USB Server

franz · Sep 4, 2013, 10:55 AM

Hi,

I have my server runing on a PC-engine hardware, and I have some USB equipments that I would like to connect via Ethernet throw the server. Like smal USB server from the market.
Is their is some way to do this?
I'm using Windows systems for my PCs; I guess I would need to have a virtual USB Port installed on those.

Maybe I missed an existing post on this subject ?

Thanks!
Franz

doktornotor · Sep 4, 2013, 1:06 PM

Which "some USB equipment"?

stephenw10 · Sep 4, 2013, 1:54 PM

I have never seen that service outside Windows, certainly not for FreeBSD. Doesn't mean it's not out there though.
It's not something that would ever be included in pfSense by default, adding non-firewall related services is generally a bad idea. If it exists for FreeBSD then it may be possible to add it. I assume you have Windows clients?

Steve

Edit: This sort of thing? http://usbip.sourceforge.net/ No FreeBSD support there though.

franz · Sep 5, 2013, 11:33 AM

Some details:

I would like to plug a USB Laser Printer / scanner (the new one from the market are too low quality).
but maybe some other USB devices that are working as serial port emulator.

I know it exist on the market some router including printer server, or USB network servers. But I'd like to keep the number of network boxes as small as possible.
I did not look in detail how those USB server works, I think you need to install a virtual USB Client service on the Windows PC to get those virtual USB connections visible by the OS.

I m not expert in that domain :-(

Thanks!
Franz

doktornotor · Sep 5, 2013, 11:36 AM

Oh, uh… Yeah, there's no printer sharing support here by default. Have a look @ this thread: http://forum.pfsense.org/index.php?topic=44941.0

Though, definitely not something I'd recommend to do on firewall.

kejianshi · Sep 5, 2013, 12:34 PM

I always use a separate machine + samba to share all my drives, printers etc.

Its simple. I like simple.

jimp · Sep 5, 2013, 12:52 PM

A few more reasons to keep such things separate:

http://securityevaluators.com/content/case-studies/routers/soho_service_hacks.jsp

kejianshi · Sep 5, 2013, 12:58 PM

SMB Symlink vunerability looks fun… Are you 100% sure pfsense shouldn't have samba installed by default? ;D

stephenw10 · Sep 5, 2013, 1:23 PM

@kejianshi:

Its simple. I like simple.

@kejianshi's:

I hate "simple"

You're confusing me. :P

Steve

kejianshi · Sep 5, 2013, 1:40 PM

The picture there has little to do with me. (Well - Sometimes I'm like that too.)

Its more the way I picture most people who need help with a configuration.

My feeling is that most "wounds" here are self-inflicted either with unnecessary complexity or unrealistic expectations of the hardware/firmware.

Thus the man shooting himself in the foot…

For this guy, I would try to get my hands on an old, obsolete laptop (maybe with cracked screen and other cosmetic flaws that make it cheap) and make it his samba server. "Junk" makes very good and reliable servers...

stephenw10 · Sep 5, 2013, 1:50 PM

Yes, I agree.
If it's just the printer and USB/serial ports you're trying to use it will probably be much easier to serve those things directly rather than use some generic USB virtualiser. IMHO.

Steve