2 Computers - 1 Printer - USB

Any recommendations for a USB device that allows me to connect two
computers to one printer?

I have an office with two computers and only one is connected to the
printer so I'd like to give computer #2 the same access to said
printer. I'm not looking to connect the printer with other boxes on
the network, only the two in the one office.

One computer is running Win2k while the other is using WinXp Home so
USB connectivity shouldn't be an issue, right?

Thanks for your advice!

On Thu, 24 Jun 2004 15:09:32 GMT, Spooty
wrote:

Any recommendations for a USB device that allows me to connect two
computers to one printer?

I have an office with two computers and only one is connected to the
printer so I'd like to give computer #2 the same access to said
printer. I'm not looking to connect the printer with other boxes on
the network, only the two in the one office.

One computer is running Win2k while the other is using WinXp Home so
USB connectivity shouldn't be an issue, right?

Thanks for your advice!

Connect the computers.

--

Hecate

veni, vidi, reliqui

oN THE XP MACHINE GO TO HELP AND SUPPORT AND TYPE IN "SHARE PRINTER"
"Spooty" wrote in message
...
Any recommendations for a USB device that allows me to connect two
computers to one printer?

I have an office with two computers and only one is connected to the
printer so I'd like to give computer #2 the same access to said
printer. I'm not looking to connect the printer with other boxes on
the network, only the two in the one office.

One computer is running Win2k while the other is using WinXp Home so
USB connectivity shouldn't be an issue, right?

Thanks for your advice!

This process has been considered but I don't want to have to leave the
XP box on in order to print when using the 2k machine.

Essentially, what you recommend is to use the XP box as a print server
and that is exactly what I am trying to avoid!

I'm looking for a hardware solution, not software.

Appreciate the thought though...

On Thu, 24 Jun 2004 18:42:11 -0700, "DFSeattle"
wrote:

oN THE XP MACHINE GO TO HELP AND SUPPORT AND TYPE IN "SHARE PRINTER"

Spooty wrote:
Any recommendations for a USB device that allows me to connect two
computers to one printer?

I have an office with two computers and only one is connected to the
printer so I'd like to give computer #2 the same access to said
printer. I'm not looking to connect the printer with other boxes on
the network, only the two in the one office.

One computer is running Win2k while the other is using WinXp Home so
USB connectivity shouldn't be an issue, right?

Thanks for your advice!

Network the two computers and that feeds both to the printer. printer
off either one.

You have to load the printer software on each machine.

rm

Spooty wrote in message . ..
Any recommendations for a USB device that allows me to connect two
computers to one printer?

A USB switch, like http://www.national-tech.com/catalog/usbswitchboxes.htm
these. (First one I found, Google for "USB switch" and take your
choice.) Most of these seem to be manual, maybe you can find an
autodetect one for set and forget -- cheap parallel port ones are
available that do that.

This is more along the lines of what I'm looking for. With something
like this, I can keep the printer shared exclusively between the two
computers without having to network it with the rest of the computers
in the office.

Thank you for your time and effort in helping out, I really appreciate
it!

On 25 Jun 2004 03:30:37 -0700, (Alan) wrote:


A USB switch, like http://www.national-tech.com/catalog/usbswitchboxes.htm
these. (First one I found, Google for "USB switch" and take your
choice.) Most of these seem to be manual, maybe you can find an
autodetect one for set and forget -- cheap parallel port ones are
available that do that.

What I failed to mention in my original post is that the printer is a
USB-only printer and it can only be connected to one computer directly
at any given time.

I've already tried to network the printer in the "traditional" method
but the results are marginal at best. For the importance of what I
do, marginal printing is unacceptable.

I do thank you for your suggestion though.


On Fri, 25 Jun 2004 13:19:52 +1000, me wrote:


Network the two computers and that feeds both to the printer. printer
off either one.

You have to load the printer software on each machine.

rm

The two computers are networked and printer sharing is enabled but I
am tring to avoid having the computer the printer is connected to
turned on before I can print.

In his reply, Alan came up with what I think is a solution. What I'm
looking for is a hardware switch that can accommodate USB and is
auto-sensing and is meant for two computers only.

Thanks for your suggestion.


On Fri, 25 Jun 2004 07:51:22 -0400, "Elmo P. Shagnasty"
wrote:


If the two computers are networked and printer sharing is enabled, you
should be able to share that printer out from the computer it's
connected to. No need for anything extra. Just install the driver on
computer #2, and point the driver to the shared printer from computer #1.

Don't worry about USB between two computers.

Spooty wrote:

What I failed to mention in my original post is that the printer is a
USB-only printer and it can only be connected to one computer directly
at any given time.

I've already tried to network the printer in the "traditional" method
but the results are marginal at best. For the importance of what I
do, marginal printing is unacceptable.

I do thank you for your suggestion though.




Networking both your computers together is what I mean. Either computer
will then find the printer. You will have to load the printer program
into each computer the same as your switch.

Networking has lots of advantages in sharing/transfering information as
well. ie internet connections, files, etc


I think this is a much better approach than using a printer switch. Not
that hard to configure - there is a wizard.


On Fri, 25 Jun 2004 13:19:52 +1000, me wrote:


Network the two computers and that feeds both to the printer. printer
off either one.

You have to load the printer software on each machine.

rm