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Printing with Wireless Connectivity

Avatar Roy Rainford
I am considering a new printer, the Epson Stylus Photo PX720WD, which has wireless connectivity but.....".When used with other 802.11n products. Wi-Fi speed may vary depending on physical environment". (from the spec.).
Wondering what 802.11n means and what products have it? Also does anyone use this printer with Wi-Fi from an iMac and is this method satisfactory for best quality printing?

Re: Printing with Wireless Connectivity

Avatar Mick Burrell
the n refers to the speed of wireless transfer of data between the network (your router) and the printer. You're not likely to notice and anyway, the speed would go at that of the slowest link in the chain so even if your computer and printer could handle n but your router is g then your transfers would be at g speed. The method of connection (Wi-Fi or ethernet) will have no bearing on print quality.

Re: Printing with Wireless Connectivity

Avatar Roy Rainford
Many thanks Mick for the explanation.

Re: Printing with Wireless Connectivity

Avatar Gordon Clyne
I'm in the market for a new printer as well, and knowing that apple and HP have just teamed up on a technology called AirPrint, (which I will build into my next update of my app) I'm going to go with an HP device that supports it. I'm going for an all in one, so I can wirelessly scan, fax, print, with all the bells and whistles so thats the eStation printer for me, Now, anyone know where I can get one? I visited the HP site and under that printer the link to "find your nearest dealer" is busted, so anyone know where there is a reliable HP dealer???

http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2010/09/15airprint.html

From my point of view, HP have tied their high speed print hardware interface directly to the back of their wireless, and Apple have vetted it for airport compatibility, also bonjour and other wireless protocols/ports to support iPhone, iPad Touch, and anything else that needs to print in the apple family. There is also a secure print architecture under the covers, and other goodies we will see later in the year from apple, but the Hp air print stuff is already shipping, and will be compatible with all apple products going forwards as per the press release.

Re: Printing with Wireless Connectivity

Avatar Lionel Ogden
I have a HP all in one printer scanner etc which is linked to my network by ethernet. It works well and with duplex printing as well is very handy. Wireless connectivity would be nice but it wasn't available when I bought this model. In any case I can connect to it wirelessly via my network.

Re: Printing with Wireless Connectivity

Avatar Euan Williams
If I remember rightly, earlier this year Applestores were making a particular effort to sell HP printers, as also the John Lewis/Waitrose stores. John Lewis/Waitrose offer their own free (but not quite as flexible as full AppleCare) second year warranty on all computers, but probably not on printers, see their web site.

This next bit is rather off-subject, but may interest someone in relation to iPhone wireless printing. The 10.6.5 update promised Airprint but apparently removed it at the last minute. This article offers details and a (very technical) work-around. Airprint with iOS and OSX 10.6.5 hack.

Re: Printing with Wireless Connectivity

Avatar Euan Williams
Some-none may be interested in this too:

What is Airprint?

Re: Printing with Wireless Connectivity

Avatar Mick Burrell
I thought that as ink was getting very expensive, Airprint was a way of printing using air which was free ;-)

Re: Printing with Wireless Connectivity

Avatar Euan Williams
Tonight CNET / MacFixit report that these HP printers have a firmware update to enable AirPrint with IOS 4.2:

CNET HP Printer firmware updates

Officejet 6500A e-AiO
Officejet 6500A Plus e-AiO
Officejet 7500A Wide Format e-AiO
Officejet Pro 8500A e-AiO
Officejet Pro 8500A Plus e-AiO
Officejet Pro 8500A Premium e-AiO

Re: Printing with Wireless Connectivity

Avatar Gordon Clyne
got an HP envy and was dismayed to find it had half empty cartridges so i complained and they sent me 8 XL carts.... enough to print for a few years!!
however there was a huge firmware/software update that took an hour and a half to download..... its the HP delivery, not the bandwidth aparently, and there is a hardware update to the eject tray to handle anything heavier than 100g paper, and a new firmware update coming in february ( my guess is to support the real apple print architecture rather than the eprint emailing version that HP has.
 
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