Wireless print server

[BubbleTrouble]

I have a locally attached USB printer which is connected to my PC and then shared out to other PCs on my home network. This means PC needs to be powered on if I print from another PC

I';ve had the idea of setting up a raspberry pi as a wireless print server. So the Pi has wireless connection to my LAN and then is connected to the printer using USB.

Is this possible? has anyone done this? can anyone explain what i'd need to do?
i have no linux experience.

 

[azazel1024]

Probably cheaper and a lot easier just to get a low/mid-end router that has printer support. For example, my WDR3600 has a print server and the thing is ~$50 new or ~$30 used.

Or get a dedicated network print server box, they typically only run around $40-50.

The first option is especially attractive if you need/want a newer router.

 

[BubbleTrouble]

My router does have a built in print server but unfortunately due to the location of it, it is not feasible to have the printer in the same room.

I will look into a dedicated print server. Must be fairly low power usage and small.

 

[azazel1024]

Most are hockey puck sized and I'd assume they only sip power. If size is less of an issue, the WDR3600 uses ~3.6w with no devices connected. I assume that as just a print server connected by USB to the printer, that the power consumption would at most tick up slightly.

At a guess a dedicated print server would probably use less power.

 

[TonyH]

Hi,
Wireless printers are cheap. My printer is never powered off. Power consumption on stand-by mode is very small amount