2 or 3 network questions

[houndhen]

Trying to print to a printer attached to my windows pc from my fedora 8 pc in the same room. DSL with modem/router and linksys hub.

Questions:
1. Do I have to have a static IP address or can a dynamic ip address work?

2. Is Samba what I need to install, setup, and configure before I can share the printer?

I have found some Samba howtos but I haven't been successful with the setup and implementation yet.

3. Where to find a good howto for setting up and configuring Samba? (besides googling it. I have already been doing that.)

[stevea]

You can share the printer in several ways.

If you use the conventional WIndows print service, the no the IP doesn't matter. You will need to setup & config the samba print client stuff - and someone else should help you with that.

You can also setup "lpr" service (from WinXP &Win2k, no clue abt Vista). This typically resides on the Windows TCPIP "extras" stuff and you'll need to open the network icon and dive to the tcpip protocols and I think Win calls it "Unix protocols". Then you setup the Lin system using CUPS client.

FWIW the lpr interface produces cleaner prints than the samba/win-share in several cases I've seen.

--
Also - fwiw if you attached the printer to a Linux system and set CUPS to advertize the printer via ipp protocol, then al lthe other Linux/CUPS systems will see it (after few minutes) and the Win system can treat it as a network printer.

[houndhen]

stevea

If you use the conventional WIndows print service, the no the IP doesn't matter. You will need to setup & config the samba print client stuff - and someone else should help you with that.

You can also setup "lpr" service (from WinXP &Win2k, no clue abt Vista). This typically resides on the Windows TCPIP "extras" stuff and you'll need to open the network icon and dive to the tcpip protocols and I think Win calls it "Unix protocols". Then you setup the Lin system using CUPS client.

FWIW the lpr interface produces cleaner prints than the samba/win-share in several cases I've seen.

--
Also - fwiw if you attached the printer to a Linux system and set CUPS to advertize the printer via ipp protocol, then al lthe other Linux/CUPS systems will see it (after few minutes) and the Win system can treat it as a network printer.

Thanks, most of what you said is above my head as far as my knowledge and understanding. I do use the conventional Windows print service - I guess. I just install the software and then tell Window that I want to add a printer and it does it.

BTW - I am running XP home. Will continue to avoid Vista.

I have Samba installed but am totally lost as far as setting it up. Have read and tried using several howtos but don't have a clue as to what I should be doing about configuring samba.

Is the lpr interface any less complicated than samba?