Linksys WPS54gu2 Wireless USB Print Server Review

Linksys Wireless-G 802.11g wireless usb and parallel print server

The Linksys WPS54GU2 Wireless USB Print Server
A great print server at a great price

The WPS54GU2 is the latest Wireless USB Print Server offering from Linksys and will be around for a long time. It has burst into the wireless print server market, priced at a little over $100 and is a two port Wireless-G and 10/100 Mbps Network USB Print Server aimed at both the home and office buyer.

A Very Flexible Print Server

The Linksys WPS54GU2 gives your printing network total flexibility. What sort of printer do you want to share across a network? That older Epson Inkjet Parallel Port Printer? The Linksys Wireless-G Print Server has a parallel port to connect it to. That brand new USB only photo printer you got the family for Xmas plugs into the USB 2.0 port on the WPS54GU2 and you can use both the parallel port and the usb printer port at the same time so you get two print servers for the price of one.

This Linksys Wireless Print Server Offers USB Parallel Wireless and Cable Connections

The Linksys WPS54GU2 is flexible with :
USB 1.1 / 2.0 Parallel + 10/100 Network Ports

Now how you gonna connect the Wireless-G Print Server to your network? Well you're spoilt for choice. You can connect the Print Server directly to your network by the 10/100 Mbps Ethernet network ports, or connect your print server wirelessly over Wireless-G (802.11g) which allows speeds up to 54Mbps, FIVE times faster than other wireless print servers reviewed on this site.

This Print Server is Wired AND Wireless

This Wireless USB Print Server is also compatible with the slower 802.11b wireless-b standard so older wireless devices can find, connect and print thru your print server with no problems. 802.11g is the wireless protocol of the future and the Linksys WPS54GU2 gives you that technology at a great price.

If you don't have a wireless network but lots of your customers, clients or friends have wireless enabled laptops or notebooks then the WPS54GU2 is for you. Linksys offer an ad-hoc mode where visiting Wireless-G and Wireless-B computers can print documents with a minimum of fuss. This feature is great for a small office that wants to make the first step towards becoming a wireless office. Drop in a Linksys WPS54GU2 and you can trial wireless printing for a few months and it will only cost you $100 and there is always a trusty 10/100 Network port if you need to fall back to a cabled print server.

Easy to Install and Configure

When we fired up the Linksys WPS54GU2 Wireless Print Server we were impressed right from the start. Installation was of the Linksys Bi-Admin print server management software was easy - the print server uses DHCP assignment for its IP address - You may want to change this. Servers of any type are usually given fixed or static IP addresses and print servers are no exception.

The installation and configuration of the print server was simple and the wireless print server options are well documented. The print server can be administered in a wide variety of ways - via Bi-Admin, Web Browser, Enterprise SNMP Management Tools, etc.

A Firmware Update for the print server is available from here

Macintosh And Linux users will be happy that the Appletalk protocol is supported and that internet linux users have the device up and running easily under various linux kernels.

The Fastest Wireless Print Server We've Reviewed

3 megabytes of printer buffer memory and the 802.11g wireless speed makes this the fastest wireless print server we've reviewed to date, in fact it was as fast as the slowest wired print servers! The range is excellent and exceed other 802.11b wireless print server devices we've tested.

A USB 1.1 and 2.0 Print Server

The Single USB 2.0 Port also supports older USB 1.1 Printers so most of your printers should be compatible with the WPS54GU2. If you buy a USB print Server make sure it supports USB 2.0 or you are getting short changed.

Linksys WPS54GU2 USB Wireless Print Server Review Conclusion :

The Linksys WPS54GU2 sets a new standard in wireless print servers and its price must have a few network managers raising their eyebrows. The WPS54GU2 supports 802.11b/ 802.11g / 10/100TX connections and is compatible with most modern printers.

This flexibility, performance and price mean that we won't be returning our review model - Its the best USB Wireless Print Server on the market at the moment and an ideal purchase for anyone who is unsure about the benefits and cost savings of a wireless printing network. Well done Linksys.