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4 Replies Last post: Nov 21, 2002 12:05 AM by thespleen  
Click to view thespleen's profile Member 220 posts since
Aug 4, 2002
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Nov 19, 2002 7:45 PM

Connecting a usb hub

I am running an iBook on an airport network. I connect to my printer and scanner through a usb hub. I was wondering though if there was a way to hook up a wireless connection to my usb hub so that there is one less set of wires I have to deal with. Any info would be helpful.
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Click to view Nobody's profile New Member 58,347 posts since
Oct 18, 2007
1. Nov 20, 2002 10:23 AM in response to: thespleen
Re: Connecting a usb hub
No - this is not possible.

Most low end scanners (ie not for professional use) cannot be used over a network connection.

Some printers can be used over a wireless network connection with the use of a print server. However, the cost of wireless print servers (several hundred dollars) will probably deter you from considering this a practical solution. If you wait a year or two, Bluetooth-enabled printers might be available in larger numbers at a reasonable cost - a solution which would provide wireless printing at a much lower cost than current wireless network based solutions.

Click to view Nobody's profile New Member 58,347 posts since
Oct 18, 2007
2. Nov 20, 2002 10:50 AM in response to: Nobody
Re: Connecting a usb hub
Be very careful before you use the word "impossible." There are low-end scanners that can be used over a network. I believe some Epson and Umax drivers have a preference dialog for it. I have specifically used a USB Umax over a LAN connected to another machine at an old job. It was definitely an el cheapo UMAX. "not for professional use." And this was a couple of years ago .The only problem was you slow down the computer that the scanner is connected to because it has to run the scanner and pass the data over the LAN to the machine you're running it from.

The basic answer to the question might still be correct. I don't know of a wireless USB hub but there might be one by now because many companies other than Apple are coming out with entire lines of cool wireless accessories. There are definitely 802.11 wireless printers out there.

Click to view Nobody's profile New Member 58,347 posts since
Oct 18, 2007
3. Nov 20, 2002 11:59 AM in response to: Nobody
Re: Connecting a usb hub
I guess I should have been more specific - in direct answer to the question from "thespleen", there is no device that makes it possible to connect a USB hub wirelessly to a Mac. And as I indicated above, most (but certainly not all, as "aquaman pointed out) low-end scanners are not shareable on a network. What also needs to be made more specific - to make a scanner shareable it of course needs to be cabled directly to one Mac on the network.