posts
0
December 15th, 2004 03:00
jwatt
4.4K Posts
0
December 15th, 2004 04:00
Changing the channel will help if the problem is interference from other devices. Which Dell wireless card do you have in the 5150? If it's the same type as the one in your other laptop, you could try interchanging them. If the 5150 has one of the mini-PCI cards installed, you should check to be sure that the antenna leads are securely connected to the card. That's illustrated here in the 5150 service manual.
Regarding the printer - you can either connect it directly to one of the computers, or to your wireless access point or router using a network printer adapter. What the best choice is depends on the locations of the printer and the access point or router.
In short, you need to describe your network setup in more detail before anyone can make specific suggestions regarding the printer.
Jim
lsteinberg23
9 Posts
0
December 15th, 2004 13:00
jimw,
Thanks for responding. Here's the set - up: the Dell TrueMobile 2300 Wireless Broadband Router is upstairs and connected to both the DSL modem and the ethernet card in the Gateway PC running Windows ME. The notebook is actually a 5160 with a Dell Wireless 1350 Internal Wireless (802.11b/g, 54Mbps) Mini-PCI card. There is not any other interference, I think that is located near the PC. No cell phone bases, microwaves, etc. With regard to ensuring the antenna leads are securely connected, would that be prudent considering how new the computer is and should I really open it up and tinker with it. Is there a chance I could make things worse?
The printer is a Dell 922 and will be coming soon. It will be connected to the PC but I want to use it as a shared printer, I guess. It will be very close to the Wireless Broadband Router. Is a network print adapter expensive/necessary?
jwatt
4.4K Posts
0
December 15th, 2004 16:00
If the laptop experiencing the signal problem is downstairs and the router is upstairs, they may be too far apart for the radio signals to reach between them. If you move the laptop closer to the router, does the connection improve? If it does, it's unlikely that the antenna leads aren't firmly connected to the mini-PCI card.
If the signal doesn't improve, it's worth checking the antenna leads. While the leads are somewhat fragile, ordinary care including making sure there's no static discharge when you open the laptop with the power completely off, should be sufficient.
If you visually inspect the leads and find one that's disconnected or loose, you might want to contact Dell Support for assistance.
If the signal problem is distance, the solution can take three forms - a wireless repeater at a location that extends the coverage area of the router, an access point connected to the rest of the LAN with an Ethernet cable, or relocating the 2300. How practical any of those solutions is depends on the layout of the house.
The 922 printer has a USB interface, and doesn't ship with a USB cable, I noticed. If the printer is shared from one of the PCs, the machine that's sharing the printer will have to be turned on. It's possible to purchase USB print servers (here's one from Linksys), but you might want to get everything set up initially with the printer connected to one of the PCs and see how much of a problem having to leave the machine sharing the printer turned on really is.
Jim
TechniKal
76 Posts
0
December 15th, 2004 17:00
lsteinberg23
9 Posts
0
December 15th, 2004 20:00
Jim, thanks for getting back so quickly. To the 1st question, yes the signal does improve as you get closer to the router. It would be difficult to relocate the router because it is connected to the DSL modem which is connected to the PC. Of the two ethernet cables, I think one is 12ft and the other is 25 ft in length, but the router still needs to be connected to its power source, the outlet. I am not sure what you mean by an access point connected to the rest of the LAN with an Ethernet cable. Is a repeater expensive? How is it installed?
Regarding the printer, I have USB cables leftover from other devices, etc. The PC being on is not a problem. I assume I just need to set the printer as a "shared printe" after installing it on the PC, then installing the printer onto the laptop and configure it to access the shared printer.
Larry
lsteinberg23
9 Posts
0
December 15th, 2004 21:00
Jim, I just checked and found out that the Dell 922 is not compatible with Windows ME. So I guess the wireless printing option is out for the laptop? Can I make it compatible, or is there no way the Windows ME will recognize or be able to recognize the Dell 922?
Larry
lsteinberg23
9 Posts
0
December 15th, 2004 21:00
Jim, is it possible to install the printer onto the Dell laptop that has XP and then use the printer wireless, without using a USB cable? Can it be routed through the router?
Larry
jwatt
4.4K Posts
0
December 15th, 2004 21:00
If there's no Windows ME driver available for the 922, you're going to need to connect it to a system that does have drivers, unfortunately. I noticed that there's driver support for XP and Win2K only, and should have noted that, along with the USB cable issue, in my earlier post. Even if you bought a USB print server and connected the 922 to the print server, you'd still have the problem of no driver support for ME. That wouldn't prevent a network print server from working with the XP system, though.
Jim
jwatt
4.4K Posts
0
December 15th, 2004 22:00
Yes, with a device like the USB print server connected via Ethernet, or even a wireless USB print server. That doesn't solve the "no drivers for Windows ME" problem, though. Note also that a wireless USB print server will have the same distance/signal strength issues that the wireless laptop does.
You might want to take a look at Linksys's educational section, so you'll have a better idea of the range of possibilities. Incidentally, the reason I keep citing Linksys is simply that I've had good experience with their products, and their Web site contains a wealth of useful information. They're not the only vendor, though!
Jim
jwatt
4.4K Posts
0
December 15th, 2004 22:00
It sounds like the card's OK, but it's too far away from the router.
The idea of a repeater is that it only needs AC power and a location that allows it to "see" both the wireless router and the client machines that are trying to connect wirelessly. We had to run Cat5e cable under the floor, and set up two wireless access points, to get decent coverage in our house - and it's only one story. So one possibility is that you could somehow run Cat5e Ethernet cable between floors, and operate a second 2300 in "access point" mode somewhere on the first floor. That would require AC power to the second 2300, as well as an Ethernet cable connection back to the "upstairs" 2300. Also note that access points don't all need to be from the same vendor. I don't think that's true for repeaters, though.
Here are some notes about maximum cable length from HomeNetHelp.com. While the specified length may be 100 meters, the practical length may be less than that depending on the components in the devices on both ends of the cable. The longest run we have installed here is about 75 feet, between a wireless access point and a switched hub.
The TM 2300 (a second one) can also be configured in "bridge" mode, another term for "repeater" mode. That's illustrated and discussed in the "Advanced Wireless" section of the TM2300 manual, under "Wireless Bridge". If that works, only AC power, and enough wireless coverage in the location of the 2300 in bridge mode so it can relay signals between the wireless clients downstairs and the 2300 upstairs. You'll almost certainly need to do some experiments to see what's feasible.
Jim
lsteinberg23
9 Posts
0
December 16th, 2004 20:00
Jim, let me see if I understand. Considering the printer that I ordered is not compatible with Windows ME, I can still use it for the laptop that is running WIndows XP. In order for me to use that printer wirelessly, I need to purchase a wireless USB print server, connect that to the wireless router(Dell TM 2300), as well as the Dell 5160 Notebook. The printer will have to be located near the router in order to receive sufficient signal strength? Then I will be able to print wirelessly?
Why is Windows ME so incompatible with many of the new types of hardware? It almost seems as if Windows 98SE has more compatibility. Anyway, if there's a way to get or upgrade to Windows XP inexpensively, I'd appreciate the knowledge.
Larry
jwatt
4.4K Posts
0
December 16th, 2004 21:00
The wireless USB print server needs to be within range of wireless router or the wireless bridge, if you're still considering that option. It will need only two connections - AC power, and the USB cable to the printer, since the print server communicates wirelessly with the rest of the network. The actual path that data being sent to the print server from the wireless interface in the 5160 will be 5160 wirelessly to the 2300, then wirelessly to the print server, and finally USB to the printer. No cabling would be needed to the 5160, since it and the USB print server are connected to the same IP network.
If the printer's close to the router, you could also obtain a "wired" print server, like the Linksys PSUS4. The data path in that case would be wireless from the 5160 to the 2300, then Ethernet to the print server, and USB to the printer, as before.
Assuming everything works as advertised, you should then be able to print wirelessly. The caveats would involve driver problems with the Dell printer - will it be able to handle the fact that the printer's no longer connected via USB to the 5160? Only time, or feedback from somebody who already has it working, will tell the story. There's an unresolved incident involving configuring the PSUS4 print server over a wired connection that's in another Forum thread. Since it's unresolved, I don't know what the problem is. The user was able to configure the PSUS4 when the laptop was connected by Ethernet, but was having problems printing over the wireless connection.
Regarding Windows ME - It wasn't one of Microsoft's more successful operating system products, and so vendors don't see much reason to invest in the entirely different driver technology for ME, as contrasted with Win2K and XP.
I believe upgrade copies of XP can be used with ME, although nobody recommends anything but a clean (format the hard drive) installation of XP from ME. If you post the specifications of the Gateway machine (amount of memory, disk capacity, processor type and speed) in the Software/XP board, I suspect someone will be able to advise as to whether the machine's a candidate for an XP installation. The list price for an XP Home upgrade is $99, but it may be possible to purchase it for less.
Jim
jwatt
4.4K Posts
0
December 16th, 2004 22:00
Yep, you've got it! No direct connection from the laptop to the printer is needed. Assuming it all works, the time investment would be the setup time. Incidentally, I'm in the midst of setting up a Linksys PSUS4 USB print server here. In my case the printer is a Canon i950. Cost locally was $57, and there's a $10 rebate from Linksys available. So far, the printer works, but the Canon printer status monitor can't get data back from the printer!
I'm not done with it yet. I just purchased a digital SLR camera, so I need the laptop's USB port to be available for the camera, and still have the printer on the network. As I said, sometimes printer drivers can be cranky about the connection type!
The Gateway's pretty neutral as far as the wireless issues are concerned. It's not neutral as far as printer support goes, since the printer's not supported on Windows ME, even if it's not directly connected. The machine may be an upgrade candidate, depending on its specs.
If you're interested in discussing the wireless range problem some more, it might be a good idea to begin another thread.
Jim
lsteinberg23
9 Posts
0
December 16th, 2004 22:00