Query, wireless link to printer

In a word, no. You forget that in order to reach it over the network, you'll have to supply the printer with an IP address. Unless it has built-in wireless networking support, the only way to do this is to connect it to a server on the network-either a computer on which it's set up to be shared or the overkill solution you express your disdain for below.

...and now you know why it's so expensive.

No. Any USB device (think of it as a client) requires a host computer (think of it as a server) that holds the necessary USB drivers. Therefore a USB printer (a client) can't be connected to a wireless USB device another client).

Dlink DPR-1260 Print Server with 4 USB 2.0 Ports

$99

You can set the DLink with a static IP or DHCP it and find it with a network device name.

Actually, yes (but only in some circumstances, and the two ways i have used are expensive)... one way was to use an older broken keyboard computer (bought it for $25 at a flea market, had an external USB keyboard in my junk pile, just plugged it in, used it instead of the laptops broken keyboard, and it worked fine, have it on the wireless network and had a shared USB printer on it, bonus I also had a 500GB External USB disk hooked to it, so I could share that on the network too), second way (I went to when I added a TB of network storage, is with a buffalo tech linkserver live

provides various sizes of network storage, and has two USB ports that can support specific printers (think it will work with most, but not Multifunction Devices - it says Built-in Print Server to Print Files from Anywhere on your Network. Multi-function printers not supported. Works in Windows only.)

Overkill or not that's the least hassle. Just make sure to be using a printer, not a multifunction device with scanning, faxing and the like.

-Bill Kearney