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Comments on USB-Equipped Ethernet Print Servers?

Posted by timothy on from the any-wireless-ones-in-this-bunch? dept.

An Anonymous Coward asks: "I'm looking to purchase an external Ethernet print server with an USB printer interface. I've only found two such beasts HP JetDirect 175x and Sercomm PS5800). Do I have any other hardware options? Do USB print servers work with any USB printer, or are there driver issues?" Comments, anyone? Information about running such a box under free operating systems would also be nice.

3 of 21 comments (clear)

  1. HP Jet Direct by Khopesh · · Score: 4, Informative

    is a VERY nice little box. it ran a few of the others out of the game a few years ago. I did tech support (ewww) for a company that used these, although not with usb. if they're as good with usb as they are with standard parallel printer ports they i highly recommend it. the configuration is very well done and the test print command gives you all the id & info you need.

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  2. Re:JetDirect by balamw · · Score: 4, Informative
    The current batch of JetDirect boxes are very different from the ones you and I have experience with. The old ones were great, sometimes quirky, but great. The new ones, well I'll let you decide...

    On the plus side, the new ones are more internet happy. They offer web based configuration and support IPP (Internet Printing Protocol). However, unlike their predecessors, these units are not flash upgradeable and thus they can't be patched for new features/bugfixes. We have some minor issues with our 1st generation 170X and DHCP, but can't fix it without replacing the box.

    Anyhow, to answer the original poster's question. HP has a list of supported printers (all HP branded) at their site. Unclear if any other USB printer would work. Link below. http://www.hp.com/cposupport/networking/support_do c/bpj06867.html

  3. Re:Any cheap old hardware. by boopus · · Score: 4, Insightful

    A print server as dedicated hardware is probably a better idea than running a whole new computer as a print server. The power requirements alone would pay for the print server pretty quickly. Unless you really want to implement a real print server, with job prioritization, ques and multiple printers, it just isn't worth it.

    Also, if you're leaving a computer-illiterate office with a print server, they're going to know one way to fix a problem - unplug and plug it back in. Your average linux box won't handle this too well. (I know it's linux so it'll never crash)