USB Print Server

I'm looking for a USB printer server so I can use a USB printer on an ethernet network via RJ45.

All I seem to be able to find are obscure brand with poor reviews or discontinued products!

Does such a thing still exist?

TIA

I really can't help that much as I agree these branded products are few and far between these days with a lot of newer printers having wifi, however I don't suppose your router has a USB port that you could use?

In reply to a post by simonh__:

I'm looking for a USB printer server so I can use a USB printer on an ethernet network via RJ45.

All I seem to be able to find are obscure brand with poor reviews or discontinued products!

Does such a thing still exist?

TIA

Would a simple RJ45 to USB adaptor (like this) work? Cost is not extortionate (and the modern day returns policies mean you won't even lose that if the item goes back).

That would not work as the printer would not have the capability to talk to this.
It is designed to add ethernet to a PC and requires drivers to work.

Thanks
Dan

Back in 2018 I bought a Lantronix x Print Server (XPS1002FC-02-S) for around £151+VAT from Lambda-Tek to add Apple AirPrint capability to a legacy laser printer.
Amongst other features it had USB and serial print sever connection capability.

It worked enough well, though I’m not using it at the moment.

Had a quick search and they seem to have gone up in price…a lot!! Eeeh

umm, May be able to plug it into your router if your router support that sort of thing, the problem is you may not want your printer by your router.
the other thing is depending on how long you have had the printer is to get another printer with Ethernet built in.

Epson workforce is £95, so may end up being a better option and cheaper, that is if you want a inkjet

i have a brother LED colour printer with network, a great printer, as long as you don't want it for photo.

This should do the job and is a well known brand

Link

Thanks
Dan

You can do it with a Raspi if you have one - https://www.geekonthepc.com/2016/07/10/guide-make-al...

You can also pick up old HP Jetdirect 175x boxes for peanuts which also work. I used one on an Epson photo printer for years.

@Simonh__,

You could connect your printer to a computer and share the printer on the network.

HTH,

In reply to a post by danielhyde:

This should do the job and is a well known brand

Link

Thanks
Dan

If the printer have a scanner in, this may not work for the scanner and also need to think if the cost is worth it.

I don't think I've seen any external print servers support scanning functionality. Not to say they don't exist, just haven't come across any ever.

All in one printers with their own network connection are of course different ball game entirely.

When I used to help setup site offices, we used to play this "game" where we'd try and find the cheapest laser printer deal, that had the longest starter cartridges. Then you'd run the printer till it was empty and buy another one - not exactly ethically correct in these environmentally straightened times - but it was good bang for the back as the refill cartridges on their own could be worth more than what was paid for the the printer...

I use a Silex SX-2000 to connece a Software Defined Radio (SDR) with USB to my network. Have done for 14 years. Looking at Silex's website, https://www.silextechnology.com/connectivity-solutio... they offer devices for scanners etc.

Back in the day, I bought mine from https://www.tradescanners.com/content/shop.php

Cheers!

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

I don't think I've seen any external print servers support scanning functionality. Not to say they don't exist, just haven't come across any ever.

All in one printers with their own network connection are of course different ball game entirely.

That is what i mean, which is why a new printer may be the best way. I have a brother HL-3150CDW, which is a LED colour printer and to be honest it works very well, I also have a very old HP scanjet 7650 scanner and again it works well, in fact it is very fast, but if I want to copy something I need to have the computer on to do it, I have been thinking of getting an all-in-one Inkjet, the problem is inkjet have this problem with blocking up.
the Epson I linked to looks a good buy, the problem is I am not a fan of Epson printers.
I still have one of their dot Matrix in the loft and that was a good printer, but i also had one of their inkjets and to be honest it was awful, it printed well, but just kept falling apart, so I always got Canon after that.

When I used to help setup site offices, we used to play this "game" where we'd try and find the cheapest laser printer deal, that had the longest starter cartridges. Then you'd run the printer till it was empty and buy another one - not exactly ethically correct in these environmentally straightened times - but it was good bang for the back as the refill cartridges on their own could be worth more than what was paid for the the printer...

This is the problem with cheap printers, they don't last, also they are cheap because the companies hopes to make money on the ink/Toner, i think the only printers I have got Original ink for in the last 20 years is my Canon seltpy and that is because it uses a different printing system and the paper comes with the cartridge.

The toners for the brother is cheap from third parties, I use stinky ink for my ink/toners and for a set of their high-capacity toners, 3 colour and black it is £99, if i got the brother's own ones that is £290, that is one hell of a difference and to be honest I see no difference in the quality.
over the years printer manufactures have tried always to stop these third-party ink manufactures, another reason I don't like Epson, because they do it via firmware. My old Canon inkjet, I just had to take the chip of the old cartridge and placed it onto the new one, worked fine.
I like the tank idea, which Epson and canon do, buy ink in a bottle and pour it into a tank, the printers are a bit more expensive, but hopefully that also means they build them to a higher quality.


As i said above, I was thinking of getting a All-in-one, so I could use it for copying without the computer being on, also inkjets are better for photos, but i need a Scanner that is at least as good as the old HP I have got, it was an expensive scanner when new, I did not pay the price, I ordered a cheap canon scanner from Ebuyer for £30 and got a £400 one instead, I told them they sent the wrong one, but they told me they have not, so I kept it, it did say canon on the outer box. The Hp has to be about 14 years old now and still works well, which is why I don't want to spend more money.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

In the end, despite the shady reviews, I decided to try one of these:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07MDMDQZL

(which I think is just a rebranded version of what danielhyde suggested)

Works absolutely flawlessly with a Brother QL-570 label printer (so not the most mainstream device!)

Once the printer was up and running (in all of like two minutes), I added a simple USB hub with USB memory stick and hey presto now two devices are networked!

Tomorrow I'll be trying it with a Zebra ZD220 too

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

but it was good bang for the back as the refill cartridges on their own could be worth more than what was paid for the the printer...

Almost certainly the cartridges supplied with the printer where less than 50% capacity over the replacement ones. So yes the replacement cartridges where more expensive than the printer but they would print an awful lot more pages than a new printer. In a more careful cost analysis you where almost certainly wasting money with this strategy.

I don't have a USB scanner to hand but I wouldn't be surprised if this did the job

The trick was to find ones on special offer, on sale and/or with some sort of rebate or cash back with the largest possible starter cartridges. There were good deals to be had and the price per page was pretty good for basic mono or colour laser printers. Not something I’ve done for very many year, not sure now how stingy manufacturers are with starter cart’s and sale offers etc. nowadays.

In reply to a post by simonh__:

Thanks for all the suggestions.

In the end, despite the shady reviews, I decided to try one of these:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07MDMDQZL

(which I think is just a rebranded version of what danielhyde suggested)

Works absolutely flawlessly with a Brother QL-570 label printer (so not the most mainstream device!)

Once the printer was up and running (in all of like two minutes), I added a simple USB hub with USB memory stick and hey presto now two devices are networked!

Tomorrow I'll be trying it with a Zebra ZD220 too

I am glad you found something and it works.

We use Zebra printers at work, portable ones that make people look like bus conductors they are ok, but they do jam a fair bit by all accounts. I have not used the label printers for a few years at work, we had Toshiba ones when I used to use them, but no need for them for the warehouse.

Hope it keeps working.