coin box for printers

I bought the Canon MP560 a couple weeks ago. I am going to set up the printer wirelessly so that anyone in the dorm can print off of my printer. I know that I have to :

1) I need to buy a wireless router with extended G (I don't want to buy an N router because hardly anyone has a laptop with N on it) Here is the router I am thinking about BUFFALO WHR-HP-G54. (Should have excellent range in our dorm [Our dorm is the width of a full-size basket ball court in size, the router will be place on the second story approximately mid-court {our lounge}] and should be no problem for speed wise cause it is just a printer).

2.) I need to setup some sort of WEP/WPA security, if i need to access the printer myself for other than printing (check ink levels, etc).

3.) Get some sort of coin collector or somehow log their IP Address, how many prints they copied, and if they used black or color. If I could somehow log their IP Address and have Access cross-reference that IP Address to their name and have Publisher give me a report of names and what they owe.

or: Get a coin box like you see in librarys and connect it to the printer.

What are your guy's thoughts?

 

Dunno...sounds like too much trouble in my opinion.

Coin slots need special hardware and software. To get a regular printer onto it, you might end up needing a computer sitting there as well instead of just a access point. You need the hardware to accept the coins, and then have special software to allow prints. Then you run into the issue of seeing which prints in the queue you want to allow, who paid for what etc. Different prices for black + white or color etc.

All in all, if you're looking to make money off of this, give it up. If you're looking to be nice, then I dunno, honor system?

I have a printer in my room, but I hardly ever use it except for scanning (it's a all in one). The libraries and computer labs have much faster and better free (quota based) laser printers....

 

set up a ghetto linux box and a print server and have them log into it and record their info and collect

 

^agree with don't bother

your black ink (PGI-220) has yield 350 pages. Amazon has a tri-pack for $35, leading to around 3 cents a page. Not sure about this printer, but other inkjet printers use the color ink cartridge too even if you set it to print b&w... and printing max 9ppm will suck, lemme tell you

if you want to set up some "universe" printer for a dorm room, a laser is far better... look out for something like this... I got a refurb HL-2140 from staples for $30, 3rd party toner for $18 each(2800 pages), shared it in my suite(4 people), used about 4000 pages so far in a year... 23ppm is much nicer, and it costs me less than 1 cent a page for the toner... in the common area, so the toner smell can dissipate easily

also, look out for cheap(or "free" paper)... i usually go onto http://slickdeals.net and look out for deals... usually its a combination of rebates and coupons to get those deals...

 

I used to be an admin for a PR company. We used a keypad system for all the printers and copiers which were setup with employee IDs and client codes so that all printing and copying was logged and billed-back to the client. I can't remember the name of the company but I'm sure there are others out there that provide this type of equipment and services. Instead of coins though, you should look at some kind of card swiping system like newer laundromats use. The user just gets a card, adds money to it beforehand and keeps refilling the card as needed. No messy quarters.

 

Try this software.

Software for print quota and print control management. Your print accounting and monitoring solution - PaperCut