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USB Switches?

Posted by Cliff on from the joining-K-V-and-M-in-the-market dept.

RukhWunder asks: "I have two computers and one USB printer. Is there a USB splitter or something around so I can connect them both to the printer? Networking the computers is out of the question because they are on the university network already." There was an earlier question about USB on KVM switches that was done last year, however I too would be curious to note if there are switches for just USB devices.

15 comments

  1. Both on the university network? by PD · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Why not just use that network to carry your printer traffic? Set up one computer with the printer. The other computer prints to that printer just like it would print to any other kind of network printer. Of course, you need to set up your hosts.allow and host.deny to only let authorized systems print.

    --
    If tits were wings it'd be flying around.
    1. Re:Both on the university network? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And you have to keep the printer computer on whenever you want to print. Not a problem if you leave your computers on all the time anyways, but not everyone does that.

  2. Good ole' google by Slynkie · · Score: 3, Informative

    search for 'usb switch' and the first link that comes up... usbgear.net. $26.50 fer four ports. pretty cool.

  3. Moderators on crack again... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Not off topic at all. From the link;

    * Features : USB 4-Port Switch for Sharing Devices
    * USB 4-Port Device Controller
    * Share USB devices among multiple computers!

    Looks like it's exactly what the topic was about.

  4. Try: by TheTomcat · · Score: 3, Informative

    This: http://www.hawkingtech.com/products/cs102u.htm

    It's a K[v]M, but it'll work with printers.

  5. USB has a wonderful by SuiteSisterMary · · Score: 0, Redundant

    USB has a wonderful concept called 'hot plugging.' What you do, is plug the USB printer into the computer that wants to print, and print. No fuss, no muss, no reboot required.

    --
    Vintage computer games and RPG books available. Email me if you're interested.
    1. Re:USB has a wonderful by Spoing · · Score: 2

      I know about USB hot plugging, but this makes me confused. In the specific case of printers, how is this different then a parallel, ethernet, serial, ... printer?

      --
      A firewall can not protect you from yourself. Turn off what you do not need. Do not use the firewall to do your work.
    2. Re:USB has a wonderful by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And most computers have this wonderful concept of putting USB ports on the back. A very handy 'feature' when your computer is under a desk or in some other fairly inaccessible place.

      Hot-plugging doesn't address the hassle of unplugging the printer, dragging the cable over to the other computer to plug it in whenever you want to print from the otehr computer. A simple switch or network is far more convenient.

  6. Or if you're really lazy... by RadioheadKid · · Score: 1

    You could get a usb direct connect cable and share the printer over that network, then you wouldn't have to push any buttons, but I'm not sure about the linux driver support for USB direct connect. The switch is still probably the easiest answer.

    KidA

    --
    "Karma can only be portioned out by the cosmos." -Homer Simpson
  7. Belkin makes one... by nbvb · · Score: 1

    Belkin makes EXACTLY this sort of device. In fact, the box is labeled "USB Switch". I saw it yesterday when I was going to pick up my Mac OS X 10.1 CD's at CompUSA... (Hey, I don't like CrapUSA either, but they had the CD's...)

    I was thinking to myself, "Hey, cool, a switched fabric for USB! Now my subwoofer won't share bandwidth with my digital camera!" But that isn't what they meant. :-)

    Good luck!

    --DM

    1. Re:Belkin makes one... by mini+me · · Score: 1

      "Hey, cool, a switched fabric for USB! Now my subwoofer won't share bandwidth with my digital camera!"

      That's exactly what I was thinking when I read the /. article title! So how about it? Are there any USB switches of this type in existance?

    2. Re:Belkin makes one... by Tom+Rini · · Score: 1

      I don't really think it's possible to 'switch' USB in the same sense that networking does, directly. But you can always grab another USB PCI card, if you've got a slot.

    3. Re:Belkin makes one... by CrayDrygu · · Score: 2
      I was thinking to myself, "Hey, cool, a switched fabric for USB! Now my subwoofer won't share bandwidth with my digital camera!"
      Why on earth did you buy USB speakers? And are they any good? I just don't trust 'em for some reason...
      --

      --
      "I personal[ly] think Unix is "superior" because on LSD it tastes like Blue." -- jbarnett

    4. Re:Belkin makes one... by __aaahtg7394 · · Score: 1

      the excuse i heard (from Alan Cox, no less) was that you don't get as much noise on the output, since the DAC is located outside of the enclosure. less EM noise and all that. it made me very curious. haven't really dont much tinkering though.

    5. Re:Belkin makes one... by nbvb · · Score: 1

      Welllllll.....

      The honest-to-goodness reason I bought external USB speakers is because that's what Apple sells. [grin] Seriously though, I actually _like_ the USB audio options.... USB itself kicks arse... at least on the Mac. :-)

      The iSub from Harmon/Kardon looks super-cool and sounds excellent. I have a Power Mac G4 with the Apple Pro Audio Speakears and the h/k iSub. It R-O-C-K-S!!

      And iTunes is quite possibly the best (and simplest) MP3 player ever written....

      --dmurphy AT osxadm DOT com