Question about "wireless" printers.

[Kabob]

My wife and I are looking at this printer and we've got a question. I hear a lot about "wireless" printing, is that referring to the ability to print over your network or the printer having built in WiFi? If I can print over my network with a CAT5 cable that's fine, if the only way to do it is with USB hooked up to my PC that won't work.

Can anyone shed some light on this?

 

[daddy-o]

Usually if it's a CAT5 printer it will say "network printer" or something of the sort. A wireless printer implies the printer can occupy a node on a router via wifi, and print that way.

 

[Beattie]

is that referring to the ability to print over your network or the printer having built in WiFi?

both?

It has built in wifi and can join your wireless network.

 

[Compman55]

Simply put, this printer CONNECTS to your wireless router at your house. You set it on a desk, connect power cord, then use the menu to setup the wireless. Once it is connected to your wireless, the printer's CD should scan your IP address and find it. If not you may need to set the IP to static and rememebr it. Then type it into the setup screens. Each wireless printer is different.

Keep in mind that some printers have less range than others, so just because you can use your laptop all the way on the other side of the house, does not mean the printer can.

 

[Leros]

My wireless printer required me to plug it in via USB to configure the wireless. After that I could connect to it and print via WiFi. Pretty nifty for just printing.

Different models handle scanning in better/worse ways since you need to tell the printer which computer to send the images too.

 

[Griffinhart]

I have the Brother HL-2170W laser printer. It just sits on my wireless network by itself and everything can print to it. You have to attach it via Cat5 for the intial config. Once you do that, you can use the printers web interface to configure the wireless security settings.

You can also use any non-Network printer as well and use a Print Server.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-009-_-Product
That is one example. I have used these in past to attach printers to the network. It's a relatively inexpensive way to get network printing to work on any printer without having to leave a PC on 24/7.

That said, I have been Extremely pleased with my Brother Laser and recommend them highly. But, I have also had great experiences with an iogear USB print server in past for my previous laser printer.

I've also had decent luck with Epson Workforce networked printers. You can configure them from the Printer's display directly and attach to them using the setup disk from Epson. Scanning over the network worked surpisingly well for such an inexpensive printer.

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

Wireless printers usually mean you can place it by itself somewhere in your home and print to it (it has that functionality). Sometimes you would have to hook it up through Ethernet to your router. Of course it may have that USB connection to hook it up to your computer if necessary.

But mostly, wireless printers mean its wireless and can be placed by itself.