Print Sharing for Multi-Functionals

When setting up a small office, multi-function printers (printer, scanner, copier, fax machine) are usually a boon. Not quite as quick as devices individually dedicated to these tasks, they nevertheless usually do a decent job and they cost way less than four separate machines.

But sharing them is either a pain or downright impossible. Too many drivers, not enough networking.

Until I found this lil gadget. The D-Link RangeBooster G Multifunction Print Server (DPR-1260). A fantastically boring name for a pretty useful gadget (provided it works--have yet to see one in the field, so I'm putting that out as a disclaimer).

It's a wireless print server that gets real fast and sexy if you're using D-Link's semi-proprietary RangeBooster system, but should work fine over standard 802.11g. It's got four USB ports to latch onto multiple printers. If they're multi-function, it enables both printing and scanning across the network. There's an Ethernet port for use as a bridge back to other Ethernet connected devices or the network itself.

It's not a router or Internet sharing gateway, so you'll still need a separate box for that; but it's been tested with over 100 of the most popular printers out there and they've even pubbed a compatiblity list here (just put DPR in the first search box and 1260 in the second and click "go"). For $120, this looks like a handy box to have for those smaller branch offices.

Posted by Oliver Rist on June 6, 2006 11:49 AM