I need a free USB over network solution to access a USB device from another computer, but the options I found are either paid or too limited. I’m trying to share a printer and a flash drive over my local network, and I need help finding a reliable free tool that actually works.
If you want a free USB over network tool for a printer and a flash drive, your best bet is to split the problem.
For the printer, use normal network printer sharing from Windows or CUPS on Linux. It works better than USB redirect tools. Less lag. Less pain.
For the flash drive, true free USB over Ethernet options are slim. Most are old, buggy, or capped. VirtualHere has a free tier, but it is limited. USB/IP is free and solid if you don’t mind setup work, mostly better for techy users. On Linux, USB/IP is built in on many distros. On Windows, setup gets annoyng fast.
If you want somthing simple and stable, USB Network Gate is one of the better options. Not free, but it tends to work with fewer issues across Windows and Linux.
Search phrase to use:
best free USB over network software for printer and flash drive sharing
Also, this video gives a decent overview of USB sharing options:
watch this USB over network setup guide
Short version.
Printer, use printer sharing.
Flash drive, use SMB folder sharing if files are the goal.
Full USB passthrough, look at USB/IP first, then USB Network Gate if you want less hassle.
4 Likes
I’d actually push back on one part of what @mike34 said. For a flash drive, SMB sharing is usually the smarter answer, but if you need the remote PC to see the device almost like it’s physically plugged in, plain file sharing won’t always cut it. Some apps expect direct USB access and then things get wierd fast.
If you want a truly free USB over network setup, another angle is using your router or NAS if it has a USB port. A lot of routers can share USB storage and printers over the LAN with built in services. It’s not “USB passthrough” in the pure sense, but for basic home use it’s often easier than fighting old redirect software.
For the printer, I would honestly skip USB redirection entirely unless the printer has some weird proprietary utility. For the flash drive, check whether you actually need remote file access or full device-level access. That question matters more than people think.
If you do want a cleaner dedicated option, USB Network Gate keeps coming up because it supports actual USB over Ethernet without so much janky setup. Not free long term, yeah, but less hair-pulling. If you’re comparing options, this page about free USB over network software options for Windows and Linux is probly worth a look.
So, shortest version:
router/NAS USB sharing if available,
printer via native network sharing,
flash drive via SMB unless full USB device access is required.