OBIO
March 8th, 2010, 21:49
I am working on my brother-in-law and sister-in-law's computers. Upating the two newer ones from Vista to 7 and the two older XP systems are being reformatted, reinstalled, updated, secured and cleaned up for the grand kids to use. For that stuff...I'm good to go and have the knowledge and skills needed to do that part.
But, I have never set up a net work with different Op Systems before...and really not sure how to do it properly or even it it need to be set up the way it was previously. Right now, the router in use is a Linksys...not sure of the model...that will handle 4 systems via wire and has wireless capability. The two newer systems, one XP system and the printer are all hooked into the router so that the printer can be shared by the computers. Following this set up, what router should I have my BIL buy that will handle all four systems and the printer and what is the best way to set it up?
Here's my thought...if we can set the printer up on a usb hub of some sort so that all four computers can print directly to the printer, then the current router will suffice to allow the four systems to be connected to the net at the same time. I know that at one time...back in the old school days...there were hubs that could allow multiple systems to share one printer....is there a modern version of that that is USB?
As the network is now...or was before I started doing the updating and refreshing....my BIL had Geek Squad set up the router/network...and the guy said that he had to put a fire wall between the older XP system and the Vista systems (the ones going to Win7). My BIL was not sure of the details for the need of a firewall between the XP and Vista systems...but he paid dearly for what Geek Squad did.
Any advice and tips that you gents can give me to give my in-laws the best working arrangement for sharing the printer and keeping costs down will be greatly appreciated.
OBIO
But, I have never set up a net work with different Op Systems before...and really not sure how to do it properly or even it it need to be set up the way it was previously. Right now, the router in use is a Linksys...not sure of the model...that will handle 4 systems via wire and has wireless capability. The two newer systems, one XP system and the printer are all hooked into the router so that the printer can be shared by the computers. Following this set up, what router should I have my BIL buy that will handle all four systems and the printer and what is the best way to set it up?
Here's my thought...if we can set the printer up on a usb hub of some sort so that all four computers can print directly to the printer, then the current router will suffice to allow the four systems to be connected to the net at the same time. I know that at one time...back in the old school days...there were hubs that could allow multiple systems to share one printer....is there a modern version of that that is USB?
As the network is now...or was before I started doing the updating and refreshing....my BIL had Geek Squad set up the router/network...and the guy said that he had to put a fire wall between the older XP system and the Vista systems (the ones going to Win7). My BIL was not sure of the details for the need of a firewall between the XP and Vista systems...but he paid dearly for what Geek Squad did.
Any advice and tips that you gents can give me to give my in-laws the best working arrangement for sharing the printer and keeping costs down will be greatly appreciated.
OBIO