USB device server in an Airport Extreme network?

Two issues I'm trying to resolve on our home (4 computer) wireless network. The two machines running OS X 10.4.11 print well (using Canon's driver) via the Airport Extreme but the the two running OS X 10.5.8 will not print at all using the latest Canon driver. I've been told this is definitely a driver issue and Canon says they don't offer any support for our network config, The newer machines will print using gutenprint 5.1.3 but REALLY slowly. The other issue is that to scan and save a document you must unplug the printer's USB cable from the Airport and connect it to the target computer - kind of a pain. The printer is Canon PIXMA MP500 all-in-one.

Soooo, will the Keyspan U2S-2A USB device server be the magic bullet in this environment? Anybody have any exp with this gizmo or any other USB device server on a Mac network? I'm a little reluctant to buy it since the reviews I've seen suggest that support is non-existent. Many thanks!!

i had similar problems getting all the functionality of hp 7410 all in one when ptr hooked to a usb hub off time capsule. apple said i had to do same thing - unplug and plug into imac. i tried soooo many different things just to get the network printer to work.

did you load the canon software (install cd) on each machine? sounds silly, but after getting the network printer to work and eventually (out of pure frustration) loaded the printer install cd, all the functionality worked.

for my xp pcs, it printed extremely slow to the network printer (used a generic hp driver on bonjour ptr wizard, but very basic functionality), i tried the ptr install cd, and instead of using network, i selected local and it prints much much faster - as if it was directly attached.

If u look here it says printing only which may be the problem. I had Canon MP760 which had scanning issue but since changing to a Brother MFC all has been working, printing and scanning and wireless to boot. LAN with iMac and MBP

canon software installed

Yes, all Canon software for the PIXMA MP500 is on the computer. It will NOT print via the Airport with this package. The only way it prints over the network is with gutenprint 5.1.3, but that is excrutiatingly slow. We'll probably replace the printer, but nobody (and I mean NOBODY) will commit to saying "this printer will print and scan over an Airport network". Really need to hear from folks with direct on-topic experience.