List of 6 best USB over IP software tools

Aug 8, 2022

Nowadays, many different devices (i.a. printers, scanners, webcams, etc.) hook up with computers via USB, typically using a USB cable. That's fine if both the PC and the peripheral are in the same room.

But what if you need to use the office printer while you are on a field trip or staying home? A better way to share USB over TCP/IP is to use dedicated software. This less expensive and more efficient solution will allow you to access USB devices over IP in the same way as if they were physically attached to your machine.

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FlexiHub - best USB over IP solution

Most efficient application for extending access to USB devices to IP is Flexihub. This software tool supports the sharing of serial ports, significantly expanding the number of supported devices. It features powerful device management tools in a user-friendly package suitable for all users, from experts to amateurs.

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Step-by-step tutorial to access USB over IP

FlexiHub is an easy-to-use tool to manage devices over a network of any type.

1

Register a FlexiHub account and choose the subscription by the link you will receive in e-mail.

2

After that sign in and start a free demo.

3

Now you can download and install the app on both machines you will use to share USB over IP.

4

Launch FlexiHub on both machines.

5

You will see all devices in the list. Find remote USB device you want to access over IP network and click Connect.

That’s it! Now you can manage your USB device over network without any limitations.

Video tutorial

Price: from $15 per month
Trial: 30 days demo period
Platforms: Windows, Linux, MacOS, Android, Raspberry

USB Network Gate

USB over IP (aka USB Network Gate) enables you to easily create a connection to USB ports over IP network. Using this application makes it easy to share USB devices over IP and access them from any location on the globe.

USB Network Gate Benefits:

Multiple computers can share devices and you can password protect your devices to limit access to authorized users.
This application allows you to use USB devices in virtual environments, over RDP, and in blade servers. VMware, VMware ESX, Citrix XenDesktop and Microsoft Hyper-V are all supported by USB Network Gate.
This application is truly a cross-platform solution as USB Network Gate fully supports the Windows, Linux, and Mac operating systems for sharing USB ports over IP.

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A quick guide to using USB Network Gate to share USB over IP network:

1

Download USB Network Gate, and install it on all computers that will be sharing the device.

2

The computer with the device attached is considered the server. On this machine, find the device in the list of devices that are available on your system and click “Share”

3

Find the device on your client computer and press the “Connect” button.

4

The device can now be accessed, controlled and monitored with its full functionality just as if it were physically attached to your machine.

Or watch USB sharing video guide!

Price: from $160
Trial: under request
Platforms: Windows, Linux, MacOS, Android, Raspberry

Differences between FlexiHub and USB Network Gate:

The connection of remote devices is possible even when there does not appear to be a direct connection between computers, such as when one is behind a firewall or NAT.
Your FlexiHub account can be used to manage connections.
The software requires subscription licenses whereas the previous solution was a one-time purchase.
An Internet connection is required to use this software tool.

Other USB over IP solutions

USB Over Network

This application enables accessing and sharing your USB devices over IP or a local network. USB Over Network supports the Windows and Linux operating systems. As with the other solutions we have discussed, it enables remote access and control of USB devices regardless of where they are located. A feature of this software tool is an advanced sharing rule manager. Using it lets you fine-tune the sharing process for individual devices and for groups of devices that you define with the same characteristics.

Price: from $150
Trial: 15 days
Platforms: Windows, Linux

USB Redirector (IncentivesPro)

USB Redirector is another application that enables you to share and access remote USB devices through the LAN, WLAN, or Internet. This USB over IP tool can act as either a USB server or a USB client. There is a separate offering that includes just the client functionality. A standard TCP/IP connection is used for communication. An additional feature of this app is the ability to blacklist specific computers so they cannot access the shared USB devices.

Price: from $75
Trial: 15 days, Windows only
Platforms: Windows, Linux

VirtualHere

VirtualHere can be used to allow multiple users to remotely share USB devices over IP, LAN or their cloud for easy access from any location. Easily installed, this solution runs on each client machine or service’s cloud instance. VirtualHere supports Windows, Mac OS, Linux, and Android systems, and there is a version available for network-attached storage devices. The free trial enables the sharing of 1 USB device over the network.

Price: $49
Trial: 10 days
Platforms: Windows, Linux, MacOS, Android

USB/IP Project

The USB/IP Project is an open-source solution that is attempting to develop a general system of sharing USB devices through the network.

Transmission between computers is done by encapsulating USB I/O requests into IP packets, allowing access to the full functionality of shared devices. No modification is required of the original USB device drivers and applications when used for remote devices. Some considerations to keep in mind if you are leaning toward the open-source solution are:

The software has not been updated recently so stability with modern systems and equipment cannot be guaranteed.
USB/IP does not offer the same level of functionality as the paid applications.
It was developed with the more experienced user in mind.

Price: free
Trial: n/a
Platforms: Windows, Linux

How to choose USB over IP software

USB over IP applications enable the creation of a system to share USB connected devices over the Internet, Wi-Fi, or essentially any network. It allows the user to control any USB device like a printer, webcam, or scanner from any remote location as if the device was directly connected to your computer.

A number of different USB over IP software applications exist, and it can be difficult to determine which one is right for your situation. There are basically three factors that you need to consider when making your decision:

the price of the application;
the operating systems that you need to support;
the number of USB devices that you need to be able to connect.

What to expect in the most popular applications:

All programs have a cost with the exception of the open-source application.
Most of the programs offer a free trial period.
The price of the tool increases based on the number of devices that require USB over IP network connectivity.

USB over IP software - comparison chart

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		FlexiHub	USB Network Gate	USB Redirector (IncentivesPro)	VirtualHere	USB/IP project	USB over Network (FabulaTech)
License type	License type	Various subscription plans	Single static license, Custom development options	Single static license	Single static license	Open Source	Single static licinse Various subscription plans
Subscription options	Subscription options	• Personal: 3 connections/5 nodes* • Team: min. 5 members • Business: custom	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	Monthly: 1 - 64 devices Site: min. 10 devices
Free demo limitations	Free demo limitations	5 shared devices 30 days	N/A	2 shared devices 15 days Windows only	1 shared device 10 days	N/A	1 shared device 15 days
Price from	Price from	USD 14/month/1 device	USD 159.95 per one device	USD 74.99/2 devices	USD 49	N/A	License: USD 149.95/1 device Subscription: USD 102.60/year/1 device
Multiple device log-in	Multiple device log-in	up to 5 nodes/account***	1, 2, 10, or an unlimited number of USB devices that can be shared simultaneously on a single computer.	N/A	N/A	Unlimited	For Site license only
Proxi-server	Proxi-server	Redirection Server • no need for external IP • multi-network communication • works through the Firewall	N/A	N/A	EasyFind for extra USD 10/month	N/A	N/A
Supported platforms	Supported platforms
Server-side:	Server-side:	✓ Windows ✓ Linux ✓ macOS ✓ Android	✓ Windows ✓ Linux ✓ macOS ✓ Android	✓ Windows ✓ Linux	✓ Windows ✓ Linux ✓ macOS ✓ Android	✓ Windows ✓ Linux	✓ Windows ✓ Linux
Client-side:	Client-side:	✓ Windows ✓ Linux ✓ macOS	✓ Windows ✓ Linux ✓ macOS	✓ Windows ✓ Linux	✓ Windows ✓ Linux ✓ macOS	✓ Windows ✓ Linux	✓ Windows ✓ Linux (upon request)
Firmware for microcontrollers	Firmware for microcontrollers	Raspberry (upon request)	Custom development under request	N/A	Raspberry routers NAS (QNAP, Synology, etc.)	N/A	N/A
Security	Security	Login tokens for safe account sharing Lock for device access control	N/A	Access control list	Scripts for access control	N/A	Server-side password Sharing Rules
Encryption	Encryption	2048-bit SSL	N/A	N/A	SSL	N/A	SSL
RDP support	RDP support	Yes	Yes	N/A	Yes	N/A	N/A
COM-port devices support	COM-port devices support	Windows only	No	No	No	No	No

* Connection number defines how many remote devices you can connect to over the network at the time.

** Node is a machine you can log into your account on.

*** You can have more for an extra fee.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is USB over IP?

USB over IP is a method of sharing USB devices with remote computers connected to an IP-based network such as the Internet, Ethernet, or LAN. Using this technology, remote users can obtain the same functionality as if they were directly connected to shared USB devices.

2. How to enable USB over IP?

Establishing USB over IP connectivity can be easily accomplished by downloading, installing, and configuring FlexiHub on the computer with the connection to the USB device and the remote machine that will share it.

The computer that is physically attached to the USB device is known as the server.
A client is the term used for the computer connecting to the device remotely.

Note: A requirement is that the server has an external IP address to facilitate sharing devices over the network. Other machines use the address to connect to the shared USB device.

3. What types of USB devices can be shared with USB over IP?

There are no limitations regarding the type of USB devices that can be shared over the network. FlexiHub offers a versatile and reliable software solution that enables cross-platform sharing of USB peripherals.