How do I choose between Wireless Printing and Bluetooth Printing?

Cables are gone and now comes the era of wireless applications and devices. It wouldnandrsquo;t be longer before we live in world devoid of cables. When it comes to switching to a wireless technology from a cabled one, you will need to understand the scope of the alterations that will be required in your IT infrastructure to accommodate this switch.

Here is a brief about the Wireless technology, its types and wireless devices that you can use to perform a variety of operations such as wireless data transfer and wireless printing.

Wireless technology works using radio, microwave or infrared signals for transferring or transmitting information between two or more devices which can be computers and peripherals, remotes, cellular phones, GPSs and more. A variety of wireless technologies are used for different purposes, Bluetooth being one of them.

Bluetooth differs from wireless LAN or what we call wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) with respect to the range that it can transmit data within, and the rate at which the data can be transmitted. While wireless or Wi-Fi has a range of approximately 300 feet, Bluetooth works best within 30 feet. The rate of data transmission too varies considerably.

Wi-Fi can transmit data at 55 Mbps allowing you to transmit large files too quickly, whereas, Bluetooth is a tad slower transmitting at the rate of 22Kbps, hence ideal for portable devices such as mobile phones and digital cameras. To help you choose which technology is ideal for your print requirements, here are some comparisons.

Wi-Fi is apt for computers and peripherals where large volumes of data can be transferred and printed easily within a network wirelessly while Bluetooth works best when transferring and printing data from and to mobile phone devices, digital cameras and PDAs. Both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth have their own advantages.

For instance, you may want to quick-print a coupon on the go using your portable communication device such as a PDA. In this case a portable Bluetooth micro printer will be ideal. Bluetooth micro printers are small and portable and can easily be paired with any other mobile device to deliver instant prints. This is ideal for drivers and frequent travelers who do most printing on the go. Most printers being used and manufactured today also support Bluetooth.

This means that you can even print your documents from a mobile device on any available network printer that supports Bluetooth. USB Bluetooth adapters are also available that can help you print from an ordinary printer using Bluetooth. All you need is to make it ready for accepting data using Bluetooth by plugging the Bluetooth adapter into its USB slot. Another advantage of using Bluetooth is that it is energy efficient. Unlike Wi-Fi which needs to be switched on constantly, Bluetooth can be switched on when required and then switched off.

Nothing matches the speed and range of a portable Wi-Fi printer when it comes to printing large volumes from your office or home computer. While a normal printer can be attached to a Wi-Fi to be able to receive Wi-Fi signals, Wi-Fi printers specifically designed for Wi-Fi connections are already available and can be taken advantage of.

Having understood the advantages and limitations of both technologies, deciding between the two technologies that best fits your requirements will be much easier.

About Author:

DiamondSource Ltd. offer HP designjet repairs and plotter service contracts in and around the London area.

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