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The Graveyard - Products No Longer Supported => D-Link Storage => DNS-323 => Topic started by: arf1410 on March 24, 2010, 09:38:26 PM

Title: Print Server Allow 2 way Communication?
Post by: arf1410 on March 24, 2010, 09:38:26 PM

does the print server allow 2-way communication, so the printer can report status back to the PC?

Title: Re: Print Server Allow 2 way Communication?
Post by: fordem on March 25, 2010, 05:30:57 AM

No - it doesn't.

Title: Re: Print Server Allow 2 way Communication?
Post by: Buhric on March 25, 2010, 05:47:56 AM

Unless you use SharePort....
If you use SharePort, it will work like a normal USB that is "attached" to  1 computer

Title: Re: Print Server Allow 2 way Communication?
Post by: arf1410 on March 25, 2010, 07:54:20 AM

Quote from: Buhric on March 25, 2010, 05:47:56 AM

Unless you use SharePort....
If you use SharePort, it will work like a normal USB that is "attached" to  1 computer

Best I can tell, Shareport is some free software that can be used only with certain Dlink routers, but not with my Linksys router?

Title: Re: Print Server Allow 2 way Communication?
Post by: fordem on March 25, 2010, 10:20:16 AM

Shareport is a client/server application that allows you to share a USB port on specific D-Link products - including the DNS-323.

You'll need to download the Shareport serverside application and install it on the DNS-323, and download the Shareport clientside application and load it on your client system.

Title: Re: Print Server Allow 2 way Communication?
Post by: arf1410 on March 25, 2010, 10:35:37 AM

sounds great.  I would consider myself an "intermediate level" (at best)  sort of IT guy.  Is the process simple enough for me to figure out, and robust enough to function with a high reliability?  Why isn't this function "pre-installed"?  Are there some drawbacks to installing this feature?  On the surface it seems like all positives and no negatives? - Mainly want so the printer will communicate toner levels back to the PC.

Can I install this shareport on the DNS-323 and 2 PCs, so they would work with 2-way communications, but NOT on a laptop (work laptop, and no admin rights), and still allow the laptop to print with 1-way communications?

Title: Re: Print Server Allow 2 way Communication?
Post by: Buhric on March 25, 2010, 02:42:36 PM

You should be able to install SharePort client software on any number of computers,
but only 1 computer can be 'connected" to the shared  USB port at a given time.

As for the Laptop, I don't think it would be able to use the attached printer on the DNS-323 with SharePort server activated..

Title: Re: Print Server Allow 2 way Communication?
Post by: arf1410 on March 25, 2010, 02:48:19 PM

Quote from: Buhric on March 25, 2010, 02:42:36 PM

You should be able to install SharePort client software on any number of computers,
but only 1 computer can be 'connected" to the shared  USB port at a given time.

As for the Laptop, I don't think it would be able to use the attached printer on the DNS-323 with SharePort server activated..

Actually I really only need shareport features on one PC.

SO, can that one PC be connected via shareport, but others still print via 1-way communication, without having to re-configure things?

Title: Re: Print Server Allow 2 way Communication?
Post by: fordem on March 25, 2010, 03:04:05 PM

Although I have not personally tested it (which, in a nutshell, means that I can't help you if it doesn't work for you), D-Link claims that the shareport application will allow a printer to be shared as if it were attached to a print server.