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Wireless Print server recommendation

J

joshc

Member
First off I need one with a parallel port interface and a USB interface. I haven't been able to find any reviews anywhere and searching the forums didn't yield me much help.

I almost bought the Linksys WPS54GU2 but I read some bad reviews on CNET. It seems like the Motorola WPS870G might be good but I am basing it on the specs. I'd prefer something that supports WPA.

Thanks.
 
I'd suggest just getting a wired print server and hooking up the printer to your access point or a wired print server and a repeater w/ ethernet jack for the printer, you'll be quite a bit better off just using a good and/or cheap wired print server and some form of repeater or AP instead of trying to get a good wireless print server (all of the wireless print servers I've run accross have been pretty bad w/ the exception of the ones built into hps All and one Inkjet units) Just my 2 cents.
 
Originally posted by: Arcanedeath
I'd suggest just getting a wired print server and hooking up the printer to your access point or a wired print server and a repeater w/ ethernet jack for the printer, you'll be quite a bit better off just using a good and/or cheap wired print server and some form of repeater or AP instead of trying to get a good wireless print server (all of the wireless print servers I've run accross have been pretty bad w/ the exception of the ones built into hps All and one Inkjet units) Just my 2 cents.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your reply. Yeah I basically just want the wireless functionality there in case I have to place my printer far from my AP. For the time being I will be using a wired connection from the 10/100 port to the AP.
 
I think a lot of the strangeness and mixed reviews you see on wireless print servers comes from the fact that people are hooking them up to basic desktop printers which really aren't intended to be networked (not to mention wirelessly). That's why, as Arcanedeath pointed out, about the only thing you can count on are printers with built-in wireless connectivity.

I've been there. I've gotten print servers and hooked them up to nice printers and things work great for the most part, but you'll usually have little annoying problems. Even expensive print servers seem to take a big crap when you try to print something now and then and need reset every couple weeks. I have an HP hooked up to a wired print server that likes to flash its lights about half the time you print something then will start printing just fine once you hit the form feed button.

In my experience I have to say it's just not worth it trying to network a printer that didn't come with networking capabilities. It's caused me a lot of headaches and wasted money. I'd really like to try something like a Netgear ProSafe, but it's $140. You're basically paying an extra $100 for the print server (and it doesn't have the parallel port you want):

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=33-122-025

You can find a printer with built-in wireless for under $200. I guess it's a bit of a toss-up. The bottom line is that you can't be sure if your printer / print server combination will work until you actually try it, so getting a wireless printer is a little safer.

 
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