Wi-Fi and printers

[Keygrip]

Buddy called me on the phone yesterday.

He has a laptop computer - and a printer. Wants to put the printer in a dedicated place but move around with the laptop.

Was hoping to use wireless kit to get laptop to talk to printer with no direct cable connections.

Possible?? Easy or nightmare?

[Rupert S]

Easy, I do it myself. I have a wireless router with a paralle input. I just plug my printer into the router, assign in an ip address and use IP printing from my laptop.

[ORAC]

If he wants a small dediciated link for the printer, go for something like the D-Link DP-311P. You'll see they also have the DP-311U for USB printers. He can pick one up for about $130

For more flexibility get any wireless router with a built in print server.

[Rupert S]

In my experience, the D-Link routers have been pretty dodgey, there's a good router called the Asante Friendlynet series. It's relatively cheap and has good wireless range.

[FJJP]

I have a D-Link setup at home, 2 PCs and a laptop. Also an inkjet and laser set to share via one of the PCs. Once I got the D-Link setup sorted, it works absolutely fine. Connects every time, with no dropouts.

[Ausatco]

I have an ad-hoc wireless network using D-Link DWL-520+ in the PC and DWL-650+ in the lappy. The printer is USB, connected to the PC, and the lappy sees it and uses it 100% reliably.

Ad-hoc networks are cheap to set up - mine cost about Oz$200 all up, but not as flexible or secure as the more expensive wireless access-point/router way of doing things. Good enough for home use, IMO, though I am increasingly aware of the security short-comings of ad-hoc.

Knowing what I know now, if I were to start again I'd go the access-point/router way.

[amanoffewwords]

D-Link is ok, as long as you download and install the latest firmware for whatever device you are using - I have yet to find one that works straight out of the box without upgrading first.

amofw