Can I use a USB hub to share a printer with two computers?

Bad Dude

Diamond Member
Jan 25, 2000
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I have an Epson 880 and I want to share the printer with two computers. I don't want to network it together b/c one computer has to be on all the time for the other one to print. Can I just a 4 port USB to share the printer with the two computers so I don't have to have one of them on all the time?
Thanks for your help.
Bad_Dude.
 

Derango

Diamond Member
Jan 1, 2002
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Nope, thats not how it works. If you networked the two computers together, you could share it that way though...but you'd have to have one on all the time.
 

Bad Dude

Diamond Member
Jan 25, 2000
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Is there another cheaper way to share the printer without having one computer on all the time?
Thanks.
 

Gunbuster

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
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Get a second USB cable, then just take the computer you want to print from and plug it into the back of the printer


You will still have to switch them by hand, but I guess it would be better than messing around in the back of the computer (if you dont have front USB ports)
 

Pauli

Senior member
Oct 14, 1999
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I recently bought a 4-port USB "switch" that allows 4 inputs to 1 output. Costed me $29 at Fry's, seems to work fine. Only problem is you have to manually select the source before printing. This should work for you.
 

Ark

Senior member
Oct 9, 1999
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Buy router with printer port.
I think SMC has it here
Can do many things:
- share your files
- share you internet DSL connection
- share your dial-up connection over serial port
- share printers
- have firewall.

Do not need keep one PC on.
 

ElDonAntonio

Senior member
Aug 4, 2001
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I agree with the router idea ALL THE WAY. I have an SMC one (see link of previous post), and it works like a charm. I think it's my best buy since a few years.
No configuration needed, you can share all your files, share the internet connection, share the printer, etc. You just plug in your computer using a network cable and you're ready to go. That way no computer is the main server, and any one of them can be turned off.
 

Bad Dude

Diamond Member
Jan 25, 2000
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Can you use this router to share dial up internet connection? If so, which router is best since most of the routers are for DSL or cable modem. How would I set up to share the phone line for dialup?
Thanks.
 

NaughtyusMaximus

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
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If you have an external modem, you can share dial-up internet. I believe setup is decently easy (just a program that tells the router when you want to dial in, and it does it for you).
 

Pederv

Golden Member
May 13, 2000
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Since your printer has both a USB and a parrallel port you can hook one system by USB the other by the parrallel.
 

RPB

Senior member
Oct 16, 1999
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Belkin has a switch that will do it. Here

USB 4-Port Switch
Belkin Part Number: F1U200
Share a printer ?or any USB device ? with up to four computers using the Belkin 4-Port USB Switch. Four downstream ports let you connect up to four USB computers. An upstream port can connect with just about any peripheral. Share a printer, scanner, or hard drive by pushing the Selector Button on the front of the switch. The selected computer becomes the ?active? computer, and you can access the peripheral. Want to share multiple peripherals with up to four computers? To use more than one peripheral, connect a Belkin 4-Port USB Hub to the switch and then connect additional USB devices to the Hub. The selected computer can access the peripherals you?ve connected. For your maximum convenience, the switch works with either USB-enabled PCs or Mac computers, or a combination of both.

The Belkin 4-Port USB Switch is the ideal solution for sharing a printer or any USB device, with up to four USB computers as well as, share multiple peripherals with up to four USB computers.
 

Ark

Senior member
Oct 9, 1999
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<< Can you use this router to share dial up internet connection? If so, which router is best since most of the routers are for DSL or cable modem. How would I set up to share the phone line for dialup? >>


The SMC router has additional serial port to share dial-up connection. You will need external modem only.
BTW, in case of using router you will need NIC in every PC, cost $10-15 each.