Sharing USB printer with 2 PCs

[Vieux Richard]

Have a customer that wants to share her new HP multi-function USB printer with 2 laptops. She does not want the PCs networked.
Would a simple USB hub be sufficient or is a more sophisticated connection required?

[Hi Ho]

I believe that in order to do that she will either need to network the laptops with a router or buy a print server.

[RJ]

USB hubs work the other way. You can connect multiple devices to one port, but one device to multiple ports. . I've never heard of that.

network the laptops with a router

Why a router ? A simple crossover cable will do it.

RJ

[Redfallon]

Router or crossover cable will require the laptop directly connected to the printer to be turned on and connected for the other to work. Best way would be router with a print server, but, of course, that's the most expensive route. Are the laptops used as desktops? Or are they mobile/carried around often?

[Hi Ho]

Why a router ? A simple crossover cable will do it.

Hmmm.... Didn't even think of that. Pardon my lack of sleep last night. :D

[seagull]

Just move the USB cable. That,s what I do

[Vieux Richard]

Thanks for your replies. I thought that it would be too easy to connect a USB hub.
As she wants to spend very little and does not want to network the laptops, I'll suggest Seagull's proposal.

[bailey]

its been my experience that the multifunction type printers are not able to network

[Confused]

Originally posted by bailey
its been my experience that the multifunction type printers are not able to network

Printer function of my USB connected HP PSC 1350 multifunction works fine networked. Of course the scanner doesn't.

PC's have XP.
Chas

[Panama Red]

Originally posted by Vieux Richard
Thanks for your replies. I thought that it would be too easy to connect a USB hub.
As she wants to spend very little and does not want to network the laptops, I'll suggest Seagull's proposal.

Since USB connections are "hot-swappable" and it's easy to move a laptop, this sounds like the cheapest and easiest solution. Same would apply with a single ethernet modem connection to the web, just switch computers on the connetion. Would work fine as long as you only want one at a time to be online.

[Vieux Richard]

I have found an inexpensive solution from one of my peripheral suppliers.It's USB Switch box for 2 or 4 PCs with manual switch, similar to the old parallel port switch boxes.
I'll get that and install it.

[drob]

How can I network this HP PSC 1350 on a winxp home and win 98 either network?

[Panama Red]

drob, welcome to PC Mech. You will be better served by starting your own thread with this question. Please don't resurrect old threads and add a new question.

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[giuseppe]

I'd like to return to something Confused said. I also have a multifunction HP printer/scanner. I was planning on setting up a het work with 2 laptops and a desktop with a printserver for the printer. Should I assume the scanner can not be accessed by the networked computers? If this is the case then can I use a printserver and then simply unplug it and attach a coputer directly to the USB connector?

[glc]

Some HP multifunctions are fully networkable, but only the high end ones. The only way most of them can scan is with a local connection - attaching it to a print server will only enable the print function.