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As you plan for a wireless printing solution that will be used to its full capacity, the first thing you need to consider is space: the physical characteristics of the areas surrounding both the printer and the users that will want to access it. For example, if you place a Bluetooth-enabled printer on a stand too far away from a desk area, it may not provide services to all of the areas you need to reach. Similarly, if you set up an IrDA-based printer without a space next to it for a laptop or PDA, users will have to hold their devices while they print. Not only is this arrangement inconvenient, but it ties users to the printer -the very circumstance you are trying to avoid in the first place-.
The next issue you need to consider is range. Each technology has its own range limitations that will dictate the coverage area for each printing zone you set up. Planning your printing zones to accommodate the physical characteristics of your workspace may sound easy, and in some cases it will be. But planning for a zone that passes through walls or floors is somewhat trickier. |
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Planning an IrDA installation |
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While planning the installation for an infrared printing zone is very straightforward, there are some issues you'll need to consider before you set up your printing zones:
- Because IrDA has a very short communication range, you don't need to plan for a large work area with this technology. If you clear a space next to your LaserJet 4100mfp in the same area where you keep fax cover sheets and a recycling basket, mobile users can walk up, set their notebook or PDA down, and print. In this scenario they could print a document they need to sign and fax from the 4100mfp, then immediately fax it to the recipient. Mobile executives, consultants, trainers, lawyers, and other professionals can benefit regularly from this service.
- IrDA will support just one user at a time, so there's no real need for concern over the bandwidth used by someone printing using IrDA.
- Placement of the printer and the direction of its infrared receptor should be away from any direct heat sources and not facing an overly bright exterior window. The infrared energy in sunlight will interfere with the connectivity between the printer and the user's device.
- Make sure that there is sufficient unobstructed room to place a laptop or PDA device in front of the printer's IrDA port.
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Planning a Bluetooth installation |
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While IrDA installations require direct line-of-sight, installations for Bluetooth are not as demanding. Because Bluetooth is a radio frequency-based communication, it can penetrate walls and objects to a certain extent. Additionally, since it has a somewhat larger range, you can create a larger print zone.
While a larger print zone is a benefit, the placement of Bluetooth devices in relationship to the printer becomes an issue:
- User desks or work center locations need to be within the range of the Bluetooth-enabled printer. While you can place quite a few desks within a 30-foot radius, remember that the further out you go, the weaker the signal strength becomes. Practical limitations are more like 15 feet or so. This is still reasonable, but with most printers installed against the wall (where the outlets typically are) you ultimately end up with a printing radius that extends 15 feet from the wall.
- With its somewhat slower data rate, Bluetooth isn't the best option for heavy-duty printing needs. But it will serve consulting groups or offer a good alternative for special events where you need to support flexible printing.
Tip: HP's Bluetooth-enabled ink jet printers, like the Deskjet 995c, are a perfect fit in this scenario. They are speedy enough to support most small workgroup printing, and can move with consulting groups, trainers, trade show staff, and other mobile groups quickly and easily. |
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Planning a Wi-Fi installation |
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Of the three wireless technologies, Wi-Fi (802.11b) installations require the most planning. Because its range is greater than either IrDA or Bluetooth, Wi-Fi is the more practical choice for wireless LAN printing. You can use it to not only extend printing services to users in a small work center, but to serve telecommuters or other laptop users.
A key issue in a Wi-Fi installation is the kind of print server you will use to free your printers from their wires. HP offers a collection of internal print servers designed specifically to work with its extended line of printers. The Jetdirect 680n slips into the EIO slot of HP LaserJet, Deskjet, Designjet, or Business Inkjet printers. The 280m fits into the LIO (parallel) connectivity slot on the HP Color Inkjet printer cp1160 and HP Color Inkjet printer cp1700, as well as the printers in the HP LaserJet 1300 Series, HP Officejet D Series, and HP Officejet 7100 Series.
Because internal print servers are designed with a particular printer or series in mind, they fit neatly into the printer without adding to the printer's total footprint. They also don't need their own power supply. However, if you want to extend wireless networking to your non-HP printers so you can take advantage of the robust feature set you get with HP's Web Jetadmin printer management software, you can connect the HP Jetdirect 380x to any USB printer. This makes it as flexible as your HP printers that have internal wireless print servers.
An external print server does increase a printer's footprint a bit, but the 380x has a low-profile shape and a built-in clip so you can minimize the impact it has on the printer's overall size. Simply clip the print server onto the printer, and you can move both around the office with little effort -and of course, no wires-.
As you design your Wi-Fi printing infrastructure, you need to pay particular attention to coverage and accessibility. With its larger coverage, Wi-Fi lets you extend your network and printing environment into areas where wired access is impractical or cost-prohibitive. For instance, you could provide network access for the entire cafeteria or a very large meeting room with one access point. However, with this extra coverage, you may inadvertently provide access outside the bounds of your office space. While in some cases this is desirable, in many it is a security threat to your corporate network. The next section will cover this aspect of providing wireless printing zones and network access using wireless technologies. |
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Using wireless printing |
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Printable version
