Network sharing of USB flatbed scanner

[BonzaiDuck]

As to the matter of the title, I think I had done this before with a product from some outfit named "Scansoft," and I had paid for it.

I've come across sites for such things as "Cloudscan" from Scanworks, and "Blindscanner" from what might seem to be a company that does business in UK and France.

As it stands, we have two Canon Canoscan 8800F flatbed scanners in the house. I don't need to network both of them, and to do so might require two licenses -- therefore paid licenses.

I'm beginning to find it annoying to switch between two of my PCs to scan something on the scanner connected to one of them.

Other versions of the aforementioned software examples are free, but limited.

It would be good to know that any software I choose doesn't misconfigure or otherwise alter the scanner-connected PC in the operation of existing software like PaperPort, Canon's "Navigator" or Corel Draw/PhotoPaint.

Please recommend.

 

[Elixer]

I think I am missing something here, since, you should be able to tell win 7/8/10 about the scanner, tell it to share on the network, and done.
You can even do this for both of them...

 

[BonzaiDuck]

I think I am missing something here, since, you should be able to tell win 7/8/10 about the scanner, tell it to share on the network, and done.
You can even do this for both of them...

I didn't think this was possible, and I might have missed a feature on the Devices and Printers dialog features.

I'll take a look and get back on this.

The old software I mentioned before from Scansoft was installed to work on Windows XP and Windows 2000.

A LITTLE LATER: No -- and I would've investigated this earlier in my Windows 7 [personal] experience. But there are no "sharing" links or buttons in the device menus. None.

That's why these other software solutions are offered, like those I mentioned.

Anyone else? If push comes to shove, I'll try one, both or other possibilities, but was hoping to avoid the trial and error by getting recommendations.

 

[Elixer]

You looked in Network and Sharing Center, and it don't show the scanner there?

Click "Start," then "Control Panel." Type "Network" in the search box, then click "View network computers and devices" under "Network and Sharing Center."

(I do this with a epson & canon all in one device)

 

[hennessy1]

If you can not get it shared over the network you can try a software similar to this which will share a local usb device over the network no matter what it is.

http://www.incentivespro.com/usb-redirector.html

I have used it for a usb fax modem and never had an issue.