How Wireless Technology Transformed Printing

Before the mid-2000s, printers contributed significantly to the web of cables behind your computer desk. These weren't just any cables; dealing with the thick, cumbersome serial or parallel cables felt like trying to tame a nest of boa constrictors. Thankfully, wireless printing helped end this chaotic era of tangled cables.

With wireless printing, you can send documents to your printer from across the room or even from the other side of the house. No cables are necessary, and in some cases, you don’t even need a laptop. Simply use your tablet or smartphone to send documents, all while brewing your coffee at the same time.

For those who print regularly, the shift to wireless technology is a game-changer. In the past, you were tethered to your printer all day long. Even with the rise of laptops, you still had to walk over to the printer and physically plug in a cable before starting a print job.

Today, there are multiple ways to print with fewer cables or even none at all, and you don't need a high-end printer or extra gear. For example, if your computer is always connected to the printer and you have a wireless router, you can easily share the printer across your network. Other devices on the same WiFi network can then install the printer drivers and print through the router. The catch? If you turn off the computer that's connected to the printer, your wireless printing setup won’t work.

Alternatively, if your router has a built-in USB port, you can directly connect your printer to it. This can often be the simplest and quickest way to make your printer wireless with minimal setup.

Routers can be expensive, so investing in one just to make your printer wireless may not be the most cost-effective option. In such cases, a standalone printer server could be a better choice. These affordable, compact devices connect directly to your printer and allow it to send and receive data wirelessly.

Of course, you could skip all the complexity and simply buy a wireless printer, which may come with built-in WiFi or Bluetooth.

The Cruelties of Cable-free

Cables act as the ties that connect your computer to a printer, but they aren't all bad. In fact, wired printers are typically very easy to set up. Simply plug them in, follow a few on-screen instructions, and you'll be printing in no time. Wireless printers, however, often seem to invite frustration and technical woes.

It's important to note that there are different types of wireless technology. Some printers use WiFi, while others rely on Bluetooth or infrared. However, the most commonly used option is WiFi, as it offers enough range to cover a typical home and enough speed to print large documents without slowing down the network.

Connecting a printer to a WiFi network should generally be a simple process. In many cases, you won’t need to adjust any extra settings to get your printer working. You’ll just connect it to your computer via a USB cable, follow the basic installation steps, then unplug the cable to enjoy the benefits of wireless printing.

However, there are times when this process can become far more complicated than it should be. Printer manufacturers often vary their installation methods just enough to cause frustration, even for those who are tech-savvy.

To begin with, when setting up a wireless printer, you’ll need to know the network name (also known as the service set identifier or SSID) and the password. Without these details, you’re in for a frustrating experience. It's also useful to be aware of the security protocol (such as WEP or WPA2) used by your network.

Two additional settings often cause headaches during WiFi printer setups: Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) and Media Access Control (MAC) addresses. Your network’s DHCP function automatically assigns an IP address (a unique numerical identifier for each device on the network) to your printer, and unless you’ve intentionally disabled this feature, it should be enabled by default.

Each device connected to your network also has its own MAC address. If you've previously adjusted your network’s security settings to only allow specific MAC addresses, you’ll need to add your printer's MAC address to the allowed list, or it won’t be able to connect.

The Mobile Benefits

If you have all the necessary details at hand, setting up a wireless printer is typically straightforward and reliable. It’s even easier if either the printer or the computer supports WiFi Direct. This technology allows WiFi-enabled devices to connect directly to each other, bypassing the need for an access point like a router.

If your printer supports WiFi Direct, you can activate this feature and then select the printer from the list of available wireless networks on your computer. You’ll be prompted to enter a PIN or password, but that’s usually the only obstacle before you can start printing wirelessly.

Near-field communication (NFC) is another wireless technology found in newer printers and Android devices. With NFC, you simply tap your device against the NFC spot on the printer to establish a connection and start printing. However, NFC functionality can vary from one printer to another, as it’s not yet a universal standard, which can lead to more frustration than convenience.

Wireless communication protocols vary, and things get even trickier when it comes to mobile devices. This is because newer smartphones and tablets offer a completely different printing experience.

These sleek devices pack enough processing power to let you create and view a wide range of printable documents and images, whether you’re at home or 30,000 feet in the air. However, printing those documents can be a challenge, as many mobile devices aren't designed to connect directly to printers.

Printing from a mobile device can be fairly simple. If your printer supports Bluetooth, you should be able to connect it directly to your device and start printing right away. However, Bluetooth does have its downsides, such as its limited range (typically confined to a single room) and the need to frequently check that your Bluetooth adapter is on.

There are other potential obstacles as well. For example, if you’re using an Android device, you’ll most likely need to install a print app to start a print job. Many manufacturers create their own apps specifically for their printers, which you’ll need to download and install before you can select and print your files. This approach can quickly become confusing, especially if you use multiple printers from different brands.

In addition to manufacturer-specific apps, there are third-party printing apps, like Mopria Print Service and PrinterShare Print Service, available for Android users. However, these apps vary in how they work, and user reviews range from excellent to poor, depending on the device you own. Cloud printing services like Google Cloud may also offer another option.

Wonders and Woes of Wireless

Some third-party printing apps work seamlessly, while others are frustrating to set up or print so slowly that they’re not worth the effort.

Although there’s no universal standard for printing from mobile devices, Apple’s AirPrint stands out as one of the more streamlined solutions. With AirPrint, you can print directly from any app you're using to over 1,000 compatible printer models. While you'll still need to go through a router, you won’t have to install a different app for each manufacturer.

Given the variety of options available for wireless printing, it's no surprise that these printers can sometimes be more challenging to set up than their wired counterparts. Depending on the issue you're facing, troubleshooting a wireless printer can easily lead to some frustration.

Once your printer is up and running, you may find yourself dealing with other concerns, such as speed and security. Typically, a WiFi printer won’t bog down a network. However, if you have many devices connected and regularly print large files, you might notice slower internet speeds.

In terms of security, printers are generally not a big concern. Since most printers don’t have substantial built-in memory, they aren’t usually targeted by viruses or malware. However, if your computer gets infected, a virus might cause it to print endless pages of nonsense, wasting paper.

While wireless printers aren't exactly new, they’re still far from a fully perfected technology. The rapid advancement of wireless and mobile technologies makes it a challenge for manufacturers and app developers to create a flawless wireless printing system. However, once you experience the freedom of printing from anywhere, you'll never want to go back to being tied down to a wired printer.