Jump to content
  • Checkout
  • Login
  • Get in touch

osCommerce

The e-commerce.

USB printer - sharing for several pc's?


UncleSteve

Recommended Posts

Posted

Sorry if this post is in the wrong place, there does not seem to be an off-topic folder.

 

I have a single USB label printer and want to print to it from 3 PC's.

 

Currently its plugged in to one PC then accessed via the CAT5 network by the other two PC's. This works, but the PC with the direct connection to the PC is not always on. If the printer lead is swapped to another PC that one is not always on and so on.

 

I have a powered multi port USB hub, which is normally used to give a PC extra ports, however I was wondering if its safe to connect said box to all PC's and printer? One PC and one printer obviously won't be an issue, but worried about connecting several more PC's

 

Can anyone advise on the above please, or what other solutions are available, bar buying a new printer which is not available from Dymo for wireless/network connections?

 

Thanks for reading and your time :)

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

Posted

Hi Steve,

 

Think you may have to go to another forum for a correct answer but yes I did connect multiple computers to a large printer using not a usb post but a multi port ethernet hub and then sharing the network through the computers .

 

Really not sure as by me it was a trial and error thing,

 

sort of got thrown into the job and is a few years now. but maybe a bit of food for thought

 

Regards

Joli

To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.

 

Posted

You cannot connect a standard USB hub to multiple computers. The computers all supply power to the USB device ports, and the power supplies will not get along. Even if they did, the USB protocol does not allow for multiple controllers on a standard USB string.

 

However, there are USB printer sharing devices available. The ones I have seen were only for two computers, but I believe there are models that allow four. I haven't actually used these, so please do your own research before buying.

 

Regards

Jim

See my profile for a list of my addons and ways to get support.

Posted

Thanks for your posts, very helpful :)

 

At least you've stopped me cooking the cables!

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...