Show HN: Driverless print server for legacy printers, profit goes to open-source

This is a device, to which you connect your older USB printer, and use it from any PC or smartphone without installing drivers (AirPrint/Mopria), wirelessly. As easy as that!

  * Supports all OS: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android. No drivers needed. Windows-on-ARM and Apple M1/2/3/4 also supported.
  * Supports the majority of printers released before ≈2018
  * Profit from sold devices is shared between CUPS, SANE, AirSane open-source printing and scanning projects
  * Surplus and donations are accumulated to improve current open-source drivers and develop new ones

The printer driver is run inside the device. It comes with lots of open-source and official proprietary drivers. x86-only drivers are running under box86 emulation, with little visible performance impact, ensuring wide compatibility with many printers and MFPs.

All of this is bundled in a retail-like device, with simple web interface[1][2]. No tinkering and no DIY required, it's safe to plug off the power cord every time, and you can do factory reset.

The print server is secure by default: it conforms to most of the IoT Device Security Specification 1.0[3] best practices, has built-in firewall to ensure LAN-only operation, and does not include anti-consumer features.

All devices come with technical support, where I act as a middleman between all the involved projects and printer drivers. If there's a bug, I first try to debug the issue remotely, and if it's not possible, end up buying the same printer and debug it until the issue is resolved. All the fixes made during the development are contributed back to the origin projects, and there were many bugs fixed: almost every package has additional patches compared to original Debian 12 disto state.

[1]: https://printserver.ink/webface-main.png

[2]: https://printserver.ink/webface-other.png

[3]: https://csa-iot.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/23-80986-013-...

P.S. Brother printer lovers, the latest Brother L2800dw (2024) laser comes with the chipped cartridge, which you can't refill and reset forever anymore. The printer allows to continue printing with an "empty" cartridge with a special menu item, but it does so only to fixed amount of pages, and then stops. It doesn't allow to use cartridges without chips.