My wireless router is about to kick the bucket, time to upgrade. I'm looking for something that has 2 usb ports so I can hook up an external HD and my printer. Any advice.


I notice most only have 1 USB port, can I add a splitter in?

 

Get a USB to ethernet print server adapter. I don't think the firmware of the router would support two devices if it only has one port. You might be able to physicall connect them both but it probably wouldn't work

I have one lying around that I don't use anymore if you're interested...

 

how much are they generally?

 

I need to try to install it off the ethernet port again....i don't know why I had such a hard time trying to do it the first time. It should be able to work, it's a big office like Dell printer.

 

30 to 40 bux

but yeah I'd probably try get it working over the ethernet port if it had one

 

Buffalo Technology AirStation High Power N450 Gigabit Wireless Router
Cheap, powerful and loads of options, including dedicated USB print port...

http://www.amazon.com/Buffalo-Techno.../dp/B005CSOE1G

1 USB Port, you don't want to run your HD via NAS?

 

what's NAS?

Here's my setup

2 laptops
2 Ipads and 2 Iphones
2 Apple TV's
1 PS3


I want to be able to print from the laptops and Ipads as well as pull from the external on the laptops (I have a 2 TB External)

Have a DELL Office Type Printer....(has an ethernet port).....

all runs through a WR54G

 

Your dell printer is wired only?

by NAS (network attache storage), I meant simply to connect your hd externals via wired directly to the router.

You do have a lot of stuff running, WR54G is very much outdated, I'm sure you experience plenty of lags.

Your choice, my opinion of course, is either to get a dual band router, or a powerful custom dd-wrt firmware router like I've mentioned above(which already comes preinstalled).

I ran NAS plenty in my home, and I hated every single one of them. The speeds are just not good enough for me when dealing with GB of files. I've had better success with dedicated servers.

 

I don't know if this is any good, but it exists

http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/wirel...outer-reviewed

 

You lost me.......are you talking about Ice Cream?

 

^ now you've lost me this has nothing to do with Android, lol...

You've asked us what are your options for having multiple devices connected to the internet and ethernet. You criteria is to have Two USB options on the router itself, one to plug in your wired printer and another to connect an external hard drive to... correct?

 

yes, but then you started talking Swahili

Our Printer is a Dell 1320C, if that helps. It appears that routers are only compatible wish certain printers, is this true? I tried to run a diagnostic on the printer by plugging it into my current router to find it's IP Address, it says it doesn't have any network settings


My wife found this router today, fits what we need

ASUS Black Diamond Dual Band Wireless-N 600 Router (RT-N56U)


here are the compatible printers

http://event.asus.com/2009/networks/...rt/rt-n56u.htm


External I have is a 2TB WD Essentials

 

All printers should work. I'd stick to prominent brands, like D-Link, Linksys, Buffalo, as they offer upgrades in firmware.

Regarding your printer, when you are plugging it in the router, the router will assign an IP address. You may need to reset your printer, can you print out a network info page on your printer? Does it provide any information? Are you using the software that came with the printer to set it up? It will do it for you, as it needs to add special settings for port (TCP)... Run the software and follow the instructions.

You can also log into your router and see what connections are active.

 

yea, when I try to print the network page it says no network info. I'll have to reset it and try again tonight.

 

ok, this is how it usually works.. you can do it manually or you can let the software that came with the printer do it for you, which I'd recommend.

Unplug your printer. Pop in the Printer CD into your computer. The software will first install network drivers and locate your router settings, then it will ask you to plug in your printer via ethernet cable, it will discover the printer, then it will upload the network settings to the printer, and your printer should work.
* Just plugging it in and expecting a miracle won't work.

Once the actual settings are there, it will be live and ready to print from any device on your wifi/lan.

 

What's wrong with a WRT54G and why upgrade?
Do routers wear out or what.

 

it seems to be getting bogged down with how many things we have connecting. I'd also like to be able to attach an external to the router since we work from laptops. And to solve my printing issues.


I'm not 100% Sold on doing the switch, all the reviews I read keep talking about how the W54G has great range and quick speeds.

 

^ It's a G router, old technology even with updated firmware.

It's does not have smart or efficient enough QOS/WISH/MIMO, a system that manages many connections based on priority or your preference, thus your router sometimes decides not to work properly.

N-draft technology, what most new laptops and smartphones have gives about 4x the range of the G routers, so this is a major advantage.

WRT54G was a very popular router, so everyone in their mother bought it