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General discussion

one printer and two computers

Dec 24, 2004 3:05AM PST

Can someone tell me how to hook two computers to one printer?
Thanks in advance for your assitance in this matter.

Discussion is locked

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Network. . .
Dec 24, 2004 3:19AM PST

Build a home network. Install the printer on both PCs. Enable file and printer sharing.

This was a bare answer because you gave bare information.

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Disadvantages.
Dec 25, 2004 6:09AM PST

Wayne,

Having two computers networked is obviously practical. No argument about that. I regularly use it to backup files of my small computer on the large one.

But there are two disadvantages when using the network for printer sharing:
1. The computer to which the printer is connected (the first computer) should be turned on to print from the other computer.
2. Error messages (out of paper, low on ink) might pop up at the first computer when printing from the second one. I can assure you that my son playing Warcraft doesn't like it at all if such a message appears if I print something from downstairs.

In this case there is no information at all if these disadvantages are of any importance. But they should be mentioned.

Kees

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I just today bought ...
Dec 24, 2004 4:36AM PST

a Sitecom 'manual USB switch' (article code CN-122) which does just that (for a USB-printer). For a parallel printer there are the old mechanic data switches.

"Using this device you can share any USB device, like a printer or scanner, between a maximum of 4 PC's. It is very easy to install without the need for software. Switching between the different users is easily accomplished via the keyboard."

Of course, you can't print simultaneously from two computers to the same printer. Everything would be mixed up.

My new XP computer hasn't yet arrived, but I'm ready for it! Anyway, I hope so.

Kees

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Printer on two PC's
Mar 11, 2005 5:04AM PST

If you have a printer with a network (ethernet) connection (I have one of those), you can plug it into the network hub or switch just like a PC. With the driverdisk you can install the driver and do the settings on both computers to access the printer from both of them.
If your printer is of an older type, you can purchase an automatic switch, yes Kees they exist even for parallel printer ports Wink.
Both sollutions have the same advantage: no need to keep one PC running to access the printer.
Of course, if you use one PC as a dataserver, obviously you have a network installed and you might just as well connect the printer to that one and use the PC as a printserver at the same time. You just have to share the printer in the network settings and direct the printeroutput on the other PC to the serverPC.
You can even buy a hardware printerserver with a buffering memory to which you connect the PC's, either through ethernet or through the parallel printeroutput (depends on the model).

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One Printer, Two Computers
Mar 11, 2005 9:44AM PST

Well, my simple solution was I have a printer with both USB and Parallel connections and I hooked one up to the Parallel and one to USB and as long as no one tried to print at the same time it worked. Not the most professional method, but it worked.