Cheap router with USB to get access to printers in windows VM on unraid?


marketermac

Recommended Posts

So I went down the rabbit hole of trying to figure out a way to hook up my 2 printers (label + paper) up to my unraid server that is a floor below me.

 

Would getting a cheap router with USB ports and then hooking that router up with ethernet to my switch, make it possible to see those printers inside of a windows VM on unraid? Is there a better solution to hooking these printers up to my unraid box without putting them next to it? Or an rpi setup as a print server?

 

These printers are my last vestiges of using windows, because the shipping software I use only runs on windows.  I want to get rid of the box running windows in a VM I have upstairs, it's a power hog and generally unnecessary, and replace it with an rpi for web viewing and video watching. Plus it has a better processor that I'd rather put into my unraid box :)

 

The printers are the only USB devices I'm trying to accomplish this with. Thanks!

Edited by marketermac
Link to comment
19 hours ago, marketermac said:

Would getting a cheap router with USB ports and then hooking that router up with ethernet to my switch, make it possible to see those printers inside of a windows VM on unraid?

I doubt that this can work...the router will not simply convert the USB Printer into a network printer.

You'll need a printserver-(service) for that to be installed on the router....routing services you do not need, I guess but this may depend on your network setup (if needed, you already should have a router for this, maybe not at the location of the printers).

 

19 hours ago, marketermac said:

Is there a better solution to hooking these printers up to my unraid box without putting them next to it? Or an rpi setup as a print server?

Yes, that can be an option if the USB printers are covered by the (linux) Printer Libraries that are available on a rPi distro.

 

Other option include using a dedicated printserver, like that: https://www.digitus.info/en/products/archive/dn-13006-w/

You may be able to find different models from different brands. However - as with the rPi - it will depend on the type of Printer and Protocol used via USB....consider the manual of the printserver, maybe find a reference for a working combo searching the internet.

  • Like 1
Link to comment

If you can run a dedicated Cat5e or better wire, you can extend the USB with that. I'm successfully running mice and keyboards from multiple locations to a powered USB hub plugged in to a passed through USB port on my Unraid server. I found the powered hub to be vital to the equation, it seems to provide signal cleanup to ensure good speed and connectivity across the Cat5 USB extension.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
On 1/14/2021 at 8:17 PM, jonathanm said:

If you can run a dedicated Cat5e or better wire, you can extend the USB with that. I'm successfully running mice and keyboards from multiple locations to a powered USB hub plugged in to a passed through USB port on my Unraid server. I found the powered hub to be vital to the equation, it seems to provide signal cleanup to ensure good speed and connectivity across the Cat5 USB extension.

Already have Cat6 running, this seems like a winner!

 

It seems like there is a bunch of no-name Chinese stuff in this space as well as some really, really expensive gear. Do you know what brand yours was that is working??

Edited by marketermac
Link to comment
8 minutes ago, marketermac said:

Do you know what brand yours was that is working??

https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=6042

 

It works fine with mice and keyboards, no experience with printers, but it's not a super expensive experiment to try.

 

If that doesn't work out, maybe some of the more expensive solutions could. I'm pretty sure for less than $20, the adapters I'm using are passive with impedance matching circuitry at best.

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.