Printer sharing solution

[TheReal_TechGuy]

So today I was informed that administration at the school I go to has banned teacher's personal printers from being connected over the schools network. No Wi-Fi  no ethernet, nothing. They are only allowed to connect them via USB. Only problem is that our Band directors share a single printer, and they both need to be able to access and print to it on their own computers. I've been looking and thinking and found a USB switch, but this is not ideal as you have to manually switch all the time who gets to use it. Alternatively I was thinking about using the computer that we use as a server to run our uniform program as the host that used the built in windows printer sharing to share it to both computers. Does anyone have a better idea or if not which do you think is a better solution?

[mariushm]

Google "USB Print Server"

 

OR click here: https://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=-1 8000&IsNodeId=1&Description=usb print server&bop=And&Order=PRICE&PageSize=36

 

later edit: some old network switches had usb print servers as well, you may find some of those on eBay and just use the print server functionality on them.

I remember having some Canyon ethernet switch that had usb print server in it maybe 5 years ago.

 

Also you can find these print servers on eBay for very cheap, either new still in sealed boxes or refurbished

 

Here's one Linksys print server for 10$ (don't know how much shipping is) that supports both ethernet AND wireless : http://www.ebay.com/itm/Linksys-WPS54GU2-Wireless-G-Print-Server-for-USB-2-0-802-11g-BRAND-NEW-SEALED-/372087064349

 

[yaya1]

Just plug it into a very low power windows machine and set up a home network. This way, all PCs in said network should be able to use the printer; that is to say if they're in that network.

[KenjiUmino]

13 minutes ago, Jonas_2909 said:

Just plug it into a very low power windows machine and set up a home network. This way, all PCs in said network should be able to use the printer; that is to say if they're in that network.

something like a compute stick would be ideal.

 

has built in wifi and can be tucked away behind the printer - no one will ever notice

[TheReal_TechGuy]

1 hour ago, Jonas_2909 said:

Just plug it into a very low power windows machine and set up a home network. This way, all PCs in said network should be able to use the printer; that is to say if they're in that network.

Only problem is that the two computers that the printer needs to be used on are part of a domain. Would this option still be viable of that is the case?

[yaya1]

@TheReal_TechGuy If that low power machine is part of the same domain it should(Assuming both of the mentioned other pcs are as well).

[TheReal_TechGuy]

9 hours ago, Jonas_2909 said:

@TheReal_TechGuy If that low power machine is part of the same domain it should(Assuming both of the mentioned other pcs are as well).

Alright thanks. Ill probably give this a shot.