Old Laptop as Print Server

[TromboneAl]

Lena's got her new laptop, and is very happy with it.

I've set up her old laptop as a print server, and it works.

However, even with the screen off and the hard drive spun down, it consumes over 40 watts of power. That would cost $60 per year.

So, I could buy a dedicated print server for about $40, which I expect would use very little power.

Or, we could set her computer on standby, but then we'd have to walk all the way over to it to wake it up when we want to print something (oh bother).

Anyone use a print server?

 

[M Paquette]

We have a USB laser printer hooked to the wireless network router as a print server. It can be reached from the wireless or wired side of our local network, but like everything else, is firewalled from the wide area network. The printer goes to sleep (very low power standby) after about 10 minutes of being idle.

The printer is a Brother HL-2040, and the wireless router is an Apple Airport Extreme circa 2006.

 

[TromboneAl]

That's an interesting option. I looked at our router and didn't see any USB connections, but the cable modem has one. I wonder if that would work?

 

[NW-Bound]

I have seen cable modems with a USB port, but it is for a user with a single PC who does not need an Ethernet router and simply wants to use a USB connection between the PC and the modem, instead of using the Ethernet ports between the two.

Conceivably, the USB hardware is there, and it should be just a matter of firmware for the modem to provide the print server function, but I don't think the modem maker typically provides that.

 

[W2R]

Or, we could set her computer on standby, but then we'd have to walk all the way over to it to wake it up when we want to print something (oh bother).

But, but, but....

You have to walk all the way over to it anyway, to retrieve the print-outs. And printers are really fast these days. Why not forget the print server. Have her just walk over to the printer with her new laptop and mouse, connect via USB, and hit "print". Pick up the printout, detach the USB cable at the computer, and walk back. I know, I know, this is such a 20th century solution... practically the Dark Ages.

 

[TromboneAl]

What, over to the printer twice?!

I know it's silly to want to save a few seconds of effort, but sometimes the little things, like choosing to print and having the paper magically appear after being sent through the air, feel good.

In any case,the laptop power consumption dropped to 14 watts, so we'll use it for awhile and see if we get addicted.

 

[zinger1457]

There are many wireless network printers available for a reasonable price that connect directly to your home network. I have a Brother MFC-7840 muti-function laser printer and very happy with it.

 

[Meadbh]

I have a Brother MFC9320CW and I am very happy with it, but it was a nightmare to set up, just as the user forums had warned me it would be. After many wasted hours I got professional help (the first time I have had to do that for my own equipment in more than a decade). I have it hard wired to the router, because neither of them go anywhere, and it connects with my laptop wirelessly.

 

[Rustward]

<snip>
Or, we could set her computer on standby, but then we'd have to walk all the way over to it to wake it up when we want to print something (oh bother).
<snip>

A little clunky, but if the server PC has wake-on-LAN support, and assuming the power consumption is acceptable when the server is hibernating, set the server's power management options to hibernate after a few minutes of inactivity. When you want to wake up the server, send it a magic packet, then do your printing. It does work -- if you have the hardware support enabled.

Google -- suggested keywords: wake on lan (WOL), magic packet.

 

[donheff]

I converted an old windows box to linux and set it up as a print server about ten years ago. Still going strong, still sucking the juice out of the wall. I don't like the idea of kicking the laptop to wake it up every time you print.

 

[naggz]

....

Google -- suggested keywords: wake on lan (WOL), magic packet.

+1 on the WOL, i use it for my media server, it works great.

 

[Alan]

The wireless stopped working on our printer a few weeks ago so we plugged it directly into the router.

The printer we had before that (before 2005) didn't have a network connection so we had it plugged into DW's desktop, that then shared the printer. Moving to a printer that operated directly without a PC was great and when this current printer dies we will pay the extra (SHOCK) to have one with a network connection (wireless or direct).

 

[Nords]

What, over to the printer twice?!
I know it's silly to want to save a few seconds of effort, but sometimes the little things, like choosing to print and having the paper magically appear after being sent through the air, feel good.
In any case,the laptop power consumption dropped to 14 watts, so we'll use it for awhile and see if we get addicted.

As that other great American said: "Printing is so 1970s"...

Perhaps you could declare that only one day a week is "printing day". Every print job until then would just go into the household computer's printer queues until that day, when you could turn on the printserver & printer and stand over them until they finish processing the week's backlog.

Of course the "Younger Next Year" approach would be to have a daily printing hour.

BTW we connect our Laserjet to the "wireless" router with an Ethernet cable.

 

[TromboneAl]

As an update, I can tell you that it is very, very nice to just print something, and have it appear in the printer. No moving things around and plugging and unplugging.

I agree with you, Nords, about printing, but there are things that must be printed.

I print music charts and set lists for the other band members, Lena prints knitting patterns that need to be marked up. I print photos for the wall, and when I need to communicate with the outdated health industry, I print things out to be faxed.

But instant printing by remote control is one of the little things that contributes to a good quality of life.

 

[Alan]

As an update, I can tell you that it is very, very nice to just print something, and have it appear in the printer. No moving things around and plugging and unplugging.

Welcome to the [-]20th[/-] 21st century Al, well done old chap

 

[Nords]

As an update, I can tell you that it is very, very nice to just print something, and have it appear in the printer. No moving things around and plugging and unplugging.

I agree with you, Nords, about printing, but there are things that must be printed.

I print music charts and set lists for the other band members, Lena prints knitting patterns that need to be marked up. I print photos for the wall, and when I need to communicate with the outdated health industry, I print things out to be faxed.

But instant printing by remote control is one of the little things that contributes to a good quality of life.

I'm just sayin':
http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f27/getting-things-done-system-58790.html#post1140591

When our current color laser dies, our next one will also have a printserver in it so that it can work with the wireless router. However I'm not so sure that we want to bother with color, especially HP's extra-special toner cartridges that leak powder throughout the interior...