WIRELESS PRINT SERVER

Wireless print server

Wireless print servers offer the following advantages:

• Allows printers to be conveniently located anywhere within wireless network range, not tied to the location of computers
• Does not require a computer be always turned on in order to print
• Does not require a computer to manage all print jobs, that can bog down its performance
• Allows administrators to change computer names and other settings without having to re-configure the network printing settings.

A wireless print server must be connected to printers by a network cable, normally USB 1.1 or USB 2.0. The print server itself can connect to a wireless router over Wi-Fi, or it can be joined using an Ethernet cable.

Most print server products include setup software on a CD-ROM that must be installed on one computer to complete the initial configuration of the device. As with network adapters, wireless print servers must be configured with the correct network name (SSID) and encryption settings. Additionally, a wireless print server requires client software be installed on each computer needing to use a printer.

The Linksys WPS54G (compare prices) 802.11g USB wireless print server is shown. Print servers are very compact devices that include a built-in wireless antenna and LED lights to indicate status.

Wireless networks are quickly growing in popularity these days. It's hardly surprising, considering the kit required is so cheap. With so many people now using wireless setups, both at home and in the office, manufacturers are finally addressing some of the technology's niggling limitations.

One problem has been printing. Many households and small offices have more than one computer, but only one printer. Having to transfer all your print jobs to the central computer with the printer tethered to it can be a real drag - especially when you've been happily working in the garden on a laptop. If this is a familiar problem, Belkin's Wireless Print Server is for you. What it lacks in the originality of its name it more than makes up for in features.

The device is roughly the size of your hand. Lights on the front let you see its status at a glance. At the back there are two USB ports and an Ethernet port.

You set the device up by plugging it into your PC, configuring it and then unplugging it and establishing a direct wireless connection between the print server and your PC. If you connect the print server in this way and share your Internet connection using wireless, you'll only be able to communicate with either the Internet connection or the print server at any one time. This shouldn't be a problem, though. If, like most people, you use a wireless router to share your Internet connection, simply plug the print server into the router and your printer into the print server and run the software. That way, you can share the printer and Internet at once.

That's all most people will need to worry about, but there are a few extra options for advanced users. You can access all the print server's options through a Web browser simply by typing its IP address into Internet Explorer's address bar on one of the networked PCs. From there, you have access to security settings and can assign IP addresses manually. You can also choose to use a direct ad hoc (one-on-one) wireless connection, rather than sharing it with an entire network.

The wireless print server is a great way of connecting your printer to a wireless network - something that has been irritatingly hard to do until now. We were impressed by its performance, too. Printing wasn't noticeably slower than it would have been using a cable, and the device was easy to set up and use.