Tech Support Forum - View Single Post - Problems sharing printer using usb switch

hughem · 05-11-2008, 09:21 AM

The problem is USB. It's enumerated, and software-driven. Enumerated means that the system addresses a device not just by port, but by place in the order.

Software-driven is an obvious problem. In order to make the printer cheaper, virtually all the "smarts" are implemented in software running on (and slowing down) your computer.

Get a network-ready scanner, like one of the new "all-in-one" units from HP (J6480 is real cheap right now). Get a print server for your USB printer and forgo all the stupid bi-directional monitoring! Of course, if you get a network-ready all-in-one, you won't need that printer anyway.

05-11-2008, 09:21 AM	#2 (permalink)
hughem Registered User Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 1 OS: XP Pro Sp2, VMware	Re: Problems sharing printer using usb switch The problem is USB. It's enumerated, and software-driven. Enumerated means that the system addresses a device not just by port, but by place in the order. Software-driven is an obvious problem. In order to make the printer cheaper, virtually all the "smarts" are implemented in software running on (and slowing down) your computer. Get a network-ready scanner, like one of the new "all-in-one" units from HP (J6480 is real cheap right now). Get a print server for your USB printer and forgo all the stupid bi-directional monitoring! Of course, if you get a network-ready all-in-one, you won't need that printer anyway.