Flatbed scanner for shared use

[rory182]

Anyone ever set-up a flatbed scanner to be shared over a network?

Its for my office, in my workplace everyone has access to the central server via the network but in my particular office we have 4 people and want to share a scanner between just the 4 of us.

We want the scanner in this room, so it's not near the router / switch / hub (whatever you call it) the scanner will be USB probably, is it possible?

 

[TheCake]

Wireless USB switch might come in handy mate. Linksys do one for £60.

 

[rory182]

cheers, I could just buy 3 x A4 scanners at £60 though lol I'll bear it in mind as an option though ta.

 

[FiDoDiDo]

I used to set ones up at work which were HP ScanJet's but I can't remember the model number.

 

[Evil Ally]

I used this at one of our sites to get a scanner working accross terminal services, I think it will also do what you want:

http://www.remote-scan.com/

It isn't cheap but it did work very well!

 

[rory182]

cool cheers, on a tight budget.

Was told we could spend £280 on an all in one printer / scanner / copier we said sod that and immediately found a decent a3 ink jet for our drawing files. so I only have about £50 - £70 for a scanner, can get a scanner for £20 - £30 easy, but looks like £50 for that software, I'll look a bit more before I decide.

cheers

 

[rory182]

possible cheap n cheerful solution:

http://www.techfocus.co.uk/usb-switch-port-p-317.html?gclid=CM2z5rSd2YkCFQMhEAodHCOh4Q

it's a wired network anyway so running 4 usb cables along the wall in our little office aint the end of the world!

 

[NB 02 HOT]

i'f youve got a network then i take it you've already got a network printer setup? can you not just set it up the same as this? allow any user on the network access to it.

 

[rory182]

but the network printer will have an ethernet cable in it won't it? not just USB

 

[FiDoDiDo]

The ones I used to setup used to be USB to a local machine and then shared off that machine.

 

[Evil Ally]

possible cheap n cheerful solution:

http://www.techfocus.co.uk/usb-switch-port-p-317.html?gclid=CM2z5rSd2YkCFQMhEAodHCOh4Q

it's a wired network anyway so running 4 usb cables along the wall in our little office aint the end of the world!

I've used a similar device from ebuyer to share a keyboard and mouse between 2 computers, it worked well.

Do remember that USB has a limited range. You can extend this by daisy chaining a few powered hubs along the way, but there is a limit to how many you can use.

 

[rory182]

right aye i did wonder about how long a USB cable we could get away with. it'd be 4 2m cables I guess