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Resolved Question

How do I make a wired printer interact wirelessly?

Aug 25, 2011 2:14PM PDT

I have a wired printer that is going into my son's dorm suite and will be shared by the 4 guys living there. It will be housed in the den area and all need to be able to print to it. All are connected wirelessly through the school's wifi. Will also need to be secured so that everyone in the dorm isn't using said printer. Can it be bluetoothed?

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timzgal has chosen the best answer to their question. View answer

Best Answer

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I've used bluetooth and the speed was abysmal.
Aug 25, 2011 2:17PM PDT

While you could look at wifi print servers, take my advice and supply an USB cable that they can plug in when required.

You will understand my suggestion if you try to setup a wifi printer server.
Bob

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What a simple solution!
Aug 25, 2011 2:47PM PDT

Unless they are in dire need of printing in the nude, having the cable available for which ever laptop is crying out for it should handle the problem. I'm trying to kill an ant with an elephant gun.

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Glad you liked that. I also own a 10 foot extension cable.
Aug 26, 2011 1:49AM PDT
http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=26686-DT&cat=CBL as an example.

Yes there are ways to do this wirelessly but having setup a few too many wifi print servers I don't advise those.

But I did ask the other moderators here for printer suggestions and a few offered up the Canon MX870. This thing is huge and heavy but the wifi print operations have been great. I tried to scan from the PC and had to go use it's scan to USB stick method instead. TOO BIG for college but if you must get wifi printing, I think it must be in the printer.
Bob
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I would choose an ethernet printer
Aug 26, 2011 2:07AM PDT

connected to the wireless router with all wireless laptops printing to the printer via the router.

Printer remains in one place, users just roam

P

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It's the school network.
Aug 26, 2011 5:11AM PDT

Oh the shenanigans...

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Not really,
Aug 26, 2011 6:43AM PDT

Just need to follow the instructions. It's actually getting easier than the wireless printing.

P