TP-LINK TL-PS110P Single Parallel Port Fast Ethernet Print Server

Having looked for a print server for an ancient, but reliable, LaserJet 5L printer I finally decided to go for the TP-Link. I'd read reviews of other devices saying that they only supported one printer at a time, kept dropping off the network, were complex to setup, so I was a little nervous. I also have a very mixed set of machines, 2 XP, 1 Win 7 and 1 Mac, which also ruled out a number of other models. However, it all turned out to be pretty easy with this piece of kit. You will need a Windows machine (and yes, it supports Windows 7, which was good news). I simply plugged it into the back of the printer, put my network cable in and ran the installation disc. It does say for you to have the IP address of your router handy (it's usually 192.168.x.x and if you don't know it go into the router setup page, or look at the manufacturers website) and it then suggests an IP address for the printer on the network. It sounds complex, but it's really straight-forward. If you already had the printer installed on the machine, it detects it and that is pretty much it. If not (and I didn't), you install it using the 'Add Printer' menu (it says to install it as a local printer and to use LPT1, which works fine).Setting up the Mac was even easier. The server has AppleTalk built into it, so just hitting the '+' button in 'Printer & Fax' menu brings it up as a printer to add, click on it, job done!The XP machines were a little more involved, having to add the printer manually. You won't see it under 'network printers', instead you have to configure a port and type in the printer's IP address. Again, it's in the instructions (if a little buried in the manual), but it's simple to do when you know how.Multiple machines can be on and all access the printer at the same time. There is a web interface where you can access reports such as what jobs were sent to the printer and when and set up detailed and complex parameters if that's your thing.Print servers can be a little temperamental if you loose your internet connection, or re-boot your modem or router. It survived both.All in all, simple, effective, cheaper than a lot of other models - what's not to like!

Wonderful!! Love it!! I was amazed by how affordable, or to put it blatantly but more appropriately, cheap in price, this device is for the job is does. We have a couple of HP Laser Colour Cp1025 printers and when asked the printers' distributor for an appropriate print server, they told me that to be on the safe side I should go for a one certified by HP & built by HP, but its price is €385, which in our situation was ridiculous cause we could just by another printer at price, and go for a wireless variant which would have done the task we needed it to do.But anyway, I can fully understand the distributors point of view in this regards cause taking for example this device (i.e.: TP-Link's TL-PS310U) has a limit number of printers that it is compatible with. Don't get me wrong with limited number cause the list is pretty extensive, but I would suggest that you check their compatibility list before ordering it, which I did before I bought it. Actually, to be honest, my particular printer wasn't specifically included in that list, but the a couple of models older where and took it for granted that since it is from the same series/family of printers, mine would work as well, and indeed they did!! Fabulously!!It's software/driver installation was just a breeze to install and very intuitive as it managed to do and set all necessary settings on the computer automatically. I was all prepared to start writing down all IP addresses and MAC addresses concerned with the installation so then I could do in the router's configuration settings and also this device setting's and configure everything as needed. BUT, to my astonishment I didn't have to do NOTHING! The software took care of everything. I must say here that the software supplied with the device (if I remember correctly it was version 0.4.4) was a tad buggy and gave us a serious problem with the hibernation process of the computer, but when I updated the utility/driver software from TP-Link's website, everything worked perfectly. I also managed to hook up an external hard-disk to it, but you need to buy a powered hub for that, cause the device only gives you a single USB port but it tells you that if you need to install 2 you can through a USB hub, and since this particular external-hard-disk drew power from the USB's power rail (and obviously this device couldn't supply it) I bought a powered USB-hub and it worked wonders. If I'm not mistaken I read that it can support up to 2 USB devices attached to it, but I have some doubts because after the upgrade process of it's driver software I realized that the same printer & ex-hard-disk where now assigned a different number. Initially (i.e.: with the provided installation Driver-CD), the printer and EHDD where assigned number 1 & 2 in the device configuration software and after the upgraded driver was installed, these were assigned number 3 & 4. I'm not sure if I'm misunderstand the coding of the software but I suspect it can support more than 2 USB devices attached to it, at least 4 maybe.WOW, I wrote too much here; well, it goes to show I guess how satisfied and glad we all were with this tiny device. I'm surely going to buy more of this same device for my other offices and computer rooms as it saves space and money!An excellent product!! 2 thumbs up!!

The product does the job required. However: the manual says it has a default address of 192.168.0.10. It fails to mention that by default DHCP is enabled. Secondly I installed the software supplied (Windows 7). Big mistake. There's a web interface that does what is needed without the software. From this point on other computers could print via this device, but not the one with the software loaded. The software hadn't configured the printer, and it seems to have taken over the printer for itself so I couldn't configure it. I tried to uninstall the software. There's no uninstaller supplied, but re-running the installer has a "remove" option. That failed. I ended up having to reboot into safe mode and using System Restore to undo the installation. Once that was done, I could print to it. An hour and a half wasted.More investigating shows that you have to manually connect to the printer using the supplied application, which then locks any other computer out until you manually disconnect. Rubbish.Fortunately there is another way. DO NOT install the software. In Windows connect by using Add a Printer, choose Local printer, TCPIP port, and add the TCPIP address. (You will need to fix the address, either manually or using a DHCP reservation). Then CHANGE the protocol from raw to lpd, and set the queue name to raw.This type of setup connects, prints and disconnects automatically. However while it's printing, attempts to print from other computers may get errors.The major downside of this method is that you only get access to a connected printer. For a multifunction the other parts (scanner, card slot etc) are not available.