Any free way to print to a HP prn on Win2k?

[clc2112]

Setup:

Dowstairs is my PB g4 wireless DCHP connection to Airport Base. The aiport Base is hardwired to linksys Router Upstairs via DHCP. Behind the Linksys is the win2k with an hp printer.

The linksys serves up DCHP (192.168.1.x) to the Windoze machines adn the Airport Base Station. The Aiport Base Station then serves up DHCP to my powerbook. (10.0.1.X)

I want to wirelessly print to the win2k machine upatsirs from the powerbook. Free and easily if possible.

I know this has probably been asked, but this is my first time in this section and a cursory look did not reveal and aswer.

Thanks,
Calvin

[mmcxiiad]

It seems that your problem is in the ip addresses that you are using. 10.x.x.x and 192.168.x.x are called non-propogated addresses. this means that they are designed to not be able to be accessed after crossing a router. this is how many companies (like linksys) can build personal firewall devices so inexpensivly when real firewalls can cost you an arm, 2 legs and other vital organs.

The easiest solution would be to disable the dhcp service from one of the devices. i would recommend that if your linksys device is plugged directly into a dsl or cable modem that you disable the airport's dhps service. the linksys is masqurading the real ip address provided by your isp to share the internet amoung all of the computers within you home network. Your airport will still act as a wireless device transmitting to all wifi devices. Just now it will pass any ip requesets to the router.

Once you have done that your ip addresses should all be within the same range (either 10.x.x.x or 192.168.x.x). After that is accomplished you will be able to share resources across your mixed platform network. From here you have many printing solutions. The first think you can do is download the gimp-print drivers. this should cover most printers. if yours is not on the list you can open up a shared folder and copy stuff in thier and print it out from the Win2000 machine. This is a duct tape solution, but works for most apps and is free - though can be inconvienent.

There are also losts of software out there to share but then you are getting into spending a whole bunch. If you are running a server version of windows (or upgrade to XP) you can remotely access you windows computer from the mac using the microsoft remote desktop. It works like terminal services. The great thing about it is you can run windows apps on your mac at increadible speeds. Then you can access a shared drive, copy the file to the windows computer, use RD to log on to your windows computer and print out the file with out ever moving from your powerbook. I use this all the time to do stuff in windows and i can atest that RD works great!

Hopefully this should help... or at least give you a starting place to begin to come up with a better solution. Good Luck!