Electronic Team uses cookies to personalize your experience on our website. By continuing to use this site, you agree to our cookie policy. Click here to learn more.

Best USB over Ethernet software solutions

Editorial Team Editorial Team
Oct 25, 2023

USB over Ethernet software uses virtualization technology that allows network-connected devices to share USB devices without a physical connection. We are going to investigate some popular tools for implementing USB over Ethernet connectivity via a software solution so you can connect to USB devices from any location.

14-day Free Trial available
License price starts at $159.95
Available for
the best USB over Ethernet software

In essence, USB to IP hardware can come in handy for sharing USB devices between two computers. If you have more than two machines which require shared access to the same USB device, you should try to make this device accessible over the network with the help of a software USB over Ethernet tool.

Factors that are important to consider when choosing the right USB over Ethernet software solution include cross-platform functionality, cost, and limits on the number of devices that can share USB over Ethernet simultaneously using the tool.

USB Network Gate (aka USB to Ethernet Connector)

USB Network Gate by Electronic Team, Inc. is the best USB over Ethernet software solution that will reliably redirect the USB traffic from any device across a network. This app provides a convenient way to share printers, card readers, webcams, and any other USB device over any network including WiFi, Ethernet, LAN or the Internet.

Supported OS: Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android
Price: Starts at $159.95 for 10 USB devices

USB Network Gate has gained popularity with users around the globe due to its reliability, capabilities, and user-friendly interface. The software offers two exceptional features that will protect your data and reduce your network bandwidth usage. The tool also has the capacity to compress all data transmission to improve transfer speed and minimize the demands on your network. These elements of the application help make it the best USB over Ethernet software solution.
UNG logo

USB Network Gate

Share USB over Ethernet on Windows
4.9 Rank based on 372+ users, Reviews(372)
Try for Free 14-day trial, You can share only 1 local USB-device
 USB Network Gate

icon pros Pros.

  • Being cross-platform compatible, this program makes it possible to share USB peripherals between different platforms, for example, connect from Windows to Mac, from Mac to Linux, etc.;

  • Single License lets you share 10 devices

  • User-friendly interface;

  • Helps resolve the issues of accessing local USB devices from Citrix, VMware, VMware ESX, and Microsoft Hyper-V virtualization apps;

  • Lets you share USB over the Remote Desktop Protocol, making it simple to work with local USB devices in a remote session;

  • Compress traffic, which allows improving the data transfer speed and optimizes bandwidth usage;

  • Supports advanced 256-bit SSL encryption that guarantees the security of your communications when you share USB via Ethernet.

icon cons Cons.

  • A license is needed if you want to use the tool after the 14-day trial period.
ung

USB/IP - open-source USB over Ethernet software

USB/IP project is a free tool for sharing USB peripherals over Ethernet networks. Its mission is to convert USB I/O messages to IP packets for their further redirection to a required computer. What’s nice about the project is that you can use original USB device drivers and programs for remote USB peripherals.

Supported OS: Windows, Linux
Price: Free

USB/IP

icon pros Pros.

  • An absolutely free USB over Ethernet tool;
  • You can use original USB device drivers and programs for remote USB peripherals.

icon cons Cons.

  • USB/IP solution hasn't been updated for quite a long time;
  • It is more recommended for experienced users.

USB over Network

Another great tool for remote access to USB-based devices is USB over Network software by FabulaTech. It gives you a way to connect to a USB peripheral even if it’s located miles away from you. With this application, you get an effective USB server auto-discovery feature which allows you to find USB servers installed in your local network without specifying their remote IP address.

Supported OS: Windows, Linux
Price: Starts at $149.95

USB over Network software by Fabulatech

icon pros Pros.

  • All types of USB devices are supported by this tool;
  • The remote desktop protocol (RDP) is supported for sharing devices;
  • There is no limit to the number of USB devices that can be shared;
  • Network-connected USB servers can be identified without their remote IP address using an auto-discovery feature.

icon cons Cons.

  • The USB server cannot disable client sessions;
  • No support is provided for device isolation when using RDP;
  • Rebooting a Windows machine forces the shared USB ports to be reconfigured.

FlexiHub

USB over Ethernet also supplies the user with a method of accessing USB devices over Ethernet. It accomplishes this by creating virtual copies of physical USB ports on remote machines that desire access to the USB equipment. When a device is connected to the physical port, FlexiHub connects this real interface with its network-attached virtual copy. Now the remote machine with the virtual port can access the device as if it were physically connected.

Supported OS: Windows, Linux, macOS, and Android
Price: Starts at $14 for personal use and $12 per month for teams.

FlexiHub to share USB over Ethernet

icon pros Pros.

icon cons Cons.

  • A free version is with limited functionality.
fh_video

VirtualHere

VirtualHere is a handy app that eliminates the need to physically plug USB devices into your computer when you want to use them. With this solution, your valuable peripherals can be accessed remotely over a local network, the Internet or in the cloud.

Supported OS: Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android
Price: $49

icon pros Pros.

  • clean and friendly GUI and requires minimal effort to be installed;
  • a built-in VPN subscription service and a special version for network attached storages;
  • Supports sharing devices in RDP sessions;
  • An OEM license can be obtained that enables the virtualization technology to be built into commercial products;
  • Functionality can be automated using command line options;
  • Dropped connections are reconnected using the tool’s auto-connect feature.

icon cons Cons.

  • The auto-connect features does not support use in RDP sessions;
  • Data transfer volume cannot be tracked.

USB over Ethernet - KernelPro

Remotely accessing USB devices over any type of IP network is easy with USB over Ethernet. The tool accomplishes the usage of a network connected USB device on a remote machine without requiring you to install the device’s driver on the computer to which it is connected.

Supported OS: Windows
Price: Started at $54.99, 15 days trial period

Remotely access USB devices over

icon pros Pros.

  • Shared USB devices can be accessed using a free USB over Ethernet Client;
  • Remote USB devices provide the same functionality as peripherals with a direct physical connection;
  • No special knowledge is required to install and use the application.

icon cons Cons.

  • Only supports the Windows Operating system

USBDeviceShare

USBDeviceShare is another effective tool which enables the sharing of USB devices over Ethernet. The device can be used to interact with programs even though it is not physically connected to the computer. All varieties of USB are supported by USBDeviceShare. It can handle USB 1.x, 2.0 and 3.0 devices which provide variable speeds of data transmission.

Supported OS: Windows
Price: 15-day free trial. A single server license costs $99 with site licenses priced at $499.

USBDeviceShare

icon pros Pros.

  • The tool allows an unlimited number of devices to be shared;
  • Virtual environments are supported;
  • All types of USB devices are supported.

icon cons Cons.

  • The software only supports systems running Windows 8 or earlier versions of the OS;
  • No technical support is offered by the developer.
USB Network Gate
Redirect USB devices over network
14-day Free Trial available
License price starts at $159.95
Available for