Printer choice - USB or Ethernet?

[johngee]

I'm just about to install my new Canon Pixma Pro-1 printer in Win7 Ultimate X64. I had previously run an HP B9180 with an Ethernet connection (XP) but there were one or two issues like, sometimes, the printer going offline for no obvious reason.

I want to access the Canon from two other PC's (both XP) and need to decide the best method of connection to my Win7 PC. Ethernet, or USB and share?

Any thoughts, pros and cons, welcome!

Kind regards,

John

 

[Parman]

If setup correctly. With as a Network printer it will always be accessible. As a USB printer the Computer is connected to will have to be on.

I personally would setup it as a network printer.

 

[whs]

With USB, you could try a USB hub like this one: Newegg.com - IOGEAR GUH285 4-Port USB Hub

 

[johngee]

Thanks for the thoughts folks. The Canon setup guide is not especially clear about when to connect the printer to the network. On one page it seems to show the connection being made before the software is installed, but later on shows a connection being made after the software is installed. Canon support not very helpful - I got the impression that the person I spoke to was not very familiar with the product and certainly not with the setup information supplied with the printer.

Any help here would be appreciated - all the tanks and head are installed and the printer is raring to go!

 

[chev65]

USB printers are the worst thing known to man though some printers need the initial set up to be from a USB connection then you can change to Ethernet or Wireless.

I didn't need to do this with my Cannon MX870, I just needed to plug in the Ethernet cable then install the software, I did need to use the little interface screen on the printer to set up the connection type.