Printer on its own subnet but how to connect to it from the subnet of NAS?

[runeazn]

The situation is given as here:

The server is my NAS box which has a free 2nd ethernet port, the printer is physically close (on top of the server).
Furthermore my switch ports are all occupied. My problem is if I try to access my printer from PC there is no static route to my server from my switch.
I can not add any routes in the switch since it is one I was provided.

I had the following idea to give it some address in the 192.168.1.x subnet, and then forward that ip to my printer (via a route?) in freenas.
One problem that I see, is that the switch once again doesn't know that ip should also be sent to 192.168.1.3...
Lastly, I have no idea how to do this... So your help guys will be appreciated.

 

[kdragon75]

You would need to add a static route on your router pointing to 192.168.1.3 for the 192.168.2.X network and FreeNAS should not need a route as its directly connected to both networks.
This is a clumsy and hackish way of doing it.

I would just buy a switch and keep it all in one flat L2 network. Don't make life more difficult for yourself.

 

[danb35]

I would just buy a switch and keep it all in one flat L2 network.

Agreed.

 

[runeazn]

As I said in my OP the modem+router+switch+wifi is vendor locked by the internet company, hence I can not add a static route.
Another problem, the printer is not physically close to the router, hence one way or another I have to connect it to the nas box.
Else, I have to use my current cable to the server as input to the 2nd switch and put the server to the 2nd switch which will add additional delay I think?

 

[kdragon75]

It will add a delay of less than 1 millisecond.

 

[garm]

Just put a switch in front of FreeNAS and the other servers.

 

[kdragon75]

You have no other practical choice unless you want to hack freenas into a print server. I can't imagine you would get much support with that.

 

[danb35]

You have no other practical choice unless you want to hack freenas into a print server.

I'm sure it could be done with CUPS in a jail, but that's by far the more complicated way to do it.

 

[runeazn]

A switch it is then, my other option was to connect it over USB and put CUPS on a jail...

[edit] oh danb35 said it just a moment before me haha.

[edit2] I realized that I have a wireless access point with 4 LAN ports more physically close to my printer, since 1 LAN port is occupied to use it as AP, the other 3 LAN ports will acts as a switch right? This might be the best solution...

 

[kdragon75]

since 1 LAN port is occupied to use it as AP, the other 3 LAN ports will acts as a switch right?

This is generally correct.

 

[Ericloewe]

since 1 LAN port is occupied to use it as AP, the other 3 LAN ports will acts as a switch right?

Some models are better than others at this sort of thing. Yours sounds like a simple unit, so it probably has a single five-port switch with one used for uplink to the rest of the device, in which case things should just work.

 

[runeazn]

Some models are better than others at this sort of thing. Yours sounds like a simple unit, so it probably has a single five-port switch with one used for uplink to the rest of the device, in which case things should just work.

Well the AP had dd-wrt on it at some point, but then I just flashed the old frimware back as I wasn't using it as router anymore.

Another idea, can an AP/switch connected to a switch have a static route which will route it correctly?

 

[kdragon75]

Well the AP had dd-wrt on it at some point, but then I just flashed the old frimware back as I wasn't using it as router any more.

Another idea, can an AP/switch connected to a switch have a static route which will route it correctly?

In you case no. The "gateway" device needs to do the routing. If your computer's gateway (the router/mode/switch in your case) needs to know where to send the packet next. This all assumes you not adding static routes to all of your computers which quickly turns into an unmanageable mess.

 

[Ericloewe]

Let's just say that the words "routing" and "printer" generally don't mix. Not that they can't, it's just that I can't really think of a scenario where it would actually be the least bad option.

 

[runeazn]

In you case no. The "gateway" device needs to do the routing. If your computer's gateway (the router/mode/switch in your case) needs to know where to send the packet next. This all assumes you not adding static routes to all of your computers which quickly turns into an unmanageable mess.

Yeah I figured, if my gateway device was a managed switch or something I suppose I could get it done somehow?

I have learned a lot in this little adventure haha, first I did some reading on routes and bridges (freebsd) and now switches ;).