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Does anyone know of a USB splitter that can transfer data to excel files on 2 PCs? I am looking to have badge scans using one scanner to record on different files on 2 PCs.

In short, I need to connect the scanner to 2 PCs.

The only splitters I’ve come across do not have dual data transfer capability - one split transfers data while the other acts as additional charge source.

Teodros IV
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3 Answers3

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I can't think of any USB devices that can talk to two computers at once. These are not analog devices with signals that can be "split".

However, you might be able to hook it up to one computer and then share it to a second one over the network connection between the two computers. Some scanners have network sharing capabilities but it has to occur through the PC that is physically connected to it.

AgentSmith
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USB is more than just signals on a wire that can be picked up by any device that happens to be listening, it is an entire stack of drivers, electronics, protocols and intelligent design. USB works on a host and client architecture, with a main device controlling and addressing specific devices connected to it.

Devices get configured and addressed based on where they are in the chain of devices connected to hubs and ports.

There are also many types of devices, from printers, serial port drivers, hard drives and even phones.

To "split" a single device the way you want may be theoretically feasible for the absolute simplest of devices that only ever transmit data and never get spoken to, but it would likely work only in one way. USB does not support multiple hosts (computers). You might (at best) be able to connect the data lines to two machines, but only one machine could, would, or should be able to talk to the USB device at all while you are hoping to get data back from both.

At best that means that one machine would understand what is going on "on the wires" because it is in control, while the other machine would be seeing a lot of host to client traffic it has no concept or understanding of or control over.

Power on the other hand is easy. Use a diode to block flow in a particular direction, to prevent damage to a computer, or use other protection devices. Done. No real intelligence needed.

What you want does not exist, it requires completely changing how USB works. USB is entirely point to point and can only ever have one "host" device on the chain of devices.

Mokubai
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There are a number of options:

  • An USB switch will allow you to use the scanner with the two computers, though not at the same time
  • You can use a network scanner, but then also 1 computer at a time.
  • You can share the scanner (in Windows), but the scanner will be locked when one computer is using it
  • You can use a Sane network scanner (if you're not using windows all the way), possibly with the sane/twain bridge or swingsane, but the same story about locking.
  • Have the scanning computer always store its scans on a shared location (SMB/NFS/..)

The last option will probably be the closest to what you need.

What you cannot do is use the scanner on both PCs at the same time.

Ljm Dullaart
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