Looking for a computer gadget

[robkelk]

I know what I want, I just don't know what it's called, or whether anybody makes it...

What I want to do is put my new printer/scanner on the home network so that it's available to everything else on the LAN. Back in the day, one could buy an
adapter with a parallel port on one end and an Ethernet port on the other. This is a new, USB printer/scanner, so what I want is an adapter with a USP port on
one end and an Ethernet port on the other.

While I'm at it, it would be nice to put a USB hard drive on the LAN.

No, I don't have room for another, dedicated PC to handle this.

What am I looking for, does anybody make one, and where can I find one available?
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

[CattyNebulart]

Well they used to be made, I saw one a few years ago in... Best Buy or CompUSA or something. it's ussually hidden among the network gear, not the printer
stuff and it's somewhat rare. Esspecially since most printers seem to have an Ethernet port these days. No clue what it's called though.
E: "Did they... did they just endorse the combination of the JSDF and US Army by showing them as two lesbian lolicons moving in together and holding hands and talking about how 'intimate' they were?"
B: "Have you forgotten so soon? They're phasing out Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

[Star Ranger4]

I'd also look at the routers and see if they have a usb port in addition to the ethernet ones. Some did, or at least used too....
Hear that thunder rolling till it seems to split the sky?
That's every ship in Grayson's Navy taking up the cry-
NO QUARTER!!!
-- "No Quarter", by Echo's Children

[Rod.H]

I have two versions of the wanted gear currently setup on my home network they being: the 500Gb version of this HP mediavault MV2040 and a LINKSYS WPS54G Wireless-G Print Server. Both ain't bad devices, just the WPS54G's very temperamental during setup - basically RTFM and no skipping steps- and my MV2020 required monthly cold-booting & a telnet samba printspool inspection to keep the printer share functional.

However, as you seem to be hooking up a multifunction, you must skip those I have for wiser folk then I have tried and failed. They just ain't designed for it, but one of these is. Heck, you've more choices for a standalone printserver from newegg then I've come across down here.

Catty, while it's probably true that most printers you've seen come with an ethernet port. The typical home/SOHO marketed printer doesn't come with one built-in as standard, and the ones that do are rare.

--Rod.H

[jpub]

If your device is an HP, the HP Jetdirect series will allow you to do have *minimal* access to the Scan options - it does a 'scan to web page' option
that gives you minimal support.

Honestly, however, for the prices you're looking at - return your printer and buy a new one. THere's all sorts of networked all-in-ones these days, and
they're on average cheaper than a printer+server.