Can you easily convert a USB printer into a Bluetooth printer?

[ravenvii]

^

I'm thinking of ways to keep my printer wireless, while freeing up the USB port on my AirPort up for AirDisk. I know I can get a USB hub, but they seem expensive, and take up a power socket.

So I'm thinking, maybe it'll be nice to use my MBP's Bluetooth for something. Would it work?

And I need the printer to work in Windows as well, so it'll have to be cross-platform.

 

[Rapmastac1]

It will only work if the printer has USB built in...

Something I would like to see is a Bluetooth USB hub. You just plug the hub in anywhere in the room and plug up whatever you need, and then the Mac will have BT on and it will pick up whatever is plugged in.

I wouldn't suggest putting hard drives in that kind of situation becuase the lack of speed and reliability, FW is the best.

But just becuase a printer is USB doesn't mean it can be used bluetooth wise. If you don't know if it is bluetooth or not, chances are, it's not. It would be advertised right on the box.

 

[ravenvii]

Yeah, my printer is USB (obviously). I was thinking, maybe a USB Bluetooth dongle that plugs into the printer, and basically communicates with my computer via Bluetooth and "converts" it to USB for the printer, etc.

 

[Schroedinger]

How about a wireless USB adapter? They are out in the wild now, and by wild I mean the internet and stores.

 

[ravenvii]

How about a wireless USB adapter? They are out in the wild now, and by wild I mean the internet and stores.

By wireless, you mean BT or 802.11? My AirPort is already occupied with being connected to the AEBS, so a 803.11 adapter would not work. I think?

 

[EricNau]

By wireless, you mean BT or 802.11? My AirPort is already occupied with being connected to the AEBS, so a 803.11 adapter would not work. I think?

I'm not exactly sure what Schroedinger is talking about, but in the case of a 802.11 print server, the printer would just be another node on the network. In other words, your computer would remain connected with your Airport base station, with the Airport base station connected wirelessly to the printer as well (think of the base station as a bridge between your computer and the printer).

Unfortunately, they cost between $75 - $100.