I am looking to share a wired printer.

The printer at present has a usb connection at the laptop end and a square connection with chamfered edges (see photo) into the printer.

We have 2 laptops that use the printer and at present one of them is plugged in to the printer and the other one just uses the wireless router and sends its print documents to the router>the other laptop then on to the printer via the cable (it is not a wireless printer)

Can I buy an adaptor that will allow me to have one cable coming out of the printer into a splitter that will then allow two laptops to connect to it?


Printer cable

printer set up

Printer switches have got left behind by technology easier/cheaper to buy a printer with built in networking.

Just look for a "USB Printer Switch". Load of them around for about £15. - Plug 2 laptops into one side and then the printer into the other. Example on Amazon

or, to move a little more wifi, look for a "wireless print server" from about £40 . Plug this into your printer (USB) and then connect the laptops wirelessly to it. ( Wifi print server box

I can't really recommend any specific ones. I've had a few, some cheap, some less-so, and they have all been OK.


HTH,

Tim.

See HERE

Remember you'll need an extra cable as well.

Davie

Be aware a lot of moder printers won't work with network printer servers, it really is less of a gamble to get a printer designed for the job.

Work = Tight fisted and doesnt value technology but complains when it doesnt work properly......

I cant win except find the cheapest solution, and that aint going to be £150 on a new printer.

Thanks for your info, I will investigate further.
Col

my mum's epson inkjet is not designed for it, but I got it working with all the basic functions (it just doesn't work with the print monitor software, which it doesn't really need anyway)

she has a BT home hub router so all I did was plug the printer into that via the std. USB cable, then set it up on the PC's manualy as a network printer
(a google search will tell you IP address and other setting you need, there are quite a few step by step guides)

it might not work for every printer but it cost nothing to try - not even an extra cable

[Edited on 21/6/2012 by mcerd1]

[Edited on 21/6/2012 by mcerd1]

The HP deskjet 3050 printer wirelessly connects to the router, I think my dad got one for £20, the price of a set of cartridges!

I bought a Belkin 2 port USB switch to do just that, but the drivers don't work with Ubuntu, so I can't use it.
If you want it its yours for £5, as longs as you don't run Ubuntu or Windows 7 its should work fine. I'll even chuck in another cable.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Belkin-Peripheral-Switch-Network-Switches/dp/B00011PFYE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1340280655&sr=8-1

[Edited on 21/6/12 by balidey]

quote:

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Originally posted by locoboy
Work = Tight fisted and doesnt value technology but complains when it doesnt work properly......

I cant win except find the cheapest solution, and that aint going to be £150 on a new printer.

Thanks for your info, I will investigate further.
Col

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Another budget option - buy / get hold of a secondhand ethernet HP LaserJet.

I got a barely used monster when work were "refreshing". It's fast, large paper tray so less messing about and I refill each cartridge 5 times with a toner bottle before the transfer drum deteriorates.

Plug it into your hub / router / WAP and let it do the job it was designed for - network printing.

quote:

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Originally posted by locoboy
Work = Tight fisted and doesnt value technology but complains when it doesnt work properly......

I cant win except find the cheapest solution, and that aint going to be £150 on a new printer.

Thanks for your info, I will investigate further.
Col

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