Re: Wireless Print Server - Without Connecting to Router or PC

Jeff Liebermann <jeffl@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in
news:6b7h22dn8dl0haqdli1bu3ui5gsj74suq3@xxxxxxx:

On Mon, 27 Mar 2006 23:56:42 GMT, Frazer Jolly Goodfellow
<no-spam@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Jeff, I think you're misunderstanding WiFi's role in the layered
networking stack. WiFi is the equivalent to Ethernet wired
connection, Layers 1 and 2. In an infrastructure-mode WLAN, all
wireless end points are 'clients' to an access point.

Correct. More specifically, 802.11 encapsulates 802.3 ethernet
packets. The higher layers only see 802.3 ethernet and never
see anything from 802.11. It's therefore a rather awkward fit
for the OSI 7 layer cake. 802.11 is usually shown to the side
of physical and data link layers or sometimes as a small box
inside the physical and data link layers.

That also brings up the question of what's a client and what's a
server. Kinda reminds me of the X11 server versus client and
male and female coax connectors. I won't pretent to totally
understand the logic. Similarly, I'm not sure of the exact
distinction between a client and a server. Some devices have
the characteristics of both. A client initiates a single
connection. A server accepts one or more connections. In this
case, the print sharing section is most certainly a server.
However, the wi-fi part can be a client when used in
infrastructure mode. In ad-hoc mode, the convention is to
consider all devices to be clients, but my contention is that
it's both a client and a server in one box. Maybe the correct
term should be:
"wireless client print server"
Yech.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Client_%28computing%29
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Server_%28computing%29

At the higher protocol layers of the network stack wireless
nodes are all simply IP nodes on the network, indistinguishable
from wired nodes.

Correct. That's where the encapsulation comes in. If buried in
a black box with only ethernet coming out of the box, wireless
would look exactly like an ethernet bridge or switch.

IP nodes can *logically* speak directly with other IP
nodes irrespective of the underlying Layer 2 configuration.
[ignoring IP subnet addressing issues].

Also agreed. I don't see where this is leading.

1) Would you consider a file server must be a file client just
because of the underlying link layer connection architecture?

No. If it initiates a connection, it's a client. If it accepts
one or more connections or provides services, it's a server.

2) When I put the IP address into the address field of a web
browser, I am connected to the set-up screen for the particular
print server.

Agreed. However, note that when you configure the wireless part
of the (alleged) print server, you're actually configuring a
wireless client adapter or client bridge, and not a server.

3) To configure a printer connection, I install a printer port
redirector supplied by the server mfr, which [when configured]
enables a printer driver on my PC to output to the print server
just as if the printer was connected locally. [ink & paper
levels excluded in some cases]

Also agreed. I believe the discussion was on whether this
device is a client or a server. I don't see the relevance to
this question.

BTW: I'm using Belkin USB wireless print servers. Edimax print
servers work the same way, except the only do it intermittently
- work that is :-)

Jeff,
I was trying to illustrate why IMO the *primary function* of a
device should determine whether it is a client or server. In this
case, a client PC uses the service provided by a print server. The
print server behaves as a client to the wireless network in order
to make itself available as a server at the IP level.

The intricacies of the intermediate network connection mechanism is
incidental to the user and doesn't need to figure in detail in the
description of the device. A "wireless print server" is just fine
for me.

Quiz question: I take an ethernet print server (such as an
HP300x or equivalent), and I attach some wireless device to the
ethernet port which will allow me to connect it to a wireless
LAN. What is the name of this wireless device?

At the lowest level it is wireless client. At the next layer up it
is an Ethernet bridge, and that is what I would call it.

Incidentally, I believe these devices can operate back-to-back,
presumably as ad hoc wireless clients.

... X11 server versus client ...
I still chuckle at that one - whoever thought it up needed therapy.
.

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