TP-Link TL-WPS510U Wireless Print Server single USB2.0 Port

TP-Link TL-WPS510U Wireless Print Server single USB2.0 Port

I like this product very much. It is very small so takes up little space and connects to my wireless hub quickly (Within about 30 seconds from power up) As mentioned by other reviews you do not get feedback on ink levels from your printer but apart from this limitation the device seems to work perfectly. I used two in my house for my two different printers and there is now issue with them working in close proximity of each other (as you would expect). It is useful to have a little knowledge of IP networks then doing the initial setup of these devices but it is possible to complete setup by following the instructions provided which are reasonably clear. Overall I am very impressed with this product.

Contrary to previous reviews I'd say this is actually a pretty good product - the only potential issue may be that you need to know what to do regarding wireless networks.

Seeing the negative feedback and talking to people I was told/read that the main issue is that the Print Server starts off within a certain IP range - and that was the key issue with most consumers.
The current documentation (I got version 2 of the product) was revised to reflect that point.

In my case this proved no issue - using Vista - I am sure Win7 will be similar - one can directly connect to the Print Server over via in an Ad-Hoc network - using the setup CD it is possible to then change the settings according to your router's Wi-Fi setup - knowing the settings of your router is advantageous here. (Encryption type, authentication type, Network SSID and Password)

Having done that the print server is ready to use.

The one flaw this product has which I didn't expect and people should be aware off is that the print server does not allow two-way communication - this means you will not get ink level warnings and won't get any status notices either.

Apart from the lack of two way communication I'd say this is a product worth buying.

Currently I wonder as to whether this could be changed via a firmware update - it seems like a minor thing - it just requires the print server to be able to send data and not only receive it - but seeing as it communicates back during setup and can be administered via a website I cannot see that as being a problem.

For the eco-minded - it's supposed to consume 3,3V at 2A - i.e. 6,6W max. from the specs on the back of the device.

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Independent IT specialist
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WINDOWS 7 & VISTA 32Bit
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I have a number of clients that still use direct connect (USB) printers that wish to print wirelessly, without having to invest in a new printer.

A majority of these clients have a home/work based wireless network that would easily cater for a network printer, but not a USB printer. In an attempt
to find a solution, I trawled the internet and eventually stumbled on the TP-Link TL-WPS510U Print Server. On reading the description, it seemed the perfect piece
of equipment for the job, but unfortunately, poor instructions really let this unit down. Once I managed to get it up and running, it was actually a reasonably stable
piece of kit (for the price) and should really be given a chance, hence this review.

The unit is very small (6cm x 2cm) and is relatively well made given its price. The box includes a setup CD, Instuctions, USB extension (10cm long), Antenna, Power Supply and actual
Print Server Unit. The wireless range of the Print Server is very good if you have a clear line of sight, but becomes limited as soon as obstructions are brought into the equation.

Before installing, read the manual carefully, the setup process is not as straight forward as it should be.

** Plug the AC power supply into your adapter, you will see a red power light (this remains red), and a status light that eventually should turn green (it may flicker).
** Plug the Print Server adapter into the back of your printer via your USB port.

NOTE: Press the small button at the back of the unit (located by the power in) for 3 seconds, this will produce a 'Print Server Test Page', which contains reference information, which
comes in useful during the setup process.

NOTE: In order to reset the print server back to default factory settings; press and hold small button at the back, remove the power jack and replace it after 5 secs - release button.

Follow the manual carefully, ensure that you carry out the following steps:

- Disconnect any existing USB printers from your laptop or PC.
- Run setup application as Administrator
- Assign a static IP address to your wireless LAN adaptor on your PC/Laptop via your network adaptor settings.
- Reserve an IP address for your laptop/PC on your home/work network router that matches the one entered for your wireless LAN adaptor.
- Reserve an IP address for the Print Server (default 192.168.0.10) on your home/work network router.
- Ensure that your wireless network security is correct when setting up your Print Server. The Print Server can be configured to connect automatically to your home/work wireless
network using the 'Infrastructure' option in setup. This will not work if you enter incorrect security details.
- Ensure that you enter the correct IP address for the Print Server, this should match the IP address that you reserved on your home/work network router.
- Save Settings.
- The instructions state that you need to re-establish a connection to your Print Server because you have changed the IP address. Irrespective of this, you will need to connect to your wireless
home/work network to which you assigned the Print Server (infrastructure mode), in order to complete the setup process.
- Assign a printer to the Print Server and save settings.
- A quick test at this point to ensure the settings are correct. You can either try to ping your Print Server from the 'cmd' line (using assigned IP address) or type the IP address of your
Print Server into the address bar of Internet Explorer (user: admin password: 0000) - this will display the Print Server status page if setup correctly.

The last thing to do is test that you can actually print.

- Navigate to your assigned print server printer in control panel/devices and print a 'Test Page'.
- In the event that nothing is output to the printer, check the print queue. If your print job is hanging in the print queue, I can almost guarantee that the job has no assigned printer
Port (blank). Select the 'Printer' menu option and uncheck 'Use Printer Offline' option, spooling should then start.

I hope this helps.

IMAtechie Ltd