Wireless hub for a USB flatbed scanner?

[DanielCoffey]

I understand that the current Airport Express does not support USB scanners so I am looking for buying advice on what I believe would be called a Wireless USB Server.

The equipment I have is as follows...

Cisco E3000 'n' wifi router in the main room
Mac Pro 2010 connected to the router over Ethernet
Brother 2270DW 'g' wifi laser printer in the spare room
Epson V600 flatbed USB scanner in the same room as the Mac Pro

I would like to move the scanner into the spare room next to the printer and take advantage of the convenience of a wifi hookup for it.

 

[RMo]

I have no experience with the setup you described, nor do I know if they actually exist.

However, I'll suggest one thing: have you looked a network scanner? (Or, more likely, a networked multifunction printer with a scanner?) This might be easier in the long run, and all you'd need to do is plug it into your network (e.g., router), possibly do some setup, and you'd be good to go.

 

[DanielCoffey]

Thanks for the reply but I am not looking to tether the flatbed scanner to the router.

Not only is the scanner brand new, due to space constraints I am trying to find a better place for the big black lump than on my desk and I have plenty of room next to the wifi printer in the spare room.

I think wireless USB servers exist and I am hoping folks will be able to discuss if one would be a suitable way of turning the USB scanner into a wifi scanner.

 

[drsox]

Look at Silex. See :http://www.silexamerica.com/
I have a Silex 2000 that connects an Epson scanner to a MBA or a Win7 PC. It's LAN based and works fine.
There are GB LAN versions and I think, WiFi versions (2000WG).

 

[DanielCoffey]

Spot on! Thank you.

I will contact Silex to make sure it is the right tool for what I need but it looks like the USB to WiFi (b/g) is the device I need. It has WPA2 security on it and is Mac/PC aware.

 

[drsox]

OK great.
Their stuff is on Amazon UK so easiest to buy from them. I had no luck with Silex support, but there is a German office I believe. I might upgrade to the GB version or I might also go for the WiFi version - see my other thread for the problem I'm trying to solve : https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1279840/

 

[DanielCoffey]

I got a reply from Silex EU within about an hour and they said the following when asked about compatability with an Epson Perfection V600 and OS X Lion. I also queried if they had plans for 802.11n support...

The SX-2000WG+ should be compatible with the Epson scanner. In the past Epson devices have never been a problem so I would also expect that your Epson scanner works fine. Anyway as long as we have not tested this I can not guarantee it.

The SX-DS-3000WAN is on the way, will be available beginning of 2012. It has 802.11n support with 300Mbit and 2,4 + 5 GHz frequency support. Like your Cisco router. The SX-2000WG+ is just older than the 802.11n standard.

If you want to locate the scanner close to your router you can also just take the SX-3000GB (Gigabit Ethernet) and connect it with a cable to your router, use the router as a bridge between wired and wireless devices and use the scanner over your wireless LAN from a notebook or your Mac if it has a wireless network adapter.

We have tested Mac OS 10.7 already here in Europe: http://www.silexeurope.com/en/home/news-und-press/support-news/support-news.html&page=1#supportnews1

And it worked fine. Anyway, we have a few customers who have some problems with Mac OS 10.7. Usually especially with printers that don't switch to online, but I want to mention that we are not yet officially supporting Mac OS 10.7. My colleagues are working on this but there is no fixed time frame when this will be updated yet.

I will be waiting till they bring out the new model but thanks for the tipoff drsox.

 

[drsox]

I got a reply from Silex EU within about an hour and they said the following when asked about compatability with an Epson Perfection V600 and OS X Lion. I also queried if they had plans for 802.11n support...



I will be waiting till they bring out the new model but thanks for the tipoff drsox.

Nice to see the likely availability of the n WiFi version - that's what I'll also wait for.