Rating: Summary: So far so good! Review: After reading all the negative reviews, I was really hesitant on purchasing this device. I bought it locally at a premium just to assist with returning it if need be.It took about 30 minutes but it worked just as expected. I have a Canon i960 connected to the USB and HP LaserJet 6L on the Parallel port. The only problem I ran into was going from wired to "wireless". Keep an eye on the TX/RX from the print server (via the admin utility). If you don't see the values changing, there might be a configuration issue. Mine turned out to be the print server was not set to use "Shared Key" (I have WEP enabled). I believe it defaulted to "Auto". After making the change, all worked great! I'll keep you posted on any issues I come across.
Rating: Summary: Watchout for power outages Review: The WPS54GU2 Wireless-G Print Server for USB 2.0 by Linksys installed effortlessly. If you are running Windows XP you will need to disable Firewall protection for both the local area connection (wired) and the wireless connection in order to reach the print server. Plug the print server into your network, run the setup program, and then install the print server utility to each computer, and you are up and running. If you wish to use the wireless portion, assign the print server a static ip address outside of the DHCP range that your router assigns. Be warned that the unit only provides for WEP encryption; if you use the much better WPA encryption you are out of luck. If the unit should happen to lose power (e.g. the power switch is flipped, bad weather, whatever) the unit will need to be reset to the factory defaults, plugged into the network, and re-configured. ...
Rating: Summary: Piece of Junk Review: My configuration: Dell Inspiron 8500 Windows XP Pro NetGear WGR614 Wireless Router NetGear WG511 Wireless PC Card Printer: HP PSC2210xi all-in-one I had read the reviews here on Amazon and was a bit leery of buying one of these things, but I really needed a wireless printer setup without having to keep a dedicated print server computer on all the time. The concept sounded good so I decided to try it out and see if it really worked. Well, after following the instructions to the letter, I was quite disappointed. The printer would not print anything except for the diagnostic test message from the bi-admin software provided by Linksys. It's been a week with fiddling with the software, uninstalling/reinstalling drivers, updating firmware, etc. but the thing still doesn't work. The Linksys website has sparse information on troubleshooting too. Didn't bother with Linksys tech support since their reputation is pretty bad here. I am returning this product.
Rating: Summary: Great idea, terrible product Review: Linksys had the idea. A USB port, parallel port, AND wireless to boot. Just wish it would have worked. Their USB design is simply non-functional. Its broken and that fact was verified by their support staff through an email (after a wait of 2 days). I guess if you're lucky enough to have a printer that they support (there is no list, you just have to be lucky in the one you buy), then its a great product. Never even made it to checking out the wireless connection. I can't believe that Cisco/Linksys would let a product out that was this bad. I own several Linksys products and have purchased dozens of products at work but had to take this one back. I hope Linksys gets the word that their product stinks. Hope they get a version II out soon, and Linksys, if its not too much trouble, could you get it to work?
Rating: Summary: Junk Review: Nothing works properly on this gadget. The wireless function is a joke, the USB connection simply does not work and the printers that are incompatible is huge, Linksys will not even release a list. Read the rest of the reviews below this one and know exactly what all those one star reviewers went through, as I did. Stay away, not ready for prime time AT ALL!!!
Rating: Summary: Outstanding Performance Review: I am running the wireless-G PrintServer with 128 bit WEP encryption. It is attached to an HP LaserJet 1100 printer via the parallel port. Setup was easy (I didn't have to disable my firewall as other reviewers have mentioned). The router (D-link DI624) is located on the first floor of my townhome. My office (as well as the PrintServer)is on the third floor. The connection between the PrintServer and the router is excellent and has not dropped since I purchased the PrintServer 3 months ago. I purchased the PrintServer because it supports 80211G Parallel and USB 2.0 (I plan to buy a photo printer soon). The other PrintServers I compared included a USB 1.1 port.
Rating: Summary: There Are Not Many Choices to Have Both Parallel and USB Review: I don't think this product deserves so many negative reviews posted here. It works!! I admit that the Quick Installation Guide is no good and the wait on the tech support phone line was extremely long. But at the end, I was able to make it work. There are two printers, HP Laserjet 5MP and Epson Stylus C60, connected to this printserver and I can successfully print from them whichever I choose from the computer screen. I bought this for parallel and USB port together in one printserver more than its wireless feature. There are not that many printservers in the market that are equipped with both of these ports. Most of them have similar difficulties during set-up. So, if I were to rate this product, I would compare this printserver among only the ones that come with both parallel and USB. If you are shopping for a printserver, buy this printserver for being able to connect both parallel and USB port printers together at the same time and consider the wireless capability as bonus. If your emphasis is on the wireless capability and single port, there are better cheaper alternatives in the market. Be patient during set-up and expect to spend some time with the tech support because you don't have many other choices out there in the market. In the end, you will end up saving money by avoiding to buy multiple print servers.
Rating: Summary: back it goes... Review: Attention Amazon shoppers: DO NOT MAKE MY MISTAKE! Don't buy this thing thinking it might actually work in some way. Wireless print server? Ha! A pencil is a more efficient and reliable peripheral than this piece of trash. Terrible documentation, ineffectual tech support, no support pages to speak of. This is pure junk. Releasing this thing was a great idea, Linksys/Cisco...
Rating: Summary: Funny name for a product that doesn't work with USB Review: Just spent many hours working on my brand new WPS54GU2 print server install. Installs, re-installs, firmware updates, software updates, Linksys phone support hanging up on me after being on hold for a long time... Conclusion: It just plain doesn't work. The really funny part is that I can get the ethernet communication working. I can get the parallel port working but, of all things I CAN'T GET THE USB PORT TO TALK! Didn't bother with the wireless connection. I have a wireless-G system but the box is no good to me without my USB (and parallel) printer working. Print servers kinda need that capability. I guess it's back to CompUSA for a refund. I double checked the name on the box just to make sure I didn't buy the wrong product. Sure enough, the name on the box is " Wireless-G PrintServer for USB2.0" Funny name for a product that doesn't work with USB...
Rating: Summary: Flaky Review: I was able to get it working fairly quickly while physically connected to my network. But when I tried to get it running wirelessly things went down hill. Spent too many hours to count including a couple of them with tech support who was - to be fair - patient and competent. At the end of that call, the device was working properly. The conclusion was that my 128 bit wep key had to be a valid hexadecimal number including some letters?! After I got off the phone, I unplugged it and moved it to another location and was unable to get it working again. Various operations (like setting the encryption key "incorrectly") routinely crashed the wlan connection on the device forcing me to reset it. Waste of time.
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