Sharing a printer between two vlans

Question

I have a Netgear switch which supports VLANs. I want to separate two networks, each one having its own internet gateway and servers, but I want all users from the two VLANs to be able to access the same ethernet printer.

Having never configured a VLAN, what are the steps to configure these so that the networks are separated (ie no access between them) and that they can acces the same printer ?

If someone who has already used a Netgear switch could help me with the specific steps, that would be really great.

Many thanks

Solution 1

Ok guys, many thanks for your help. I have found a more practical solution. I have attached an ethernet print server to one of the printer's usb ports and connected the ethernet to the other VLAN.

This gives the printer dual ethernet ability :)

Never thought I could use the ethernet port and the usb port simultaneously.

Solution 2

Put the printer on a third VLAN and ensure that both user VLANs have access to it via the router.

Solution 3

HP LaserJet 4100 Series Printers can have two EIO-format ethernet ports, this would work but you may find adding some basic routing and/or firewalling into your network would be cheaper/easier.

Comments

[gravyface]

Do they share the same router at the edge?

[Patrick Cailly]

Could a cisco 1600 do this ? I have one with 2x 10mbit/s Ethernet.

[gravyface]

10Mb is going to be slow. What kind of a budget do you have?

[Patrick Cailly]

Virtually no budget :)

[Patrick Cailly]

This printer unfortunately has only one ethernet adapter with a single port on it.

[Chopper3]

Right, you said 'a printer', not 'an existing single port printer', this site's for pro sysadmins who list the kit they're asking about unless the make/model isn't chosen yet - I doubt VERY much indeed that this existing printer support VLAN trunking, which is the only way of doing this without routing in place.

[Ben Campbell]

This method allows you to keep vlan 1 and 2 separate while still granting access to your printer. A fairly simple method that’s easy to implement and manage. Good idea.

[Patrick Cailly]

Unfortunately, I have only got a Cisco 1600. But my solution works. Many thanks.

[Patrick Cailly]

Indeed, it doesn't support VLAN trunking.

[Steve Townsend]

You might be able to do a router-on-a-stick configuration.