In a 2 story home, I have a computer setup on the 1st floor and a Canon imageCLASS D480 multifunction printer on the 2nd floor. The Canon D480 is generally used for fax and copy. However, on occasion, I do need to print from it. Usually, I have to grab a laptop and the file I need to print, run upstairs and print the file. I'd like to use a wireless print server, but the out-of-box solutions usually have printer limitation. I've considered using a spare laptop, but the problem with that is the power consumption. Most laptops have 90W power supplies and this generally equates to about $10/month (as of 2013-01-08).
So here are the parameters:
- Low power consumption
- Support for a wide range of printers
- Wifi enabled
Solution
Build a low power Intel Atom based micro server:
http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/nas/nas-howto/31677-build-a-compact-low-power-atom-server
From my research, the power usage is somewhere between 20-30W.
If cost isn't an issue, a lower power Intel Atom based micro server is definitely the way to go. Install Windows on it you've got a print server, file server, media server/HTPC (some mini ITX boards have HDMI ports), etc.
Online stores where I've purchased embedded components are:
Build
As of 2013-01-10, I haven't gotten around to building the low power Intel Atom based micro server, but I'll follow the plan in the smallnetbuilder.com article. Stay tuned.
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