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Topic: Connecting a printer to router's USB port (Read 1732 times) previous topic - next topic
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Connecting a printer to router's USB port

I have an issue at work whereby I need to connect three pc's to the office printer.  There is Windows 10 on all three pc's.  Originally two of the pc's were connected via a third pc. Ever since the third pc was upgraded to Windows 10 can no longer connect the other two pc's to the printer via the third.

I was thinking about connecting the printer directly to the router and connect all three pc's to the printer using the printers IP address.  Will this work?

Another idea, is it possible to connect all the pc's to the printer using a USB hub?

Re: Connecting a printer to router's USB port

Reply #1 –
Quote from: NickStone – on
I was thinking about connecting the printer directly to the router
Most likely it won't work.
I use OrangePi PC2 with Arch/Artix onboard as my home router and i tried to connect printer (Samsung) to it. This printer requires special package (samsung-printers from AUR) to work. When i tried to build this package for Pi i found that this package just installes pre-compiled x86 libraries. But i think no "simple" router can even reach the state when you can install some program on it
ARMtix

Re: Connecting a printer to router's USB port

Reply #2 –
Quote from: NickStone – on
I was thinking about connecting the printer directly to the router and connect all three pc's to the printer using the printers IP address.  Will this work?
If you meant "the router's IP address", then absolutely no. USB devices must be physically plugged in, their connection cannot be relayed.

Quote from: NickStone – on
Another idea, is it possible to connect all the pc's to the printer using a USB hub?
Yes, you need a 4-port USB switch.

  • Allows 4 computers access to one single USB compliant device
  • You can share your USB device such as printer or scanner with up to 4 computers without manually switching out cables

Re: Connecting a printer to router's USB port

Reply #3 –
If it is a network printer with an ethernet connection in the back wouldn't the router assign it its own local ip (like a 192.168.1.4) and to which ip cups can direct print jobs?

Re: Connecting a printer to router's USB port

Reply #4 –
There's a thing called a print server or wireless print server that lets you connect (if supported) USB printers to a router. If it was a wireless printer then that's another option. Some routers do support USB printers being connected directly, check the specs. I haven't done this myself though!

Re: Connecting a printer to router's USB port

Reply #5 –
https://openwrt.org/docs/guide-user/services/print_server/cups.server

Some printers have network support out of the box or by purchasing some additional module. The pi option is probably better than openwrt, due to RAM constraints, but it depends on getting that particular model of printer working, it's not always easy/possible.