USB A or B
 

Hi Guys,

I'm looking at this item on eBay:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...PcY_BIN_Stores

I need to connect 1 laptop and 1 desktop PC to a single printer.

I'm assuming that this will do the job but not sure what the difference between USB A and B are?

Am I right in thinking that the USB A is the big D shaped connector and that the B is the Flat (standard) connector? Is that right :confused:

Re: USB A or B
 

Why not just do a share printer on your network? i have all three PCs sharing my printer.

Re: USB A or B
 

Not for my machine.

The laptop is a work laptop which is on loan to someone, they need to use their own printer though and don't want to be constantly unplugging things.

Connecting the work's laptop to their machine as a network is not an option (unfortunately).

Re: USB A or B
 

not big D small D shape

Re: USB A or B
 

Ahh right, ok, thanks for that.

So it's the standard sort of size connection like you might find on an MP3 player or camera, that sort of thing?

Re: USB A or B
 

Short answer - no, its the other way round - USB A is the flat one and USB B is the "D" shaped one.

This should do the job, as it comes with usb A-B cables..

My assumption is that the switch has 4xUSB B connectors for systems to connect to, and one USB A for the printer - that means that all the cables are the same - USB A-B (or a standard USB printer Cable)

HTH

Zovat

Re: USB A or B
 

It does indeed :)

Thanks very much :tu:

Re: USB A or B
 

Sorry to correct Angua - but the USB cables are:

Flat : Type A
Big D: Type B
Little D: mini (as used in cameras etc)

see :http://www.ramelectronics.net/html/connecters.html for more info

Zovat

Re: USB A or B
 

Hmmm...

Now I'm really confused :dunce:

The details for that box say:

So.....

The PC lead goes like this:

PC (A) > Switch (B)

And the printer looks like this

Printer (B) > Switch (A) (which is the lead that comes with the printer anyway)

Does that look right?

Re: USB A or B
 

I meant same size as one is a similar size to the other not the D being bigger;

like D and I as opposed to D and I.

Re: USB A or B
 

you should have

computer 1 (A) to switch (B)
computer 2 (A) to switch (B)

printer (B) to switch (A)

then you can choose which pc will print, using the switch.

Re: USB A or B
 

Great, thanks very much :tu:

Re: USB A or B
 

no problem, I just hate you, because a similar thing for a parallel port printer, a few years ago, including cables, was well over £50 ;)

- I may even still have it - hmm, never got into ebay ....

Re: USB A or B
 

:rofl: :rofl: :angel:

Re: USB A or B
 

:bigcry: