[K12OSN] Ongoing printing problems k12ltsp V8

[Doug Simpson]

We buy networkable printers and set them up as IP printetrs. Exception: older printers in classrooms and small ones that don;t justify buying print servers we just set them up an a workstation and share them. We are moving away from this unreliable option as fast as they will allow us to, though. . .

If they are networkable, we just put a small awitch in the classroom and connect them up.  If they aren't we put a cheap print server on them and do it that way.

Doug

Doug Simpson
Technology Specialist
De Queen Public Schools
De Queen, AR
simpsond at leopards.k12.ar.us

>>> "James P. Kinney III" <jkinney at localnetsolutions.com> 1/21/2008 9:37 AM >>>

> But this would mean running network cables in parallel for all the
> network printers?

The gizmo's I've used plug into the parallel port or USB port on the
printer. Then a standard network cable is attached and they get setup
with a static IP (or a dynamic one attached to the MAC address of the
gizmo). Now everyone prints using a network printer format and no more
parallel/USB port stuff. 

So each printer will need it's own network cable but that can be done
with a small switch in a classroom fed from the single room drop line
anyway. Most schools I've seen have usually only one, and at most 2,
network access sockets per classroom. It is low cost to plug in a $20
5-port switch and have 4 devices online at once. 

Or get a bigger switch and hook up a nice collection of Linux thin
clients and a classroom printer and do it for every classroom in the
district. The teachers and students will thank you! :)
-- 
James P. Kinney III          
CEO & Director of Engineering 
Local Net Solutions,LLC        
770-493-8244                    
http://www.localnetsolutions.com 

GPG ID: 829C6CA7 James P. Kinney III (M.S. Physics)
<jkinney at localnetsolutions.com>
Fingerprint = 3C9E 6366 54FC A3FE BA4D 0659 6190 ADC3 829C 6CA7


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