How to share a scanner

[Eversurf]

I want to share the scanner connected to my server with my laptop. I'm looking for a "free" solution. Any ideas?

Have fun !!!

[markwolfe Veteran]

Not sure, but I think a scanner is a local device only.

I mean, what would a person in a different floor of an office building want to start a scanner on a remote PC? He woudl run up there, put the paper in there, and run back to his PC and initiate the scan (hoping no one else decided to put something different in there to scan), then run back to retrieve the paper, then back to his PC and he is done.

If the people sharing it are closer, get a USB scanner and switch the plug between PCs.

[markwolfe Veteran]

Not free, but they have a free trial, so you can see if this is what you need...

http://www.share-scanner.com/

[neufuse Veteran]

Not sure, but I think a scanner is a local device only.

I mean, what would a person in a different floor of an office building want to start a scanner on a remote PC? He woudl run up there, put the paper in there, and run back to his PC and initiate the scan (hoping no one else decided to put something different in there to scan), then run back to retrieve the paper, then back to his PC and he is done.

If the people sharing it are closer, get a USB scanner and switch the plug between PCs.

I duno ask xerox, cannon, keryocita mita they all make networked scanners, sure they double as xerox machines and fax machines also but they still have networked scanning

[Eversurf]

I have a simple HP PSC 950Xi device. Everything is at the same desk The server, my laptop and the scanner so there is no running around. The Scanner is USB, but pluging in and unpluging it gets old after a little while. I will take a peak at that software

Thanx

Yeah I have checked out that software before and their free trial is just from their office so you can't really make it work from your server to your workstation

I'm still open for suggestions

Thanx

[Schmoove]

Drop the scanned file in a shared folder? I have all my computers connected to 1 shared folder (sharing pool) where everyone can get their file or drop stuff.... very convenient.

[markwolfe Veteran]

Drop the scanned file in a shared folder? I have all my computers connected to 1 shared folder (sharing pool) where everyone can get their file or drop stuff.... very convenient.

*ding* *ding* *ding*

I think we have a winner! (Y)

(just add a script to clean out this 'drop-off' location every Sunday evening at midnight, and you are set!) ;)

[Joswin]

Hmmm....

But you would need to be near the scanner to use it (to put in the document/image) right? Soo umm what use would being able to access it remotley be? you would still have to walk over to the scanner near the server and put in the document... I mean you could just have a shared folder that the scanned document goes into if you wanted to share it with the laptop.... :huh: Am i missing something else? :happy:

[markwolfe Veteran]

I think that the concept would be like the copy machine in the corner for an office building. There would be a scanner connected to a PC (could be a low-end PC on the network). You scan, and get he image(s) you want, and save it on a network share. (make it a diskless network-boot PC, so no one accidentally saves to "C:" and wonders where their file is) :p

No more inconvenient than a copy machine, and avoids having to have 30 scanners attached to individual PCs and only one in-use at any particular time.

[phlox2]

I think RemoteScan (http://www.remote-scan.com) does exactly what you want.

The personal version only costs $34.99.

The file sharing idea will work but the images will not show up directly in the users applications.

Give RS a try. They'll refund your money if it doesn't work.