Going to a couple of my local computer stores, the Apple Airportexpress seems to be the only device that can truly connect a device wirelessly. By that I mean that I can plug my usb printer into the airportexpress and it sends and receives data through the air. I don't have to connect it to my wireless router with cat 5 cable. But surely there must be other companies that make such devices? Can anyone suggest any? Thanks,
Other device simillar to the Apple Airportexpress
Jul 16, 2006
14 Replies
There are lots of wireless print servers out there. Avoid Duh-Link, and ensure that your printer is compatible, but this is easy to find. What's wrong with Airport Express?
Nothing wrong witn Airport Express. I was just currious cause I couldn't seem to find any other brands. And Apple hardware is usually more expensive... What is Dub-Link?
Sorry, D-Link products promise the moon but don't work like they should. Lots of good vendors out there.
Me too. I've had lots of success with D-Link products. None of these low-end vendors are perfect, and D-Link in general is a first rank supplier, along with Netgear and Linksys.
On Sun, 16 Jul 2006 13:30:18 -0400, "DavidT" wrote in :
On Sun, 16 Jul 2006 12:08:02 GMT, "ComputerTeacher" wrote in :
And also usually better engineered and built. The difference in price isn't all that great when you compare like products. The Airport Express is an excellent multi-talented product that stands head and shoulders above cheap wireless print servers.
What you're looking for is called a Wireless USB Print Server. Linksys and D-Link make them, but I don't know how well they work with Macs. AFAIK, there is no other product with the precise feature set of the AirPort Express.
I was pretty happy with d-link for awhile (2 wireless routers, a gaming adapter and a USB wireless interface), but the most recent equipment I purchased (DI-624) was pretty flaky (would reboot constantly when using VoIP), and it's annoying that it didn't include WDS. The Buffalo stuff costs about the same, and it does have WDS, and to date it's been running without flakage for a couple months.
I'm thinking my 624 will be a handmedown to someone who doesn't use VoIP, since it otherwise works OK, and I'll give d-link credit for including a dynamic DNS client in the router, I wish Buffalo had that on mine (WHR-HP-G54, WHR-G54S)..
First off, I have a Windoze machine. I'm aware of Wireless USB print servers. However the Apple one is the only one I've found that connects wirelessly to router. All the others I've seen have to be connected by cat 5 to the router itself. That's useless to me if the printer is in the kitchen and the router is in the family room...
Hmmm, excellent point. Apparently the clerk at the computer store didn't have a clue of what he was talking about! Thanks. I'll check it out.
Well, my Duh-Link DP-G310 takes about 10 seconds to pull up the printing window, gets stuck and needs a power cycle if the printer is off when it tries to print, doesn't perform the "email->print" function (one of the main reasons I bought it), and is destined for the trash heap around the end of this month.
Your Milage Will Vary, but I've been pretty much universally disappointed with D-Link products, and will never buy another.
Yeah, Buffalo Tech
formatting link
I have 2 of their wireless router/switches (4 ports + wireless) which thanks to WDS I can have a wireless backbone between the upstairs and downstairs of my apt. D-link doesn't sell WDS routers, only access points (which cost as much as a Buffalo router with WDS!) so I'd have to have an extra wallwart and have paid quite a bit more for my configuration.
Hell, I get 80% signal in the _BASEMENT_ with these.. So far so good...
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