[plug] Off topic: looking for a cheap/simple network print server.

[Patrick Coleman]

On 2/14/07, W.Kenworthy <billk at iinet.net.au> wrote:
> Can anyone recommend a simple network print server device available in
> Perth.  Something that will connect a bubblejet or similar to cat5.
> Googling and local stores I have looked at only turn up devices well in
> excess of $100.
>
> Unfortunately, using an old linux box is not a solution (in a home with
> an older couple and I want to be able to set and forget - and run/walk
> away :)

FWIW a linux box is certainly very low maintenance - I went the linux
server route for a HP Deskjet and HP OfficeJet (both USB) about six
months ago and I haven't had to touch the box since. I did a base
install of debian stable (~300MB) and installed cups and the open
source hp drivers.

Printers can then be setup and configured via the standard cups web
interface (similar to how I imagine a hardware based print server
would work) and you're off. If you set the BIOS to restart after a
power failure even if the power goes off (as has happened a couple of
times here) it'll start up again and you can be printing within a
couple of minutes. A reasonably modern system should also support
ACPI, meaning they can just hit the power button and it'll shutdown
cleanly.

--Patrick