A painful reminder of the old print servers

Printer server had been the pinnacle of networked printing, but the WPS54G Print Server is a falling point of any networked-wireless printing.

The layout:
Linksys DSL Router
Linksys WAP54GX for wireless broadcast/receive
WPS54G wireless print server
HP 7350 Photosmart

Functionality/Compatibility:
Many people had indicated that the unit is extremely poor when it comes to maintaining the connectivity between the print server, and the printer. That's partially true. Remember, this print server has its upsides, and downsides. Here are the info:

1. The unit works EITHER wireless OR wired connection flawlessly via your router/hub/dual NIC ports. The speed ranges and auto switched between 10/100 megabits per second, which is roughly about 12.5 megabytes max of data could be exchanged at any given time between your wired/wireless network. Why just 12.5 MB? Think about the exchange rate, loss of data, and negotiation speed between router, print server, and remote networked systems. It's still fast enough to print out most small documents. Large documents, you'll have your hickups. Remember, you can only have EITHER wireless, OR wired connection, one at a time. Both cannot run simultaneously. I tried, with all setting, and hacks. Nothing works. Both wired and wireless LEDs may be on, but the unit will not work. Only one work at a time. Unfortunately, it's not a USB 2.0 connection that allows you to have a full 480 megabytes worth of information exchange, bi-direction. Since you're using a print server via the network, it's only uni-direction. That means your printer will only receive the incoming data for print jobs, and if something happens, the printer will not be able to send you the errors, such as paper jams, out of ink, or printer is busted. If you have Samba, the SMTP settings come in handy.

2. USB 1.1 or 2.0 support is critical for proper communication between printer and print server. A variety of printers are supported, and for those who are not, you need to download the drivers in order for the printer server to use to communicate. So far, the HP 7350, notorious for communication errors and issues, has no communication mishalves with the print server. That's a shocker. But unfortunately, it's a uni-directional communication via the USB 2.0 to wireless/wired network, rather than the bi-directional communication between the PC and printer via the USB line.

3. WPA, WEP, Wireless Security support for NetBUI, AppleTalk, and SMPT are an excellent addition to reinforce privacy. No issue with printing using these encrypted data, beside the 2.5 seconds lag time for decoding. It's perfect for wireless, but not for wired. If you're using a wireless router, with a wired print server, you don't need to use any encryption code, since the wireless router will do the job in providing security for the print server.

4. Wireless range is a laughable thing. Unless you get a whole bunch of the Linksys wireless network extender, you'll wont get more than 20 feet worth of connection signal strength out of this unit in a two stories home. Thus, I rely on my WAP54GX wireless device. This puppy, with some modification, can do a number with the print server.

5. Bi-Admin tools for configuring the print server is a joke. Why use the tool, when you can get a better layout and info via the web browser. You can do more havoc via the web browser configuration menus than the Bi-Admin tool. But be warned, if you don't know any thing about the settings, playing around with them can have dire consequences, both in security, and performances.

6. Since the unit is compacted, the unit produces heat like there's no tomorrow. After 15 minutes worth of powering up, the unit expelled enough heat to heat change the 5 square feet of air 2 degrees hotter. What the crap is going on?

7. Velcro provided for the print server is a hysterical thing to see. The unit gets so hot that the velcro side that is glued onto the print server get pealed off the print server in less than 2 minutes of hanging that unit on the wall. I have to cool it down, super glue a piece of industrial strength velcro onto the print server side, then the velcro performed well in sticking the print server onto the wall without any problem.

Ease of Installing:
Installing and configuring is quite simple. Like any other Linksys wireless/wired device, it comes with a Setup Wizard. The Setup Wizard is quite standard, and straight forward. You have to be either a 10 year old (or younger) or a person living in the dark ages to mess this up. There are two installation procedures. One is the driver installation for PC, and the other is the Utility/Configuration of the Print Server. Both installation steps are straight forward as one can expect it to be, with drawing diagrams, as well as full explainations.

Overall:
It's an inexpensive piece of print server to do the job. But, if you're going to get a print server, might as well get one that's built into a wireless router, like the one for Belkin, or Netgear. If you truly want a dedicated print server for your network, get a HP or Cisco print server for your wired/wireless router. Heh, you live and learn.

Helps for the IT-less:
When purchasing this unit, the complexity of installing the device drivers (both printer and print server) of your existing printers on other computers around the house can be a frustrating thing. I'm a guru when it comes to networking, and I still have a headache following the Linksys procedures. I'll take the liberty in helping the lesser IT-competent people out by having a more simpler procedure to ease the pain of reading the confusing Linksys manual:

1. Download the "Setup Wizard" from Linksys, to ensure you have the latest drivers for the print server.

2. Run the Setup Wizard, and Configure your Print Server first. Forget about the driver at the moment. When you configure your print server, it allows you to set up the security needed for your network. If you have an existing wireless router, use the wireless router's security, and disable all security on the printer server. This will save time in printing your print job from 20 seconds to 2 minutes. Don't use your wireless on your print server if you have a wireless router. You simply duplicate your effort for nothing. Utilize the wireless router's configuration to boost your print server capability is a whole lot better than using the print server's configuration to do the duplicated task.

During the configuration of your print server, it will display an IP Address under the DHCP. Write that IP number down for usage in a wee bit. Complete every step, and then exit.

REBOOT YOUR SYSTEM AT THIS POINT!!!

3. Once you've configured your print server, install the driver using the Setup Wizard. Now, the ridiculous thing about the print server is that it doesn't tell you in detail what you should do with the error "You must install the printer drivers first before you can use the print server.." So, what do you do? Here are the next few steps.

4. Create a pseudo printer. To do this, click on Start, select Settings, then Control Panel, then Printers and Faxes, and Add Printers.

5. Click Next to continue, then select "Local Printer..", click Next, click Next again to bypass the error that it could not find your printer.

6. Select the Create New Port, and chose the "Standard TCP/IP Port". Click Next, and Next again. If you know your IP address you've written down earlier for your print server, you can type it in. If not, just make up any crazy name for your Printer.

6. Click Next and Next again. Click Finish to finish things up with the creation of the port.

7. Now, the fun in finding the driver's for your printer. If you have the printer's driver readily, install it by select on the available printer drivers from Microsoft selection menus. If not, browse for it.

8. Once you've completed installing the drivers for your psuedo printer, click on Start, select Programs, then Linksys Print Server Utility, and start Configuring Printer Driver.

9. Follow the steps to install/configure the printer, and you're set. Print a test page, and see your print server in action.

* If somehow your print server doesn't give you the printer that you've plug into the print server, that means either your printer is not support by the print server, firewall has too much restriction, or you may have to install the PTP driver instead.

a. If your printer is not supported, the print server will not function at all due to invalid communication protocol. As the forums or tech support for the latest flash update that may support your printer. Newer USB printers will be supported via the DOT compliance drivers.

b. If you have the firewall up, and with too high of restrictions, click on the box during the driver configuration to disable your firewall temporarily.

c. If you can't get see your printer wirelessly, it may require to install the Peer-to-Peer communication driver. It can be found under the extracted Setup Wizard "Drivers->PTP" folder. Just double click on the "Setup.exe", install the driver, and restart your system. Follow the steps to install the psuedo printer first, and voi la, you'll see and be able to use the printer in no time.