Need Hub for printer to switch between 2 PC's. The printers are USB.

[aic]

What is good on the market?

 

[CraigRT]

don't know if there is such a thing as a USB switch.
can't you just use a USB hub so you can print to either or without having to do anything??

 

[techfuzz]

Belkin makes a USB switch that allows 2 computers to use the same USB printer.

techfuzz

 

[Adul]

are the pcs netowrked?

why not just share the printer

 

[aic]

I am using a netgear router. How can I use that for printing?

 

[ElFenix]

you just share the printer on the one computer and the second computer prints through the first.

 

[CraigRT]

or you could use a USB hub cause you'd need a print server to connect to the router... i am guessing the purpose of the switch is because there is not enough USB ports.........

so, a USB hub would allow both to be connected at the same time. switch = stupid.

 

[amdskip]

Originally posted by: ElFenix
you just share the printer on the one computer and the second computer prints through the first.

Exactly, windows will set it up so that it's a network printer.

 

[SearchMaster]

There is a HotDeals thread about a Staples clearance on an item such as this.

$20 Dlink USB sharing device. Seems like a kinda dumb idea but someoen might want it. Reg $40. Allows 4 computers to share 1 usb device. You hook all 4 up to it and the USB device and switch computers via switch on device. Seems like cable costs alone would make this useless but who knows.

Thanks to lzpoof for the HotDeals post.

 

[aic]

One pc (#1) has win xp and one (#2) has win 2000 pro. I use a netgear mr814 router. I do not see how I can have one usb printer hooked up to computer #1 and have computer #2 print off the same printer. I thought I would need a hub?

 

[techfuzz]

Originally posted by: aic
One pc (#1) has win xp and one (#2) has win 2000 pro. I use a netgear mr814 router. I do not see how I can have one usb printer hooked up to computer #1 and have computer #2 print off the same printer. I thought I would need a hub?

There is a feature in Windows that allows you to share a printer on one computer with other computers also on the same network.

From the computer which is attached to the printer:
Open your printers folder, right click on the printer you want to share, click Sharing, follow the instructions...
When you're done sharing the printer it will be known as \\COMPUTERNAME\Shared_Printer_Name which you will have setup during the sharing process.

From the other computer:
Begin by adding a new printer by clicking on Add New Printer, select the Network Printer (or attached to another computer) option, follow the directions, you will need to enter the \\COMPUTERNAME\Shared_Printer_Name that you setup in the step above.

techfuzz

 

[aic]

I think I did something wrong. I plugged the usb printer on computer #1 with xp and I used the wizard. I do not think I set the sharing part up with because it told me to insert my win xp disk into computer 2 which has win 2000 pro and computer #2 would not accept it probably because it has win 2000 pro.

But that is not my problem right now. Conputer #2 with win 2000 pro will not connect to the internet while it is hooked up to the netgear router. Did I do something in the wizard to cause this?

 

[techfuzz]

Before doing any printer sharing between computers you need to get both computers on the network and running properly. They have to be able to "see" each other on the network for any of this to work.

techfuzz

 

[aic]

I went to device manager and clicked on network adapters for the win 2000 computer that will not connect to the internet. When I clicked on the controller card it stated that it was not working. It stated that the device could not start (code 10).

When I used the wizard in the xp computer do you think it did something to my other computer?

 

[aic]

OK I can connect again. I just took the win 2000 pro computer off of the router and put in the xircom ethernet card and connected to the internet. Then I put the window 2000 pro (laptop) back in its advanced replicator port (APR) and hooked it back up to the router and the APR ethernet connection worked again.

I ran the wizard on the xp computer to share the printer but I guess it did not work.

Should I just quit?

How do I get the win 2000 laptop to use the printer that is hooked up to the xp computer?