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(More customer reviews)INTENT: I bought the Silex SX-2000WG USB Device Server for one reason but with the hope of all the reasons that it describes in the product description. I have the Kodak EasyShare AIO 5500 printer, scanner, fax, copier. I wanted to make it wirelessly available to other computers in the house. The Kodak website listed this device as a recommended accessory with a link to the Silex website. They have since removed this device from their list of accessories for the 5500.
CAVEATES:
* Product Description says it can connect up to 15 devices but it doesn't tell you that there is only one USB plug on the back of it. You have to use a USB hub for more than one device.
* Virtual Link software (required) does NOT run on Mac Snow Leopard at this time. It does run for a time but tends to cause the OS to crash. See "MAC SNOW LEOPARD" for more.
* Only one computer can connect at a time. See "HOW IT WORKS" for more.
* Some devices will require a wired connection for initial setup.
* SX-2000WG firmware updates only via Windows.
* No firmware update of devices can be performed wirelessly.
HOW IT WORKS: In layman's terms, it creates a USB over IP tunnel between the computer and the SX-2000WG. Virtually, it is as if the USB device is directly connected to your computer. A round blue icon appears in the Dock (Mac) or Tray (Windows) that allows you to connect to devices. If another device in the network has the connection, you have to send a request for a connection and the user of the other computer has to agree before their connection is released and your computer is connected. Ergo, device sharing is not like file or print sharing in a corporate network environment, where any computer on the network can access the resources. It does what it says. It provides a wireless connection to USB devices. Think of the USB over IP tunnel as a virtual USB wire through your wireless network, one computer at a time. IMPORTANT NOTE: If your device software requires sensing the device during installation, you will have to direct wired connect to the device during installation. More in SETUP.
CONCLUSION: For my purposes, it doesn't work. As I said above, it does not offer One-To-Many server services. Because the user of one computer ties up the printer, other computer users are not able to print until they request a link and the currently linked user releases the link.
SETUP THE SX-2000WG: The setup is fairly simple although not intuitive. Printed instructions include directions for Windows and Mac platforms. There is a utility on the included CD that has two different programs. One for setting up the Silex in your network and the other to enable your computer to connect to the printer. I used the setup program on my MacMini running OS 10.6.1. It allowed me to connect to the device both wirelessly and by Cat5. The printed instructions are only for wired setup, which is the easiest to follow but requires a wire. If you select the wireless setup, the software does explain the following. The wireless setup process required that I change the IP address of my Mac to match the IP address they included in the SX-2000WG. After connecting to the SX-2000WG, it listed the available wireless networks. I selected my network, provided my networks password and it joined it receiving a DHCP provided IP address from my DSL router. At that point I lost a connection to the SX-2000WG and changed the IP of my Mac to DHCP and rejoined the network. NOTE: There was another wireless setup that allowed all manual settings but it required knowing if your AP was WAP, WEP, etc., and levels of encryption, etc. I was easier to choose the automatic route.
SETUP THE WINDOWS: The software included on the CD was (like the Mac) older software. I have a Vista Home computer and I chose to download current software from the Silex website. The installation is much more intuitive on a Windows computer and completely up to date. The SX-2000WG client software will find the device server on the wireless network and ask you to select it. When the installation is complete, you will have to start it from the Start Programs menu. You can choose options that cause the software to run upon startup, appear in the Tray, automatically connect to devices, etc. IMPORTANT NOTE: If you haven't installed your printer (or other device) software, you will have to wire connect for the first time. The Kodak software also will attempt to sense and update the firmware of the printer while installing. Again, VERY IMPORTANT, you must have a wired USB connection during a firmware update. Yes I had to lug my printer to the PC to install the printer software. Once the printer software was installed, I was able to return the printer to the device server. Like the Mac, I had to open printer properties and find the printer again and select the virtual USB port. Pretty easy.
SETUP THE MAC: Not nearly as intuitive. The software included on the CD is intended for OS up to 10.4. I did try to install it but it bombed. I had to download drivers (for OS 10.5) from the Silex website. The Virtual Link software does work (via Rosetta). When you run the installer, it first asks if you want to install Rosetta. Click yes and it downloads from the Mac website and installs itself. Then you need to restart the SX-2000WG client software installer again. At this point I have moved my printer to the device server. This was because the printer software was already installed. The SX-2000WG client software will find the device server on the wireless network and ask you to select it. When the installation is complete, you may have to run the software from the Applications folder (I don't remember). You can choose options that cause the software to run upon startup, appear in the Dock, automatically connect to devices, etc. You can install the software while being logged in as a basic user because the Mac will ask for an administrator's login during installation, BUT to configure the options after installation will require being logged in as the administrator. Otherwise the options you select will not be saved. Your printer software can no longer see the printer because it doesn't see it on the wired port. You will have to go into System Preferences, select Print & Fax, and click the + icon to add the printer. After that everything works as advertised. IMPORTANT NOTE: If you haven't installed your printer (or other device) software, you will have to wire connect for the first time. The Kodak software also will attempt to sense and update the firmware of the printer while installing. Again, VERY IMPORTANT, you must have a wired USB connection during a firmware update.
MAC SNOW LEOPARD: Although the Virtual Link software does work when the Mac first boots up, it stops working (print jobs fail) when:
1) the Mac has been on for about an hour,
2) switching the USB connection between the other computers in the house.
Sometimes quitting the Virtual Link software and restarting it helps but not always. Sometime rebooting the Mac is necessary to get the software to work again. WORSE THAN THESE, my Mac occasionally will freeze up, the screen will turn gray from the top of the screen to the bottom, and a message in several languages will tell me that I must reboot the Mac by pressing and holding the power button. This only happened since I started using the Virtual Link software. I sent this information to Silex Tech Support and received the following reply.
"There are several known issues with Snow Leopard and our Virtual Link software, several of which are what you've listed. Unfortunately at this time it is not a supported operating system and our engineers are working hard to come up with software fixes to alleviate the problems you're encountering however at this time I can offer no support for your particular setup."
FIRMWARE: Do not attempt to update the firmware of any device via the device server. Make a wired USB connection to update firmware. Either the firmware will sense the connection is not direct and fail, or it will update the firmware and following the reboot of the device, it will not find the computer and the firmware update will bomb and revert (or worse, completely fail). I have experienced both.
Click Here to see more reviews about: SILEX TECHNOLOGY SX-2000WG Hi-Speed USB 802.11g Wireless Device Server
Package Contents: SX-2000WG, Setup Guide, AC adapter, Warranty booklet, CD-ROM with configuration utilities. The Silex SX-2000WG Hi-Speed USB 802.11g Wireless Device Server brings greater flexibility and productivity to your USB devices. It instantly converts your USB devices to a shared resource on your 802.11g or 802.11b wireless LAN. Enjoy the convenience and freedom of remotely using multifunction printers, scanners, storage devices, or various other USB devices. Visually manage all of your networked USB devices in one window. Remotely know what devices are available across your network on a real time basis. You can also set your individual USB device application software to be launched automatically. The Hi-Speed Wireless USB Device Server comes with a Intelligent utilitySX Virtual Link Ewhich allows you to visually manage all of your networked USB devices in one window. Remotely know what devices are available across your network on a real time basis. You can also set your individual USB device application software to be launched automatically when the device is connected to your PC using the Intelligent SX Virtual Link utility. Power supplyUniversal AC adapter (AC100 - 240V)Operating Systems -Windows 2000, Windows XPDimensions -1.4 x 4.5 x 5.4 (36 x 140 x 143 mm) Weight -5.6 oz (172g) minus antenna and stand
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