Finders, Keepers
Caveats
Although USB/IP is pretty awesome, there are some disadvantages you may want to consider before deploying it for everyday use. For starters, as it is underused, many distributions have scatty support for the USB/IP tools usbip
and usbipd
. Many distros include old versions, and different versions have different parameters. Some versions don't work at all.
Secondly, you have to attach and detach devices as root, which makes it inconvenient and a bit dangerous. Also, while a device is attached, it is blocked for other clients, and you have to remember to detach it when you have finished using it.
If you have a large number of client machines, by using USB/IP, you will have to install drivers onto each and every one of them. If you want to share a printer, CUPS may be the way to go, as you only have to install and maintain drivers on the server. If your scanner plays well with SANE's network system, this would also be the best way of cutting back on installing, configuring, and maintaining drivers.
Make It Better
That said, you can make USB/IP much friendlier if, for example, you load modules at boot time both on the server and client and turn usbip
into a service on the server.
USB/IP also allows you to use a Raspberry Pi as a server for devices – even if the Pi doesn't understand them. You see, many vendors with proprietary drivers only provide drivers for Intel-based machines and do not supply any for the Pi, since it is an ARM-based computer. This is the case of the printer/scanner that kicked all of this off. With USB/IP, however, you can still use the Pi as a printer/scanner server because it doesn't actually have to load any drivers: The Pi just has to forward the whole USB connection to the client machine, where the driver is installed.
Is that cool or what?
Infos
- XSane: http://xsane.org/
« Previous 1 2
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Canonical Bumps LTS Support to 12 years
If you're worried that your Ubuntu LTS release won't be supported long enough to last, Canonical has a surprise for you in the form of 12 years of security coverage.
-
Fedora 40 Beta Released Soon
With the official release of Fedora 40 coming in April, it's almost time to download the beta and see what's new.
-
New Pentesting Distribution to Compete with Kali Linux
SnoopGod is now available for your testing needs
-
Juno Computers Launches Another Linux Laptop
If you're looking for a powerhouse laptop that runs Ubuntu, the Juno Computers Neptune 17 v6 should be on your radar.
-
ZorinOS 17.1 Released, Includes Improved Windows App Support
If you need or desire to run Windows applications on Linux, there's one distribution intent on making that easier for you and its new release further improves that feature.
-
Linux Market Share Surpasses 4% for the First Time
Look out Windows and macOS, Linux is on the rise and has even topped ChromeOS to become the fourth most widely used OS around the globe.
-
KDE’s Plasma 6 Officially Available
KDE’s Plasma 6.0 "Megarelease" has happened, and it's brimming with new features, polish, and performance.
-
Latest Version of Tails Unleashed
Tails 6.0 is based on Debian 12 and includes GNOME 43.
-
KDE Announces New Slimbook V with Plenty of Power and KDE’s Plasma 6
If you're a fan of KDE Plasma, you'll be thrilled to hear they've announced a new Slimbook with an AMD CPU and the latest version of KDE Plasma desktop.
-
Monthly Sponsorship Includes Early Access to elementary OS 8
If you want to get a glimpse of what's in the pipeline for elementary OS 8, just set up a monthly sponsorship to help fund its continued existence.