Connect Ethernet-only printer to the local WiFi lan

Installing and Using OpenWrt Network and Wireless Configuration
1

I want to have the printer in a room away from the main DSL modem/ wifi-router. The main Telekom router has an IP of 192.168.2.1. I was able to connect the OpenWrt router to it through SSID, secret;

config wifi-iface
        option device 'radio0'
        option network 'wan'
        option mode 'sta'
        option ssid 'WLAN-12345'
        option encryption 'psk2'
        option key 'myDogsName'
        option maxassoc '10'

have followed the instructions here; https://openwrt.org/docs/guide-user/network/routedclient
but they are above my understanding.
I would appreciate it if a kind soul shows me what shall I put in my network and firewall configuration files.
Please note that I'm connected to the router through a serial connection. No fancy luci interface, but uci is available, and I can do vi.
many thanks!

2

If you are using Linux/BSD/Mac OS, you likely have CUPS (Common Unix Printing System). Web search setting up Network printing in CUPS.

Depending on the make and model of the printer, you will need to set up a print filter. If you need additional help, please provide the Operating System and make/model of your printer.

3

thank you for your response. Setting up CUPS or similar is the route I don't want to go.
When the printer is connected (through Ethernet) to the main DSL modem/router, it is easily visible by other computers on the LAN.
Basically, I want to make the printer visible (through the OpenWrt router) to other computers, rather than through a cable to the main DSL modem/router.

4

I don't understand your response. Do you want the printer to advertise (avahi) it's availability to wireless devices? If that is the case, you will have to program the printer wireless with your routers psk or use the printers ad-hoc guest network with no encryption.

5

I should have been more clear;
The printer is older and doesn't have WiFi, it only has Ethernet through a cable.

I want to add WiFi capability to the printer.

6

It has network capability. So, simply connect it via ethernet to your network. Your LAN clients can be wifi, or ethernet, it doesn't matter, it's all just packets to the printer.

7

Connecting it to the network through a secondary OpenWrt router is exactly what I'm trying to do and don't know how. Connecting it to the main home modem/router through a cable is not an option.

8

change this to 'lan' ... not 'wan' and set your lan interface to dhcp in /etc/config/network... and probably disable dhcp / odhcpd. ( i personally use a free static ip on the LAN network... but if you have serial... while your testing dhcp might be better and many prefer it for dump-ap style setups )

so you are essentially creating a "wireless-bridge"... or a "dumb-ap in sta mode"... never done it like that with sta tho' so i'm not 1000% sure it will pass dhcp up to the router in sta mode.

9

assuming that your Telekom DSL router does not run OpenWrt, you could set up a wireless bridge using relayd, according to https://openwrt.org/docs/guide-user/network/wifi/relay_configuration.

10

In the routed client example you linked a subnet was setup
Telcom DSL 192.168.1.1 <-- subnet --> OpenWrt router 192.168.2.0/24
The OpenWrt router is on a different network from TelcomDSL
An ethernet printer will get assigned an IP address, via dhcp, of 192.168.2.x. x is a number 1 - 254.

On the other hand, if you set the OpenWrt routers as a true bridge
Telcom DSL 192.168.1.1 <--bridge--> OpenWrt router 192.168.1.x. is a number that is not used by the Telcom DSL router. The Telcom DSL and OpenWrt router are on the same network

I personally would use a routed client subnet.

11

Hi kianm, have you solved your problem? I want to do the same thing. Please let me know.
I want to print from LAN Host 1 to Client Host 1

printer_setup
printer_setup801×424 58.3 KB

12

everything is on the same 192.168.1 subnet, it should work out of the box.

1 Like
13

You are right but, I can print from Client Host 2 but not from LAN Host 1 or 2. Any ideas What I should check?

14

sounds like you have an unwanted firewall in place.

15

I have deleted all firewall zones and rules.

16

Can host 1 & 2 see/access the second host 2, to the left ?
Are they able to ping the printer ?

17

Is the issue that you aren't able to browse for the printer? What happens if you manually set up the printer and try to print? Browsing requires multicast/broadcast which probably doesn't work across the "bridge" unless you're using WDS or a WiFi mesh for the bridge. (relayd probably won't work)

18

Yes, I've solved this problem!
I gave up and bought one of these. I figured the problem was too big for my skills and time!

19

This topic was automatically closed 10 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.