Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Silex SX-2000WG Pros & Cons, October 12, 2009
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 literature 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.
* 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: I was not ready to spend the $300 plus dollars to buy my dream wireless AIO printer. For my purposes, it works. The benefits of being able to print from any computer and scan to any computer is a greater advantage to my family than the inconveniences mentioned here. I would be willing to buy it again and I look forward to expanding my use of it with other devices like a USB TeraBook.
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 MAC: 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. [...]They do work (via Rosetta) but I hope they provide software for OS 10.6 soon. 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. Most of what I wrote is NOT provided by the product literature.
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 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. The installation printer (or other device) software will require a direct wired USB connection during the installation. 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.
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.
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