Wireless printer adapters connect printers to laptops, PDAs, and other wireless devices with printing capabilities. They plug into the receptacle on standard printers and use infrared or Bluetooth to communicate with the computer. They are usually designed for walk-up printing, where the user plugs the adapter into any available printer and prints documents directly from the device. Most adapters have multiple connectors supporting different printer interfaces.
Types of Wireless Printer Adapters
Kinds of Wireless Printer Adapters include the following:
Bluetooth printer adapters
Bluetooth printer adapters use high-frequency signals to transmit data between the printer and the device.
They can connect from any angle and through physical barriers, and have very low interference.
Infrared printer adapters
Infrared printer adapters use low-frequency infrared beams to communicate with the computer.
They require a direct line-of-sight connection between the two devices and can be interrupted by physical barriers.
WiFi printer adapters
WiFi printer adapters connect the printer to a wireless network, allowing it to be shared between networked computers.
They are much faster than Bluetooth adapters and are less prone to interference.
Choosing Wireless Printer Adapters (Buying tips)
Connectors: Choose a wireless printer adapter that plugs into available ports on your printer. Look for one with USB, serial, and parallel connectors if you use different printers or upgrade printers frequently.
Security: Choose a wireless printer adapter with an encryption function to keep your files from getting intercepted during transfer. This is especially useful for large networks or public WiFi hotspots, because WiFi frequencies use the same bandwidth as many wireless devices.
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