Wireless network printing 101

Imagine an office where employees can walk from an office to a conference room or even another building and still be able to quickly print without wires to any available printer. Or imagine how easy it would be to move 15 employees to another floor without contending with miles of network cabling and wires. 

For many small and medium-sized businesses, wireless networking is still confined to connecting PCs for Internet access. But as wireless print networks have become more affordable and easier to set up, they're now a cost-effective way to boost productivity and make your business more adaptive to change. Businesses with ever-changing IT needs but without a large, dedicated IT staff stand to benefit the most from a wireless print network. Beyond the basic benefits of reducing clutter and saving several hundred dollars per network jack, here are a few key reasons to go wireless:

• An easily reconfigurable workplace. The ability to move printers to users (rather than the other way around), means that offices can easily adapt to changing needs. Non-technical staff members can move a network printer easily when the workplace is reconfigured or a new employee is hired.
• Faster installations and lower support costs. As your business grows, you'll reduce the time and expense required to wire and configure devices.
• Easier printing for mobile employees. A wirelessly networked printer enables employees to print from their laptops and other devices without physically connecting to the network.

Wi-Fi basics

Wi-Fi (also known as 802.11b or its newer, faster version, 802.11g) has become the most common wireless standard for small businesses as more manufacturers continue to release higher-quality products at lower prices. With a transmission range of about 200 feet and a throughput rate of up to 54 Mbps, Wi-Fi provides ample throughput for a print network.

One basic choice to make is whether you need internal or external print servers, or a combination of both. Internal print servers are designed with a particular printer or series in mind, so they fit neatly into the printer without adding to the printer's total footprint.

But if you want to extend wireless networking to all of your printers, you can connect an external server such as the HP Jetdirect 380x to any USB printer, making it just as flexible as a printer with an internal wireless print server.

Security concerns

As you design your Wi-Fi printing infrastructure, you should pay particular attention to coverage and accessibility. Wi-Fi's coverage area makes it easy to configure your office, but it also brings extra security concerns.

HP wireless printing products incorporate industry-leading security measures such as Wi-Fi Protected Access, Secure Socket Layer, and 802.1x authentication to help you keep your information safe while printing on the network. HP's wireless print drivers, print servers, and printers are easy to set up, making it easier for you to focus on your business instead of worrying about printing problems.

© 2005 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.