Best way to virtualize windows on Ubuntu with USB (printer) support?

[LeperousDust]

Short story, i've got a Canon Pixma iP1500 printer, and i've been sharing it on a server PC running ubuntu for a while, but its a bit hit and miss. Ubuntu didn't recognise it and i had to fiddle around to get it working. Which is does, but its slow and i don't have access to the drivers that well. If i was sharing it on a windows box with the correct drivers it would be much nicer solution. Which has led me to set up a VM, the usual trouble has ensued though!
I've tried VMWare server, and VirtualBox but neither seem to be able to see/shard the USB connection to the VM? I'm not sure what i'm missing? Any ideas/help/tutorials i should be looking at?

 

[.walls]

I'm not sure you can - most hypervisors (well, all the ones I have used) don't have support for USB connections.

I know, however, that Belkin and Linksys (+ some other manufacturers) make dongles which come in very handy in this instance - I think the Linksys one is called USB Anywhere.

 

[LeperousDust]

But as part of the specs of VMWare and VirtualBox they say they allow USB connections? And there are options but they show nothing connected?

 

[.walls]

heh... it is some time since I used vmware server / virtualbox, etc.

I know you still definitely don't get USB support in ESX!

 

[LeperousDust]

http://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Editions
Closed source has USB support apparently, i've seen it on my windows box, but not a peep from the install on my ubuntu box...

 

[LeperousDust]

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=690713
Huzzah!

 

[Dj_Jestar]

My Gentoo and VMWare lets me use USB dongles/external drives/scanners (barcode and flat bed)/printers with my WinXP VM all the time, without any gubbins..

 

[LeperousDust]

Hmmmm, no luck it seems, USB options just aren't there for me...?

 

[mattgaunt]

I have virtualbox running windows xp, i managed to set it up with my epson DX4850 through USB

 

[LeperousDust]

How?