Network router will not recognize wireless print server

Question

I have an Inspiron 700m that I have been running in a wireless network for about a year with no problems.  I now have a Linksys WRT54GX4 router for my network.  I am trying to add a wireless print server, a Linksys WPS54G with no luck.  I make all the connections in the setup wizard(Print server to printer, print server to router-wired), and insure all are powered up and I have all LEDs on the print server are lit.  From the computer the setup wizard tries to find the print server on the network with no luck.  What amazes me is that the print server is wired to the router and it does not show up on the DHCP Client list.  I have tried resetting the print server and rebooting the router, enabling the SSID broadcast, disabling encryption and even disabling all wireless features on my computer and the router so only a wired connection is used for setup.  Nothing works.  My only conclusion so far is that something might be amiss with the print server.  A clue might be that it took about 6 or 7 powerups of the print server to get the wireless LED stay lit. Other than that I am out of ideas.  Could use some help. Thanks.   Richard

Jerry Park · Answer

I have one of those at work and it is working fine -- but I had a lot of problems getting it to work.

1. If it is connected with ethernet, the wireless is off. Don't expect the wireless light to be on when connected directly. If it is plugged in and the wireless light is on, restart it.
2. The web interface is flaky, and causes the unit to crash.

Make sure you have the latest firmware installed.

Check the disk which came with the unit. You should have a Bi-Admin or Bi-Admin Management Utility. Use that utility to set up the unit.

Set the unit with a static address. Anytime you use a print server (wired or wireless), it seems to work better with a static address.

I don't believe the Bi-Admin utility allows WPA settings for the wireless. Set up whatever you can with the Bi-Admin utility and if you need the web access, use it just for what the Bi-Admin doesn't control. You may have to restart (unplug the power) the unit multiple times to get a (reasonably) stable web page.

Once you get everything set up, it seems to work well so long as you don't mess with it any more.

Rich_N · Answer

Thanks for taking the time to answer but as I said during the setup proccess when it comes time for the network to find the print server-Step 7 in the setup- the little hourglass spins about a dozen times and then does nothing.  There is supposed to be a list of print servers that it found but there is nothing.  I can't use any admin utility or set up a static IP address because it is as if I have nothing plugged into the routrer.  It's a stealth print server. I installed the Bi Admin utility and it can't find the print server either.  I am about to give up.  Thanks in advance.

Jerry Park · Answer

If the bi-admin utility can't find the print server, then it is not working or can't obtain an IP from the router.

Try powering if off/on then re-running the bi-admin utility.

If it continues to fail, I'd consider it dead too.

steven troise · Answer

i have 4 dells. 2 laptops and 2 desktops. all wired not wireless unless i disconnect the cat 5 wire from laps. I have 4 printers on the system. 1 to each pc. I have a linksys wrt54gs router. I DONT HAVE A PRInt server connected. Im able to print on any printer on the network wired or wireless all w/o a print server. this is what u do

ok go to the desktop and find the printer icon in control panel. highlight the name of the printer. right click it and choose sharing on it. then find the ip address to the desktop. once u have the ip address of the desktop go to the laptop and do the following.

start then run type in

should look like this
\\192.168.1.1xx the xx would be your last 2 numbers of the ip address

then hit the enter key. your printer icon and folders should show up
double click printer icon and install printer drivers on the laptop

goodluck

Jerry Park · Answer

Sharing printers is fine, but there are benefits to having a print server. One of the benefits is that a print server can operate with no dependance on any computer on the network. Another is that you can place the print server anywhere you need -- in places you wouldn't place a computer.

Networking, Internet, & Bluetooth

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