USB Y-adapter possible? networked printing with one computer thatcan scan too?

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hupjack

So I bought a Canon PIXMA MP780 -
http://consumer.usa.canon.com/ir/controller?act=ModelDetailAct&fcategoryid=123&modelid=10444

Its 1 flaw is that it does not have built in Ethernet, and I'd like to
be able to print to it from elsewhere on my home LAN (for instance from
my wifi'd laptops).

So I figure I'll just throw it on a USB to Ethernet print server.

My understanding is that all the print servers out there support ONLY
printing, and the rest of the canon software that allows you to control
scanning from the computer, and other junk that I don't care about, will
not function with a print server between computer and printer.

Certain printers, like my HP G85, are compatible with their own
proprietary servers, like the HP jetdirect 300x, for example, which
allows me to do scanning over the network, the same way I could over
USB. The jetdirect also has a web interface that allows me to scan from
the printer without running the bloated hp drivers on my computer.

So, I'd like something like that setup, that will allow me to still use
my Canon all-in-one's scanning capability over the network. Any clue if
this is possible with an HP directjet or another brand of print server?

Another thought I had, since the printer only has a single USB port,
could I put a USB "Y" adapter on the printer, and then connect one
computer directly to the printer, that could do scanning, and I'd use
the 2nd USB port to put the printer on the network with a print server
for anybody else on the network to JUST print to? Is such a Y adapter
configuration possible? Or is it problematic in terms of print queues
or just hardware / software non-functional?

Thanks in advance,
Ethan
 
So, I'd like something like that setup, that will allow me to still use
my Canon all-in-one's scanning capability over the network. Any clue if
this is possible with an HP directjet or another brand of print server?
Click to expand...

Not likely to work. Scanning is a different protocal than printing,
while printer sharing is common enough, scanner sharring simply isn't
supported except on scanners that have network ports onboard... or a
device that uses the propriority protocals the scanner uses. There
simply is no standard for scanning.... there should be but there is
not. You're welcome to try your jetdirect but odds are it doesn't
speak the same language as your scanner.


There were some exceptions, for the most part software scanner sharing
does not exist.


<I>Another thought I had, since the printer only has a single USB port,
could I put a USB "Y" adapter on the printer, and then connect one
computer directly to the printer, that could do scanning, and I'd use
the 2nd USB port to put the printer on the network with a print server
for anybody else on the network to JUST print to? Is such a Y adapter
configuration possible? Or is it problematic in terms of print queues
or just hardware / software non-functional? </I>

A Y adapter simply would not work. USB is a complex protocal that
deals with packets of information over a serial line. Anyone who's
attempted this and didn't fry things reported "communication error".
I imagine it might be possible to share USB devices if you had a hub
that was geared for it, but I know of no such thing.

The only thing that will work is hooking up the printer to your pc, and
sharing that printer. Near as i'm aware the software doesn't support
scanner sharing but print sharing works just fine.

It's annoying that these units are not network nor wifi ready, more so
that there isn't a solution by canon to get these AIOs on a network and
access all their fuctions. It's even more annoying that scanner
sharing isn't popular, and the fact that no one has ever established a
common protocal for scanning. But there you have it, can't get from
here to there.
 
hupjack said:
So I bought a Canon PIXMA MP780 -
http://consumer.usa.canon.com/ir/controller?act=ModelDetailAct&fcategoryid=123&modelid=10444

Its 1 flaw is that it does not have built in Ethernet, and I'd like to
be able to print to it from elsewhere on my home LAN (for instance from
my wifi'd laptops).

So I figure I'll just throw it on a USB to Ethernet print server.

My understanding is that all the print servers out there support ONLY
printing, and the rest of the canon software that allows you to control
scanning from the computer, and other junk that I don't care about, will
not function with a print server between computer and printer.

Certain printers, like my HP G85, are compatible with their own
proprietary servers, like the HP jetdirect 300x, for example, which
allows me to do scanning over the network, the same way I could over
USB. The jetdirect also has a web interface that allows me to scan from
the printer without running the bloated hp drivers on my computer.

So, I'd like something like that setup, that will allow me to still use
my Canon all-in-one's scanning capability over the network. Any clue if
this is possible with an HP directjet or another brand of print server?

Another thought I had, since the printer only has a single USB port,
could I put a USB "Y" adapter on the printer, and then connect one
computer directly to the printer, that could do scanning, and I'd use
the 2nd USB port to put the printer on the network with a print server
for anybody else on the network to JUST print to? Is such a Y adapter
configuration possible? Or is it problematic in terms of print queues
or just hardware / software non-functional?

Thanks in advance,
Ethan
Click to expand...

Ethan
You could look at this
http://www.digitus.de/scripts/digdetail.asp?artnr=DA-70135 I am sure others
make something similar.
Tony
 
hupjack said:
So I bought a Canon PIXMA MP780 -
http://consumer.usa.canon.com/ir/controller?act=ModelDetailAct&fcategoryid=123&modelid=10444

Its 1 flaw is that it does not have built in Ethernet, and I'd like to
be able to print to it from elsewhere on my home LAN (for instance from
my wifi'd laptops).

So I figure I'll just throw it on a USB to Ethernet print server.
Click to expand...

Not necessary.

Just hook it up to your desktop using a regular USB cable and then enable it
as a shared printer. Run the "Add new printer" wizard on your wifes PC and
it should offer the option to add the shared printer. Job done.

Full details here.
http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=1596
 
hupjack said:
So I bought a Canon PIXMA MP780 -
http://consumer.usa.canon.com/ir/controller?act=ModelDetailAct&fcategoryid=123&modelid=10444

Its 1 flaw is that it does not have built in Ethernet, and I'd like to be
able to print to it from elsewhere on my home LAN (for instance from my
wifi'd laptops).
Click to expand...
Just go buy a USB 2.0 manual share switch hub.

I have a desktop and a laptop using an external hard drive , printer and dvd
burner...
Also the laptop uses the wireless mouse.
(also Have a video switch where my laptop uses the main monitor)
 
zakezuke,

thanks a BUNCH for the feedback.. Sounds like you're very familiar
with this issue, and I presume you are quite right...

so... using either my mac or my PC as a server computer for the others
to access the printer over the network is the only way at this point to
get scanning on one computer and printing to the others...

so, here's my next question that's been bugging me..

Any clue if sleep mode kills access to the printer?
that is.. if my mac goes to sleep, and is the printer server, can the
ethernet traffic still pass through to the attached USB printer? Or has
my print server effectively shut down once the computer goes into sleep
mode? That would be a big freaking bummer if I had to wake up my mac
before I could print from a wifi laptop.

the other product I'm trying to make heads or tails of with respect to
my original question, is this keyspan device
http://www.keyspan.com/products/usb/server/




wrote:
 
are you suggesting a usb share switch hub as an alternative to a print
server? or is this your suggestion for a usb junction box between the
printer and print server? A previous poster said that attempts at using
Y-junction USB devices between printer and print server do not work.

I'm not trying to JUST share the printer with two comps..

I'm trying to share it to at least two wifi laptops that are on a home
network.
 
are you suggesting a usb share switch hub as an alternative to a print
server? or is this your suggestion for a usb junction box between the
printer and print server? A previous poster said that attempts at using
Y-junction USB devices between printer and print server do not work.
Click to expand...

What this person is describing is a switch box, not a Y. It would
allow you for example to switch between using the printer on a PC or
your wireless gateway, but not both at the same time. This would allow
you to switch to the PC and scan or print from a PC, or switch to the
wireless network and print and only print.
 
the other product I'm trying to make heads or tails of with respect to
my original question, is this keyspan device
http://www.keyspan.com/product s/usb/server/
Click to expand...

I was not familar with that device. If it's acting like a transparent
bridge between your printer and your PC.. then by all means it should
work. I know absolutly nothing about the product. While a print
server would not work, it doesn't look like this is a print server but
rather a wifi/network usb hub.

I don't know how this device would handle something like pressing the
scan button. You might have to define a default PC for all unqueried
input to go to. But given the fact that software would have to be
installed on each pc to use this device, this is likely to be handeled.
Otherwise you would be able to install a mouse on your network and the
mouse would move the cursor on all the PCs.
Any clue if sleep mode kills access to the printer?
Click to expand...

Most systems have an option to wake on network access. But yes, sleep
mode isn't good for anything that requires network access which is why
people like my self simply don't use it.
 
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