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Recommend a bluetooth color laser printer please
- Thread starter GULCkid
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Capt Underpants
macrumors 68030
Capt Underpants said:
I guess not, because, to be honest with you, I don't really know what the benefits of one would be over the other, from the user's perspective. If you could fill me in on that, I would really appreciate it.
Other than that, I guess I just don't want to have to plug anything extra into my laptop, and want it to be as seamless as possible.
Thanks for your time 🙂
homerjward
macrumors 68030
well, bluetooth is a lot shorter range than 802.11, even 802.11b, and 802.11b offers about 11 times the bandwidth of bluetooth. not only that, but bluetooth is a lot more finicky than wifi and less likely to work with your mac. if you don't find a wireless laser printer you could always get an airport express because most laser printers are network ready and you could just plug the e-net into the apx. also some printers have pci slots but i'm not sure a pci wifi card would work in there.GULCkid said:
WiFi is probably a better bet -- it is a local area network device that can be used on a wired network if you have one. I have a LaserJet 1300n hooked up to the Ethernet LAN port on my AirPort Extreme, and can use it on my two wired computers as well as my iBook.
Of course, it's probably cheaper to hook an Ethernet printer up to your wireless access point, router, or to a bridge (including the AirPort Express, I think, as well as less expensive 802.11-Ethernet bridges). Or just get a printer with built-in WiFi. The HP Jetdirect 280m 802.11b print server runs for $199, and can hook into any HP printer with an LIO slot, but the ones with EIO require the $450 JetDirect 680n.
My advice? Hook an Ethernet printer up somehow, either directly to your access point if it has a LAN port or to a router if you have one. Else, get a bridge or AirPort Express to hook the ethernet printer up.
Of course, it's probably cheaper to hook an Ethernet printer up to your wireless access point, router, or to a bridge (including the AirPort Express, I think, as well as less expensive 802.11-Ethernet bridges). Or just get a printer with built-in WiFi. The HP Jetdirect 280m 802.11b print server runs for $199, and can hook into any HP printer with an LIO slot, but the ones with EIO require the $450 JetDirect 680n.
My advice? Hook an Ethernet printer up somehow, either directly to your access point if it has a LAN port or to a router if you have one. Else, get a bridge or AirPort Express to hook the ethernet printer up.
shane-o-mac
macrumors regular
To Chime in with what Jeff said:
Def go wireless it rocks. Do note that if you choose to use a stand alone wireless printer with out hooking it up via an ethernet port or through airport express usb connection (though I recomend an ethernet connection to your wireless router, which is only compatable to network printer that has an ehternet slot) which is totally possible since a lot of wirless printers have a built in wi fi card, you have to constantly toggle back between your wirless connection, and the wireless signal for you printer when you want to print a document.
If you hook up a wireless printer through you router, they run off the same signal so you can fluidly stay connected to wirless signal and printer. Personally I have an aiport express which rocks cause I can play itunes, unfortunatley I have to use a usb port for my printer, would prefer to use the ethernet port on my printer, this is not an option on Airport Express.
Good Luck.
Def go wireless it rocks. Do note that if you choose to use a stand alone wireless printer with out hooking it up via an ethernet port or through airport express usb connection (though I recomend an ethernet connection to your wireless router, which is only compatable to network printer that has an ehternet slot) which is totally possible since a lot of wirless printers have a built in wi fi card, you have to constantly toggle back between your wirless connection, and the wireless signal for you printer when you want to print a document.
If you hook up a wireless printer through you router, they run off the same signal so you can fluidly stay connected to wirless signal and printer. Personally I have an aiport express which rocks cause I can play itunes, unfortunatley I have to use a usb port for my printer, would prefer to use the ethernet port on my printer, this is not an option on Airport Express.
Good Luck.
Capt Underpants
macrumors 68030
shane-o-mac said:
That's not true. I have a HP deskjet 5850 wireless printer, and I don't have to switch networks to print. All you have to do is set the printer to infrastructure mode instead of ad-hoc.
I forgot to mention, I will be on campus and using the campus 802.11b wireless network, no router here 🙁
Also, I don't own airport extreme, so if I got a printer that needed that, I would have to spend more to get the AE?
With that in mind, what would you recommend as a good cheap color wireless laser printer?
Thanks
Also, I don't own airport extreme, so if I got a printer that needed that, I would have to spend more to get the AE?
With that in mind, what would you recommend as a good cheap color wireless laser printer?
Thanks