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Sharing a scanner between two Macs

macstatic

macstatic

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Oct 21, 2005
2,052
175
Norway
I'm trying to share a scanner (actually a multi function printer -Epson PX810FW) between two Macs. It's connected via USB to an iMac where both printer and scanner sharing is turned on.

Printing works fine on both computers, but on the other Mac I can only scan with "Image capture" and not any of the Epson software that came with the printer. Why is this? I prefer the Epson scanning software as it is more convenient than Image capture.

Both computers run OSX 10.6.8.
 
Why aren't you using the printer's Wi-Fi Ethernet connectivity to connect to it with both Macs?
 
macstatic said:
I'm trying to share a scanner (actually a multi function printer -Epson PX810FW) between two Macs. It's connected via USB to an iMac where both printer and scanner sharing is turned on.

Printing works fine on both computers, but on the other Mac I can only scan with "Image capture" and not any of the Epson software that came with the printer. Why is this? I prefer the Epson scanning software as it is more convenient than Image capture.

Both computers run OSX 10.6.8.
Click to expand...

Because the sharing mechanisms the manufacturers provide usually only work if the scanner is connected directly to the network. It looks like that device will connect via ethernet or wifi.
 
marzer said:
Because the sharing mechanisms the manufacturers provide usually only work if the scanner is connected directly to the network. It looks like that device will connect via ethernet or wifi.
Click to expand...

Huh?

"looks like that device will connect via ethernet or wifi..." means the device is connected to the network in my world. Am I missing something?
 
meistervu said:
Huh?

"looks like that device will connect via ethernet or wifi..." means the device is connected to the network in my world. Am I missing something?
Click to expand...

The OP is connecting via USB rather than using a direct network connection.
 
meistervu said:
Huh?

"looks like that device will connect via ethernet or wifi..." means the device is connected to the network in my world. Am I missing something?
Click to expand...

Yes. You're missing the fact that the OP has the printer/scanner connected directly to one Mac via USB and sharing it over his network through that Mac. That particular model has network capability and is Wi-Fi enabled.
 
I think it's a misunderstanding. I know OP didn't connect the scanner to the network from his original question. But the 3rd post from marzer was confusing.

skorpien: "Why aren't you using the printer's Wi-Fi Ethernet connectivity to connect to it with both Macs?"

Marzer: "Because the sharing mechanisms the manufacturers provide usually only work if the scanner is connected directly to the network. It looks like that device will connect via ethernet or wifi."

I thought Marzer's responded to skorpien's "Why aren't you..." You see, one person asked "why" and the next person responded "because." It's confusing.
 
meistervu said:
I thought Marzer's responded to skorpien's "Why aren't you..." You see, one person asked "why" and the next person responded "because." It's confusing.
Click to expand...

I can understand where the confusion might stem from, but Marzer did quote the OP's post in his reply.
 
Thanks for clearing it all up.
Too bad this sort of crippled behaviour happens a lot with 3rd party software.
 
macstatic said:
I'm trying to share a scanner (actually a multi function printer -Epson PX810FW) between two Macs. It's connected via USB to an iMac where both printer and scanner sharing is turned on.

Printing works fine on both computers, but on the other Mac I can only scan with "Image capture" and not any of the Epson software that came with the printer. Why is this? I prefer the Epson scanning software as it is more convenient than Image capture.

Both computers run OSX 10.6.8.
Click to expand...

How much do you want to spend on this ?
There is a USB server available from Silex (http://www.silexeurope.com/en/home/products/usb-device-servers/). Connect the device to one of these. Connect the server via LAN or WiFi and any PC running OSX or Win can access it.

I have one of these to share an Epson Scanner as well as DVD drives, Cameras, iPxxx between two PCs - one OSX, one Win7. Works fine.
 
macstatic said:
Thanks for clearing it all up.
Too bad this sort of crippled behaviour happens a lot with 3rd party software.
Click to expand...

It's really not crippled. The scanner sharing built into OSX is a real convenience. It's intended to allow a scanner to be used over the network in lieu of any manufacturer or 3rd party software. It's the manufacturers that are not taking advantage of it in their scanning software.

Just curious. Is there a reason you can't connect the unit directly to the network?
 
marzer said:
Just curious. Is there a reason you can't connect the unit directly to the network?
Click to expand...

Simply because there isn't a free additional network connection available in room where it's located next to one of the Macs.
It's a minor inconvenience since I now have to scan on the Mac which has it connected via USB, then transfer the scanned file via the network to the other Mac. No biggie, but I don't quite understand why Epson won't bother supporting networking this way when OSX does it.

I was referring to the Epson software when I mentioned it being crippled.
 
A hub isn't the issue, but routing an additional cable from my router to the room where the computers/printer are located.
As I said no biggie, but a minor frustration and inconvenience that Epson have chosen to ignore using this OSX feature.
 
macstatic said:
Simply because there isn't a free additional network connection available in room where it's located next to one of the Macs.
It's a minor inconvenience since I now have to scan on the Mac which has it connected via USB, then transfer the scanned file via the network to the other Mac. No biggie, but I don't quite understand why Epson won't bother supporting networking this way when OSX does it.

I was referring to the Epson software when I mentioned it being crippled.
Click to expand...

Another option is to go to the receiving computer and use Image Capture or Preview to capture the scan via scanner sharing directly to the computer. Or connect the Epson via wireless.
 
macstatic said:
Simply because there isn't a free additional network connection available in room where it's located next to one of the Macs.
It's a minor inconvenience since I now have to scan on the Mac which has it connected via USB, then transfer the scanned file via the network to the other Mac. No biggie, but I don't quite understand why Epson won't bother supporting networking this way when OSX does it.

I was referring to the Epson software when I mentioned it being crippled.
Click to expand...

I use a sheet scanner (Fujitsu ScanSnap S100M) for over 99% of my scanning. However, occasionally I want to scan something on the flatbed scanner... which is connected to my wife's iMac.

What I did was to automatically store scanned images into her dropbox account "shared scanner" folder... which is permanently shared with my dropbox account. Hence... if I want something, I just scan it and it immediately goes into her dropbox account on her computer, and it automatically put into both of our computers via dropbox.

/Jim
 
What are you scanning that you need the Epson software?

I have an HP multifuntion connected to my Airport wireless network, and using it with the Mac OS scanning software works fine. However, I also have an Epson flatbed scanner for scanning negatives, and for that purpose, yes I could understand needing to use the Epson software.

If you are only scanning text documents, just use the Mac scanning software. I find it very convenient.
 
macstatic said:
A hub isn't the issue, but routing an additional cable from my router to the room where the computers/printer are located.
As I said no biggie, but a minor frustration and inconvenience that Epson have chosen to ignore using this OSX feature.
Click to expand...

Do you not have Wi-Fi? From what I read, that printer/scanner has Wi-Fi connectivity, so I'm sure it would be able to connect to your network.

If you do not have Wi-Fi, I'll assume you're connecting your computers via Ethernet, in which case you can take a switch and connect it to the Ethernet cable from one of your Macs and connect that Mac and the printer to the switch.
 
You're right! I should have thought of that myself as my Mac Pro has a "pass through" Ethernet output so I wouldn't even need to buy a switch in order to get an additional Ethernet connector.
Thanks for the reminder :)
 
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