By Ki Grinsing

Overview

Traditionally you share the printer by attaching it to the computer and configure it for share using Windows network peer-to-peer. Or in Windows server environment, you can add a wired printer server and configure it for share and accessible by groups of users based on the group policy set in the active directory.

With wireless printer server, you can configure the printer for share, and then place it anywhere within the wireless network coverage. Any users can submit the print-jobs wirelessly to the printer, no need of waiting the queues – just send the print-jobs and the system will take care of the jobs for you.

TP-Link TL-WPS510U

This product is in great demand by many people who need a wireless print-server that is easy to setup and affordable price.

Highlights

• Compatible with majorities of USB 2.0 printers
• Up to 54Mbps wireless printing
•  WPA/WPA2 wireless security

TP-Link TL-WPS510U wireless printer server helps you manage the print-jobs wirelessly and is accessible by all users on the network. It includes one USB 2.0 high speed port to allow you connect a USB printer to the network. It is powered by the wireless 802.11g high-speed network with secure connection using either WEP (64/128 bits encryption) or WPA (including WPA2, WPA-PSK, WPA2-PSK) security encryption.

TP-Link TL-WPS510U wireless printer server supports all types of operating systems including Windows 2000 / XP / 2003 / Vista/7, Mac OS X 10 or above, Unix and Linux.

Hardware Installation

The following figure shows the connection diagram of the TL-WPS510U wireless print server. The device is configured to be accessible by the users within the wireless network in home where a wireless router is connected to the modem to share the internet connection.

Configuration

Like other wireless print servers, with TL-WPS510U you need to configure the device before you place it in an convenience location. The following steps show you how to install the device.

1. Turn off the printer’s power.
2. Connect the print server to your printer with the supplied printer cable.
3. Turn the printer’s power on.
4. Plug the AC power adapter into the power connector on the print server.
5. Wait 40 seconds as part of the print server’s Power On Self Test (POST).

Ad-Hoc or Infrastructure

Basically you can use the print server in an ad-hoc (peer-to-peer) connection. But mostly people use the print server to connect to the wireless network infrastructure. See also Ad-hoc and infrastructure wireless network.

Default settings

The default factory settings are as follows:

• Username: admin
• Password: 0000
• Wireless Mode: Ad-Hoc (Peer-to-Peer)
• Channel: 1
• SSID: WLAN-PS
• IP Address: 192.168.0.10
• Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0

Wired and wireless configuration

You need to configure the printer using the wired connection to the computer. You need to provide a static IP address to the computer with the unique IP address within 192.168.0.1 until 192.168.0.254 other than 192.168.0.10 and subnet mask 255.255.255.0, for example 192.168.0.50.

To configure the TL-WPS510U wirelessly, refresh your wireless connection and locate the print-server SSID (WLAN-PS) as your network and connect it.  Insert the provided CD into your computer’s CD drive, the Setup Wizard will automatically pop up on your computer’s screen and select TL-WPS510U. You need to read the quick installation guide to complete the configuration.

If you require multi-port USB, consider D-link DPR-1260 wireless multi-function print server. It is a Rangebooster G™ Multifunction Print Server which allows you to share up to four USB printers or multi-function printers on your network. DPR-1260 has been tested over 100 different printer models.

Network diagram

For home networking, the following network diagram can be a simple example of the wireless  print server which connect to the wireless router in infrastructure wifi network.

You may also need to consider this one: Belkin multiport Home Base – single solution for print server, USB storage with automatic backup and share wirelessly, automatically share pictures on Flickr® and Picasa®