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Author Topic: Printer advice sought  (Read 1019 times)

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Offline Snoopy

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Printer advice sought
« 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?
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Offline Barman

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Re: Printer advice sought
« Reply #1 on: May 09, 2011, 09:02:55 AM »
Quote from: 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?


A printer sharing switch
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Offline Snoopy

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Re: Printer advice sought
« Reply #2 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?
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Offline Barman

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Re: Printer advice sought
« Reply #3 on: May 09, 2011, 09:16:09 AM »
Quote from: 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?

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 would do what you want...

I have a networked printer here that all the PCs can access....
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Offline Snoopy

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Re: Printer advice sought
« Reply #4 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.
« Last Edit: May 09, 2011, 09:26:59 AM by Snoopy »
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Offline Darwins Selection

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Re: Printer advice sought
« Reply #5 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...
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Offline Miss Demeanour

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Re: Printer advice sought
« Reply #6 on: May 09, 2011, 02:07:26 PM »
Get orf his LAN then  8)
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Offline Pastis

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Re: Printer advice sought
« Reply #7 on: May 09, 2011, 02:35:20 PM »
 lol: lol:
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Offline Darwins Selection

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Re: Printer advice sought
« Reply #8 on: May 09, 2011, 02:35:54 PM »
Quote from: Miss Demeanor on May 09, 2011, 02:07:26 PM
Get orf his LAN then  8)

 drumroll: drumroll:

You are a chirpy little thing today.  ;)
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Offline Miss Demeanour

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Re: Printer advice sought
« Reply #9 on: May 09, 2011, 02:42:38 PM »
 lol: lol: lol:

From you that's perfectly acceptable cloud9:
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Offline Snoopy

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Re: Printer advice sought
« Reply #10 on: May 09, 2011, 03:18:21 PM »
Quote from: 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...

You may be right ~ I dunno nuffick about such things but I was hoping someone who did might tell me how.
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Offline Just One More

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Re: Printer advice sought
« Reply #11 on: May 09, 2011, 05:55:16 PM »
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