| Linksys WPS54G Wireless-G 802.11g Print Server |
 enlarge
|
Model: WPS54G
Brand: Linksys
Manufacturer: Linksys
Average Rating: 
(submit your review here)
Total Reviews: 138
Operating system: Windows
Form factor: External
Hardware platform: PC
Data link protocol: Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g
|
|
|
| |
| Features: |
Share a printer with everyone on your network -- works with most USB 1.1 or 2.0 printers
Connects your printer directly to the network by 10/100 wired Ethernet or 54 Mbps Wireless-G (802.11g)
Prevents congestion on your PC with other users' print jobs
No need to leave a PC on 24/7 |
| |
| Description: |
| The Linksys Wireless-G PrintServer lets you connect a USB printer directly to your network, eliminating the need to dedicate a PC to print sharing chores. Using a PrintServer frees up your ""print share PC"" so you don't have to leave it on all the time. It also removes the printing bottleneck, and sets your PC free to do more useful work. Connect the PrintServer directly to your network by 10/100 Ethernet cable, or wirelessly over 54Mbps Wireless-G (802.11g). The wireless option lets you put your printer wherever you want to, without having to run cables. Whichever way the PrintServer is attached to your network, both your wireless and wired PCs will have access to it, and the printer it's connected to. And if you don't use wireless for general networking in your office, you can still use the Wireless-G connection in ad-hoc mode to print from visiting Wireless-G and Wireless-B PCs. The USB port is compatible with USB 1.1 printers, as well as printers that support the new high-speed USB 2.0 specification for even faster throughput. Your data is protected by up to 128-bit WEP encryption, or pre-shared-key WPA. A user-friendly Setup Wizard makes installation easy, the compact case fits anywhere, and the three megabyte print buffer size handles even large graphics-intensive print jobs. Let the Linksys Wireless-G PrintServer for USB 2.0 bring efficiency to your printing tasks. |
| |
| User Reviews (138 total): |
Page 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 of Total 7 Pages
|
No support after it stopped working while under warranty, June 12, 2007
By Nikolai Rochnik (San Mateo, CA USA)
Initially installed and worked fine. After 2 months stopped connecting to wireless network, then stopped connecting even when hardwired. And my WPS54G unit seems to run very hot, almost too hot to hold in hands. Ok, things happen, it's still under warranty, so I'll just get it replaced, right? Wrong!
This was mentioned by other reviewers, when you call Linksys support they will quiz you on your router before they even get to the print server. But it's not just an inconvenience of answering irrelevant questions. My router, although Linksys, is out of warranty. It's been working flawlessly for 3.5 years with 8 other devices connected to it. This does not convince Linksys support though. It'd be $30 to proceed with troubleshooting the under warranty print server because the router is out of warranty. I can only guess what the poor souls with non-Linksys routers are told. At that point I gave up, it's easier and cheaper to get a new print server. Not a Linksys this time.
|
Works well once I figured it out!, June 2, 2007
By blktch4life (Moline, IL)
The print server is a nice addition to my home office. I always had to go back to my PC to print. I followed directions but it still didn't work. Then I realized all three ports on the print server should have something in them but the picture in the directions didn't show that. Once I figured that out, I had to deal with drivers, etc. Now, I am usually somewhere else in the house with my laptop when I want to print and it is extremely convenient.
|
Avoid this one., May 5, 2007
By Home Network Guru (Washington DC)
Linksys has award-winning customer service. I know this because their "on-hold" message told me so dozens of times the first 20 minutes I was on hold (and then had to hang up and leave for a meeting) and the next 30 minutes on hold when I called back and when, so I thought, I had adequate time for my question to be answered.
But, despite the award, and consistent with the on-hold times, Linksys customer service lacks the latter and, I suppose, eventually will lack the former.
But it's worse. Rarely does a particular product merit my time (or increase in blood pressure) to complain about it. But this one does.
Where this wireless print server, and Linksys in general, excel is in the simple, graphic installation descriptions. Just follow the pictures on the glossy fold-out instruction manual and, viola!, your super-complicated device works! Or so you hope.
Beyond the 90 minutes spent trying solo to make my purchase work, and after my total of 50 minutes waiting to talk to a customer service rep, I spent, amazingly, another 45 minutes with her ("Trish" -- likely not her real name), who fixated on trying to update the firmware on my existing Linksys router. Huh? This router successfully connects about a *dozen* devices, including high-end and new A/V, security, and control equipment and new PCs. Yet, her relentless focus was on ensuring that I had the most recent firmware in my pre-existing network and, amazingly (but in retrospect not surprisingly, and only after 30 minutes) she told me, she had no expertise with my new print server product.
So, here are the specific problems:
* A firmware upgrade *may* be needed for your existing (and working just fine) Linksys wireless router before this wireless print server will work (not that the box or glossy instruction manual warn you, of course).
* To upgrade your firmware requires a hardwire connection to your wireless router (nice) and your existing router's model and version numbers and passwords which the more organized of you may have at the ready, but the rest of us may not be able to find or be comfortable figuring out how to use.
* Even if you have the requisite ID numbers and passwords, you need time and expertise. How does an afternoon -- all six hours -- look? (FWIW, I'm an electrical engineer, so the English Lit majors among you *may* -- no offense -- have even a few more challenges.)
* Customer Service -- despite the counter-factual claim repeated on hold for 50 minutes -- is awful. Truly awful. (1) Why should you have to call CS on a new product? (2) Why should you be on hold 30-60 minutes before reaching a rep? (3) Why should your rep, despite being the person you are connected to after describing your problem in detail, be ignorant of your product? (4) Why should s/he focus on a possible "shortcoming" of your *existing* (and, in my case, elaborate and fully functional) system, instead of the new product you just purchased?
In sum, the product and supporting service are awful. I strongly recommend (1) hard-wiring your printer (a lame solution, I know), (2) using another wireless brand, or (3) finding another wireless solution (e.g., Bluetooth). Don't waste your money or time with Linksys print servers -- this is not a solution but, rather, a time sink.
|
Flawless Setup, April 28, 2007
By P. Hannum
Having earlier struggled with our initial wireless installation involving a wired desktop and two wireless-equipped laptops, I was a bit apprehensive about hooking up the print server. Nevertheless I wanted to free-up the laptop running our second printer. I must say that the installation went like clockwork and was over in about 30 minutes. I just ran the setup disk to configure the server, then ran the disk to configure the three computers. Worked the first time!
|
Beware..Not compatible with many HP printers, April 19, 2007
By NH gadget guy (NH, USA)
Before buying this product you absolutely have to go on the web site and try to find out if they support your printer. Their web site is absolutely atrocious. It is so slow and constantly refreshes so it is almost useless. They have a link on the back of the box to a list of compatible printers so go directly to it. I have an HP G85 OfficeJet multi-function printer and the setup did not work at all. The tech support was useless. They kept trying to ask me what brand of computers I had on the network and what my ISP was. None of this mattered except to the marketing department. It drove me nuts. After 5 phone calls I finally got hold of a technical support person that confirmed my printer was not compatible.
Separately, even if you have a compatible printer you should be aware of a serious bug in the software if you use 128 bit WEP security for your wireless network like we do. Unless your network uses key 1 (of 4) you cannot hook the print server into your wireless network. There are radio buttons to support the other keys but they do not work. Tech support acknowledged the issue.
All in all a horrible experience. It's a shame because their wireless routers are almost decent.
|
Got it to work with Vista, April 16, 2007
By S. Hambalek (Kailua HI)
With help from Sherrie at Linksys online chat customer service we got this to work with Windows Vista. It was the the same work around that I used to get it to work with XP. Its a bit messy. Utility does not work well but printing is fine.
|
Pretty good only 1 small drawback, April 10, 2007
By wired wireless
The print server is working great! The only drawback at all is that when you first install it you must hook it to the computer with a cable. When I think of wireless I think totally wireless. It was a pain but once I figured out that is how it had to be done things went very well. I would definitely recommend this product as a best buy for the price.
|
Difficult inital setup for First Time User of this product, April 7, 2007
By Wade Smart (Bartlesville, Oklahoma)
I purchased this for my mom and dad and set it up for them. As usual the linksys documentation was of little help. But luckly I got it setup and working within about two hours.
As a side note: this didnt work with their HP printer so I had to get them another one but I installed this on my home network. It took like 2 minutes to set up the second time. Overall this is a nice little piece of equipment. Its only the documentation that is a bit difficult.
|
You're Kidding, March 25, 2007
By L. Ray Meadows
I'm usually a big linksys supporter. This is an exception. This device is a joke. Not a very funny one. The first thing I was told when I called for support was it most likely wouldn't work with my printer (Canon MP950). I spent several hours trying to get a linksys router to see this thing with online support. Don't waste your time.
|
Print from anywhere, March 14, 2007
By R. Slack (Rockford, IL)
The Linksys WPS54g wireless print server has really stopped allot of headaches in our house. It's nice not having our computer on all the time just so any of the 5 computers can print to it. The print server setup was very easy, and its nice only having to buy supplies for one printer that you can place anywhere in your home and it doesn't have to be next to your computer. This works with all printers that use cat5 or USB connections
|
|
|
Warning Does not work with all printers, March 14, 2007
By J. Hellmann
After spending hours trying to get this to print, and searching their support site. I finally did a search on their forums for my printer. It turns out this server is incompatible with the HP Color Laserjet 3500 and 3600 series. I had everything else working fine, and managed to borrow a friends printer to prove it worked.
Before you buy this server go to their support forums [...] and do a search for your printer and see if there are any issues with it. There is no list of compatible printers anywhere because there are only a handful that won't work with it.
|
Didn't Work, March 12, 2007
By J. Odom
I followed the install instructions to the letter, but the install program started giving me an error that I couldn't get past. I downloaded the latest install from the Linksys web site and got past the point where I had been getting the error, but I couldn't get the print server to connect to my wireless network. When I had the print server connected to my network via an Ethernet cable, it detected the attached printer but couldn't even print a test page successfully. This product was a complete waste of time.
|
Junk. Didn't work with my multi-function, then died a little over a year later., March 11, 2007
By Joseph M Galloy
This was my first, and only, purchase of a Linksys product. I unhappily discovered that it would not work with my multifunction printer, then hooked it up to another printer, only to have it die just out of warranty. A completely worthless piece of Chinese made technology that is so bad the manufacturer doesn't even stand behind it.
|
Stiffing Vista Users, March 5, 2007
By Mr. Toad (Conifer, CO)
My print server is now useless, after upgrading to Vista, as Linksys evidently has no plans ever to support Vista with this product.
I've purchased many Linksys products in the past, but I will think twice about ever doing so again.
|
No support for vista, February 14, 2007
By Bob (Va)
Linksys offers no support for vista, nor do they plan to offer support in the future. Seems even they have given up on this product.
|
There aren't many other choices, so this will do (barely)..., February 12, 2007
By RJL (Texas)
This print server has a personality and life of its own. I have it hard wired to my main computer via a switch, and that works fine. But it drops connectivity with the remote computers for no apparent reason and at no predictable time interval. Power cycling the Print Server remedies the situtaion for a while, but I can be sure the connection will drop again soon. No computer is more than 30 ft from the Server, so there seems to be no excuse. The only good thing is that the kids' computers are the ones losing the connection, so I'm saving on ink $$!
|
Not Satisfied, January 6, 2007
By Salvatore Cifone
I was a bit disappointed with the print server. No where in the description did it state that it was incompatible with a multi function printer. Not in the box, instruction, nada. Only when I had issues in setup did I find this out. End result. It is sitting in a box, wasting my money.
|
Junk!, December 26, 2006
By West Winger (Bradenton, FL USA)
This device was the biggest pain in the neck, and after an hour of working away on it, it still does not work. I gave up and am going back to having a wired printer for the time being. Does not support WPA despite what Linksys says, and connectivity during setup would be laughable if not for the money I wasted on the product. This device is just one more reason why Linksys will never again be my first choice for networking hardware.
|
WPS54G Wireless-G 802.11g Print Server, December 22, 2006
By Facilityguy (Cheshire, CT)
I found this to be an excellent product. Setup tough? Not really. Remember there is a read-me file on the enclosed set-up disk with far more explicit directions than the quick set-up fold out that is enclosed.
So, if you're not a PC guru as I am not; open up the read-me file and follow along. You will be pleased with the results.
|
Works great IF you understand Windows network printer setup, December 16, 2006
By Daniel Fleming (Cambridge, New Zealand)
Some people have found this Linksys printer works fine, others think it's junk and that Linksys support is poor. I have a complete Linksys wireless home network linked to wireless broadband (the best option here in rural New Zealand) and it works extremeley well - including this little print server that handles the printing from a desktop PC and two laptops that print from anywhere in the relatively large house. So why do so many people report frustrations? The problem with the whole Linksys wireless range is that the instructions don't cover Windows network setup features that may be needed to complete an installation. If you've installed this print server using the Linksys CD and get a 'failed connection' message fron Windows, you probably need to do these additional Windows-specific steps.
Go to Start - Programs - Print Server Utility - Print Driver Setup. Ensure printer and Linksys print server box are connected and powered up.
The Printer Port Setup box should appear, showing the name of the Linksys print server device and the port number and name of your connected printer. It's useful to note these down accurately for a further step below.
Go to Start - Control Panel - Printers and Faxes - File menu
If your printer icon is there right-click the icon and delete the printer. Then force Windows to get it fully connected again by going to the Control Panel's File menu and selecting Add Printer.
On the Wizard, select 'A network printer', then 'Browse for a printer'. If the Linksys print server with connected printer aren't found, select 'Connect to this printer' instead. Enter for example \\LK90B8AF\EPSON Stylus Photo R900 where the first entry is the default print server name printed on the back of the Linksys device (unless you changed the name during its installation from the Linksys CD) and the second entry is your printer's name. (These are the details from the Printer Port Setup stage above. You don't include the port number from the Printer Port Setup stage.) You may then be asked to allow the driver to be installed, which Windows XP should be able to do automatically for any modern plug & play printer.
Your printer should then appear in the Printers and Faxes Control Panel with Windows' little 'pipe' icon attached, indicating its a network printer. Right-click the printer icon and under Properties - Advanced check 'Print directly to the printer' (instead of spooling), as not doing this often causes a connection failure.
I've found Linksys support to be excellent for product-specific issues but (not surprisingly really) they're not so good at carrying this through to Windows-specific tweaking that may be needed if a basic installation hasn't worked.
|
Page 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 of Total 7 Pages
|
|
| Copyright 2001-2007 WiFiReview.com |
|