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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. 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 a Bluetooth installation |
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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:
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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. Try to keep the desks within 15 feet of the printer for optimum performance. |
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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. |
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Tip: HP's Bluetooth-enabled ink jet printers, like the Deskjet 460wbt Mobile Printer (C8153A), 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 two wireless technologies, Wi-Fi (802.11) installations require the most planning. Because its range is greater than 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. Many printers come equipped with built-in Wi-Fi networking capabilities, such as the HP Deskjet 6980 Printer series. If you're not ready to invest in new printers for your company, look to external wireless print servers to make your current printers Wi-Fi ready.
Get the best of both wired and unwired worlds with the HP Jetdirect ew2400 802.11g Wireless Print Server, allowing you to share network-capable HP printers with Hi-Speed USB ports across wireless or wired networks. With support for 802.11b/g and Fast Ethernet networking, this may be the only print server you need. It's ultra-easy to set up and use. Install and configure the device in just a few mouse clicks with the HP Install Network Printer Wizard. You can also set up wireless networking via wireless or wired methods. The print server is Wi-Fi certified and offers secure data transmission with support for the WPA-Personal security standard. An embedded Web server provides simple printer management. And you can depend on seamless operation using this versatile HP device with HP peripherals-for true investment protection.
An external print server does increase a printer's footprint a bit, but the Jetdirect ew2400 has a low-profile shape so you can minimize the impact they have on the printer's overall size.
As you design your Wi-Fi printing infrastructure, you need to pay particular attention to coverage and accessibility. With its large range of 300 feet, 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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Implementing wireless printing | |
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