Wireless Print Server

[Thraxen]

My wife has a laptop and a standard USB printer. The printer stays in her office while the laptop, obviously, moves around. So I need to get it set-up to where she can print to it from anywhere in the house. I just need some recommendations on a good reliable wireless printer server. The print is an all-in-one so the print server needs to support multifunction printers.

Thanks!

 

[cipher00]

I've had reasonable luck with Hawking Technologies, but the one I used needed a wired connection to the router. I finally gave up and bought a new AIO, though. FWIW.

 

[blimey]

Hawking's print servers are OEM'd from Edimax, and not even Edimax's current generation - but the previous generation. They also don't have MFP support.

Thraxen, would your installation be such that the wireless print server would connect wirelessly to some sort of router (which the laptop also connects to), or would you want to do the wireless connection directly from the laptop to the print server?

 

[Thraxen]

I guess either way would work, but the best set-up would likely be to have it connect wirelessly to my router. Then any device on my network would be able to access it.

Currently, my PC is in my office... which is also where the modem and router are located. My wife's office is where the printer is located and her laptop is all over the place.

 

[TazExprez]

I also need a wireless printer server for my Brother MFC-7220 AIO. I am considering either the Linksys WPS54G or the Linksys WPSM54G. The WPS54G and the WPSM54G are similar, but the WPSM54G has multifunction support. I have not decided which one to get, yet, because the user reviews seem to imply that the multifunction support on the WPSM54G is rather useless.

 

[Thraxen]

Originally posted by: TazExprez
I also need a wireless printer server for my Brother MFC-7220 AIO. I am considering either the Linksys WPS54G or the Linksys WPSM54G. The WPS54G and the WPSM54G are similar, but the WPSM54G has multifunction support. I have not decided which one to get, yet, because the user reviews seem to imply that the multifunction support on the WPSM54G is rather useless.

You're in the EXACT same situation I am. I too was nearly settled on the Linksys WPSM54G. The specs looked to be exactly what like what I was looking for. Then I started reading the reviews and suddenly my easy decision became a hard one. I don't want to spend $100 on that thing if it may or may not even work with our specific multifunction printer.

You know, I'm actually kind of shocked at how few devices there are of this type available. When I first decided we needed one I though it would be a simple 15 minute search-n-buy online situation. With so many laptops andmulti-function printers around these days I expected the these devices to be rather common.

 

[porcorosso]

Yeah. I'm looking for something, too. I have two USB-connected printers that I'd like to stick in a rack with my wireless router and cable modem. I've looked at the devices mentioned so far and haven't exactly been blown away. Rather than spend something in the neighborhood of a hundred bucks for one of these things I'd almost rather just get another router with print server functionality built in. But I haven't been able to find any of those! As it is, I have to leave my desktop running all the danged time so my wife can print to my printers.

 

[blimey]

The multifunction print servers I recommend are the Silex SX-2000U2 (wired), the Silex SX-2000WG (wireless) and the Iogear GMFPSU22W6 (wired).

The Edimax PS-1206MFg (wireless) isn't too bad, but printing is quite a bit slower and Vista support is limited to 32bit Vista.

 

[JackMDS]

Using Wireless Laptop does not necessarily means Wireless Printer Server, you are much better off getting a networked wired printer and connect it to a Wireless Router.

http://www.ezlan.net/prtserver.html

 

[blimey]

That's true, Jack. Although the description given by Thraxen indicates that the printer he wishes to network is not situated in the same room as the router. If he can run a cable from the printer to the router, that's preferred. Although the wireless print server I referenced has worked well at distances of around 100ft. I agree that a printer with built-in network capability is always preferred to using a separate print server.

 

[Kelemvor]

Do you need the full multi-function capabilities from a wireless connection? If you're scanning you have to go to the MFP to put the document on anyway.

Most MFP I've used, I just setup the printer to go via TCP/IP and then just go plug in if I actually need to scan something. That can be done with any print server type thing.

If it has a parallel and a USB port, get a Parallel print server and then you can still use the USB cable for connecting in when you need to scan. Just one way of doing it.

 

[cipher00]

Thraxen writes:

You know, I'm actually kind of shocked at how few devices there are of this type available.

Me too. Many of the ones I became aware of were out of production.

I didn't know Hawking was Edimax. As for MFP support, some MFPs require direct connections to the PC, and I agree with Kelemvor that you're probably going to be physically present when scanning. Faxing is a different issue, perhaps.

FWIW.

 

[mmx]

its there no good print server for mfp?

 

[Kelemvor]

Originally posted by: mmx
its there no good print server for mfp?

MFPs that work over the network are designed that way. They are far more advanced and need more special features than a normal networked printer. You could contact the manufacturer or their support forums and ask there.