Review on D-Link DP-G310 Wireless Print Server: High-Speed USB 2.0 802.11g, 54Mbps by Eric Carr

I would like to share my experience with this print server - it only took me 15 minutes to set it up and print the first page. The first device I received was defective - it refused to communicate reliably with my router. Traded for a second device and it works like a charm. I can print from my laptop and desktop to my Samsung multifunction laser printer - the print speed is FAST and feels like a direct USB connection! Here is my advice for configuring this device in Windows XP1) First, connect the DP-G310 to your router/hub/switch with a regular Ethernet cable (NOT a crossover cable). In Internet Explorer (or Netscape), type [.] to launch the DP-G310 installer. If it doesn't appear, you'll need to follow the prompts to set your computer's IP address within the range. Luckily, I have a D-Link 802.11B router that automatically connects to the DP-G310, so I don't have to manually set an IP address on my computer. (However, if you don't have a router/hub and just want to connect the DP-G310 DIRECTLY to your computer's Ethernet port, you will most likely need a crossover cable and need to manually set your computer's IP address as mentioned in the manual.) 2) After entering the DP-G310's setup page, you'll need to enter your router's name and any encryption (64 vs 128 bits, etc.). This part is explained in the installation guide. 3) Carefully write down the name of the pressure port as indicated in the instruction manual. You will need this name later. 4) Now save your settings and make sure your firmware is up to date (v. 1.10 from 06/05/04). Turn off the DP-G310. Disconnect the Ethernet cable from the DP-G310 and the router. Now turn the DP-G310 back on, take a close look at the WiFi indicator and make sure it's on! Establishing a connection to the router takes about 30 seconds. Once the WiFi indicator is on, return to the web browser and try entering the DP-G310 settings again. IF YOU CAN'T GO TO THE SETUP PAGE, STOP CONTINUE - Your print server is NOT communicating wirelessly with your router, so you'll need to revert to a wired connection and make sure all of your wireless network settings are indeed correct. 5) If you are able to access the DP-G310 over the air setup page, you can proceed to the next step, printer setup. This is where the instructions get a bit confusing. The installation instructions say to first manually create a TCP/IP printer port and then select a printer driver; However, this assumes that a printer driver for your particular printer is ALREADY provided by Windows XP. In fact, this is not the case with most new printers on the market. If Windows XP doesn't already have a built-in driver for your printer, I recommend that you do the following first: For example, if you want to print wirelessly from your laptop to a USB laser printer, YOU MUST FIRST INSTALL THE USB DRIVER OF THIS LASER PRINTER ON THE LAPTOP with a regular USB cable and make sure your laptop can print through the USB cable. Once the printer is configured to print via USB cable, disconnect the USB cable, open the Printers Folders window, right click on your printer and go to Properties. Now click on the Port tab. Click Add Port, click Standard TCP/IP Port, and then click Create New Port. Now simply follow the instructions in the user manual - from now on everything will be very easy. While it may sound complicated, for me it's a seamless process that only took about 15 minutes - now my desktop and laptop print wirelessly to my Samsung laser multifunction printer connected to the DP-G310 via a USB cable connected is. I hope that the information above can be helpful.