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Come Inside... => The Computer Room => Topic started by: Snoopy on May 09, 2011, 08:59:48 AM

Title: Printer advice sought
Post by: Snoopy on May 09, 2011, 08:59:48 AM
I have a PC (Running Vista)that is connected to two printers. Printer one is a Dell Laser B&W on which most work is done. Printer two is an Epsom Inkjet Colour which is used for colour work.
easy to switch from one to the other when I select "Print" as the PC gives me a choice.
I have recently added a Lap-top to my collection that runs on Microsoft 7 and am looking for a gadget that will enable me to print from that without the drag of crawling around behind the PC to disconnect a printer cable and plug it into the Laptop and then have to reverse the process when I am done.  Sometimes, 'cos I is a lazy bugger, I save the work from the Laptop to a memory stick and then plug that into the PC and print that way but .........

What I am looking for is a little box that will allow me to connect both printers to it and thence have a cable to the PC AND a spare cable to plug straight into the laptop.

What am I looking for in not too technical terms ie what is such a device called?
Title: Re: Printer advice sought
Post by: Barman on May 09, 2011, 09:02:55 AM
I have a PC (Running Vista)that is connected to two printers. Printer one is a Dell Laser B&W on which most work is done. Printer two is an Epsom Inkjet Colour which is used for colour work.
easy to switch from one to the other when I select "Print" as the PC gives me a choice.
I have recently added a Lap-top to my collection that runs on Microsoft 7 and am looking for a gadget that will enable me to print from that without the drag of crawling around behind the PC to disconnect a printer cable and plug it into the Laptop and then have to reverse the process when I am done.  Sometimes, 'cos I is a lazy bugger, I save the work from the Laptop to a memory stick and then plug that into the PC and print that way but .........

What I am looking for is a little box that will allow me to connect both printers to it and thence have a cable to the PC AND a spare cable to plug straight into the laptop.

What am I looking for in not too technical terms ie what is such a device called?


A printer sharing switch (http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_22?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=printer+sharing+switch&x=0&y=0&sprefix=printer+sharing+switch)
Title: Re: Printer advice sought
Post by: Snoopy on May 09, 2011, 09:12:11 AM
Obvious when you think about it. I have seen (and used) such in my days in gainful employment but that enabled choosing which printer one wanted to use only. It only had one "input" from a PC.

Do you use one then BM and does it do what I want ... ie enable two pooters to use either of two (or more) printers without a lot of faffing about?
Title: Re: Printer advice sought
Post by: Barman on May 09, 2011, 09:16:09 AM
Obvious when you think about it. I have seen (and used) such in my days in gainful employment but that enabled choosing which printer one wanted to use only. It only had one "input" from a PC.

Do you use one then BM and does it do what I want ... ie enable two pooters to use either of two (or more) printers without a lot of faffing about?

I once set up a business to sell such devices - just after the LaserJet was released...

They've come on a bit since then but something like this (http://www.amazon.co.uk/USB-Manual-Share-Switch-Printer/dp/B002YOVDSS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1304931734&sr=8-2) would do what you want...

I have a networked printer here that all the PCs can access....
Title: Re: Printer advice sought
Post by: Snoopy on May 09, 2011, 09:25:18 AM
Right ~ I shall order one then. Thanks.

I had considered scrapping printers and buying a laser colour wireless one but the ones I have are all new(ish) and one also acts as a scanner and photocopier so a wireless jobby to replace them would be expensive. I use a lot of paper, toner & ink as it is.

There is a third Laser B&W printer that also copies and scans in another room for the THW and her mother to use that simply has a cable that they plug in to either of their Laptops but I don't want to get involved with that one as I prefer to work in my study and anyway we would all want to be on it at the same time ..... AND I know who would come third in that argument   surrender:


I'm sure life was easier in the days when all I needed was a spare ribbon and some carbon paper.
Title: Re: Printer advice sought
Post by: Darwins Selection on May 09, 2011, 02:05:37 PM
Are you wireless? The printer in the office is connected to that PC (which is never turned off) and my laptop uses it as a 'network printer' through the main PC. I would have thought the same would work if there were a choice of two?

Not my field of course...
Title: Re: Printer advice sought
Post by: Miss Demeanour on May 09, 2011, 02:07:26 PM
Get orf his LAN then  8)
Title: Re: Printer advice sought
Post by: Pastis on May 09, 2011, 02:35:20 PM
 lol: lol:
Title: Re: Printer advice sought
Post by: Darwins Selection on May 09, 2011, 02:35:54 PM
Get orf his LAN then  8)

 drumroll: drumroll:

You are a chirpy little thing today.  ;)
Title: Re: Printer advice sought
Post by: Miss Demeanour on May 09, 2011, 02:42:38 PM
 lol: lol: lol:

From you that's perfectly acceptable cloud9:
Title: Re: Printer advice sought
Post by: Snoopy on May 09, 2011, 03:18:21 PM
Are you wireless? The printer in the office is connected to that PC (which is never turned off) and my laptop uses it as a 'network printer' through the main PC. I would have thought the same would work if there were a choice of two?

Not my field of course...

You may be right ~ I dunno nuffick about such things but I was hoping someone who did might tell me how.
Title: Re: Printer advice sought
Post by: Just One More on May 09, 2011, 05:55:16 PM
Get orf his LAN then  8)

 lol: