how would YOU share a USB printer on a domain

[Big Jim]

I am in the process of migrating our current server running 2008 R2
to a new server running hyper-v and virtualising the OS.

I am 95% done, the last thing is our label printer, its a USB printer that was directly connected to the old server and shared.
Our booking in "system" uses it to print a label that we stick on every machine so we know who it belongs to.

Previously I did it with GPO and just plugged the printer in to the server.

Should I try and get it working via the server somehow with pass through ?
Or go the far easier option and plug it in to our front desk machine and share it from there with a GPO ?

 

[Markverhyden]

I'm not that familiar with Hyper-V but in ESXi one can directly map a USB device to a particular VM. I'd guess Hyper-V would do the same. So, in theory, that should be the same as being plugged directly in to a physical server.

 

[Diggs]

I'm a fan of the old JetDirects on a network so I'd probably go with a generic equivalent for USB printers.
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_...=electronics&field-keywords=usb+network+print

Here's the actual HP version.
https://www.amazon.com/HP-Jetdirect-Connector-J6035A-ABA/dp/B00006BBDW

 

[Moltuae]

I'd say it depends on how you want to use the printer and, in particular, where you want to be able to access it from. I like to keep things server-centric and virtualised as much as possible. So my personal preference would probably be to get the printer on the network somehow, managed and controlled by the server. I've used AnywhereUSB devices a couple of times (on @YeOldeStonecat 's recommendations). AnywhereUSB devices have worked well in my applications but you'd need to check compatibility with your printer. USB over Ethernet devices are a great solution, especially if there are other USB devices you may need to connect later. If you're using Hyper-V 2016, I believe there's a way to pass USB devices to VMs now (though I haven't tried it myself), whereas in Hyper-V 2012 there's no (built-in) way to do this. I think I'd probably still prefer to use a USB over Ethernet device either way because of the greater flexibility it gives. I also don't like seeing USB devices permanently plugged into servers -- it seems unprofessional, and it's something else that needs to be reinstalled/reconfigured if the physical server dies.

There are also cheap 'USB over Ethernet Print Servers' available such as this, but again, you'd need to check compatibility with your printer.

 

[Big Jim]

I think I am over complicating something that doesn't need to be complicated.

I didn't have time to network it this weekend so I connected it directly to the machine that uses it, which then made me think why do I need to network it, no other machine uses it. I originally networked it as a backup in case our front desk machine was ever down for any reason.

 

[Sky-Knight]

If you're on a domain, a simple share can be published to the directory. Why mess with it? Just share it if you need it.

 

[nerd2u]

I would advise the customer to get a network printer. Hate sharing out USB printers.

Sent from my SM-G870W using Tapatalk

 

[Big Jim]

I would advise the customer to get a network printer. Hate sharing out USB printers.

Sent from my SM-G870W using Tapatalk

its my own network

 

[NETWizz]

I was going to say you share it the exact same way you do in a workgroup only the share permissions are authenticated against Active Directory instead.

 

[Diggs]

I would advise the customer to get a network printer. Hate sharing out USB printers.

Sent from my SM-G870W using Tapatalk

Please read. It's a label printer. Networked label printers are rare and expensive.

 

[nerd2u]

I missed the part about label printer. I wouldn't say rare but they are expensive.

Could always toss it on a $50 print server and share it out as an IP printer.

I remember my days of having to get high speed label printers working with the AS400 always fun.

Sent from my SM-G870W using Tapatalk

 

[fencepost]

Networked label printers are rare and expensive.

I think Dymos will work with most USB network devices, but there's also a Dymo-branded network adapter available for their label printers.

For anything other than labels, USB-only printers also tend to be cheap low-speed low-volume printers, and I'll tell customers "I can set that up for you and deal with the occasional headaches, but it's probably going to cost you more in the long run than just returning that and buying X that can be put directly on the network." (X is usually a low-end Brother laser)

 

[Sky-Knight]

Please read. It's a label printer. Networked label printers are rare and expensive.

Not really, but the last two I bought while network capable the interfaces would get on the LAN but not actually print anything. So I ended up putting it on USB anyway. Not to mention the HTTP interface on it was so out of date you had to use IE in compatibility mode to do anything with it... ugh... Ok it's expensive but no more so than any other label printer in this bracket. Bixolon SRP-E770II

I do not recommend USB to network adapters for label printers, I've had too many issues with bar codes on it being corrupted slightly and while they visibly appear normal, they cannot be scanned.

 

[fencepost]

Holy smokes, I had forgotten (if I ever knew) that Dymo wants $150 for their "LabelWriter Print Server". I think the only ones I've actually seen in use were provided directly by the lab companies that were also providing the labels, and to which the samples were being sent.