Olga Weis
Last updated Dec 17, 2020
Sharing USB peripherals with multiple computers simultaneously can be difficult. You often need to physically swap cables when connecting a printer, external hard drive, or scanner to different machines. This method of sharing devices is inconvenient and may be impossible with large and stationary equipment.
One solution to this dilemma is a USB port splitter. A USB device splitter can be implemented with hardware or software. The hardware solution will work if the device is located near the computers that need to access it, though there will be additional cabling that can be a problem. And a hardware splitter will not be sufficient to share devices that are in a remote office or building.
A software USB data splitter is a more flexible option that enables you to share devices among computers located anywhere as long as they are on the same network.
What is going to help you is FlexiHub. The app is powered by an absolutely unique technology that allows virtualizing USB ports for their further splitting over the Internet. You simply connect a USB peripheral to your local PC and the device appears on as many remote computers as you need. All you need to do is install the program on all machines that need to communicate with the device.
FlexiHub creates virtual copies of actual USB devices and redirects them over TCP/IP channel. The nice and important thing about the app is that it cares about the security of your connections. FlexiHub deploys advanced traffic encryption that reliably protects all data transported over the network to a remote side.
USB Network Gate is a software solution developed by Electronic Team, Inc. that allows USB ports and connected devices to be shared over a network. The application makes use of port virtualization technology to create virtual copies of USB interfaces and redirect data transmission to remote computers.
USB Network Gate enables any type of USB peripheral to be shared, from standard printers to complex scientific equipment. All that’s required is to install the software on each computer that needs to access the device.
It is easy to configure and use the software to split a USB port so it can be used by multiple computers. Just use the following simple procedure.
That’s it! You now have access to a remote USB device as if it were physically attached to your machine.
A USB splitter is a hardware device that helps to divide one USB port into two (or more) lines and is usually used to plug one peripheral into several computers. Similarly to a telephone wire splitter, this device runs separate connection lines to USB ports on each machine.
Although many people prefer the wired method, there’s also a software way to split USB ports among multiple computers. In this article, we’ll tell you how to make one USB device available for access to multiple PCs without any USB splitter cables or wires.
A USB hub splitter can be beneficial in several ways including:
Several important factors need to be considered when choosing between a hardware and software method of splitting USB ports. In some cases, one solution may be more appropriate for your particular situation.
✅ The number of devices to be shared
The major limitation of a hardware splitter is its physical number of ports. You cannot exceed that number of simultaneously shared devices. Software USB splitters like USB Network Gate or FlexiHub remove this limitation and provide more flexibility regarding the number of devices being shared across the network.
✅ Distance limitations
Hardware USB splitters are constrained by the length of cables and are only useful when the USB devices are located near the computers that need to access them. Software solutions send data transmission over a network like the Internet or a LAN and eliminate any concerns over where the USB devices are located.
✅ Ease of use
A software solution like FlexiHub implements a USB device splitter with a few mouse clicks without the need for complex wiring or configuration.
✅ Price
Hardware USB splitters are usually less expensive than their software alternatives. Software solutions are more versatile and provide additional functionality that is worth the extra cost.
FlexiHub
