What printer interface should you use?

Your office has a printer that is located on a table across the room. Because there are no computers near the printer, you’ve decided to use a wireless interface to connect the printer to the local network. Which wireless connectivity would be the most appropriate?

A) 802.11

B) Infrared

C) Bluetooth

D) Cellular

The answer: A) 802.11

802.11 is the best solution in this example because of the distance of the printer from other computer systems. Although infrared and Bluetooth are useful wireless technologies, the distances and requirements for those interfaces aren’t practical for longer distances. It’s also very easy to get a print server that can act as an 802.11 device, unlike Bluetooth or infrared interfaces that often require a separate computer.

Want to know more? Watch “Printing and Scanning: Components, Consumables, and Interfaces.” What are the major components of your printer, and what do you need to keep it running? In this video, we’ll show you key features of printer drivers, how memory is used by printers, and how printers and scanners feed paper. We’ll also detail printer consumables and methods of connecting to printers and scanners over local and remote interfaces.