wireless help!!

Discussion in 'Wireless' started by ldn1, Apr 14, 2008.

  1. ldn1

    ldn1 New Member

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    hey, im thinking of getting a wireless printer, just for convience-sake.. just wanted to know if i can print directly from my macbook? or do you need some sort of 'network' ? .. ie do i just need my laptop and the printer? or anything else?

    thanks!
     
  2. hbroomhall

    hbroomhall Petabyte Poster Gold Member

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    Hi and welcome to CF!

    Whether you need anything other than the laptop and the printer will depend on the laptop. If it has wireless built in, and it is of the right type, then you should be OK.

    Of course, performance will depend on how this is setup, and possible interference from other units nearby, plus also the distance between the units.

    Harry.
     
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  3. ldn1

    ldn1 New Member

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    cheers, yeh t mac's got wireless built in... so there shouldnt b any probs?

    nice1!
     
  4. hbroomhall

    hbroomhall Petabyte Poster Gold Member

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    That depends. If the printer is Bluetooth and the laptop is WiFi then it won't work. And even if both are WiFi they need to be compatible versions.

    Hence my original answer.

    Harry.
     
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  5. ldn1

    ldn1 New Member

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    any thoughts on this printer -- Lexmark Z1520 ? its going cheap and well i dont realy need anything amazing.. just a decent colour printouts. im a student on a design course without a printer and i currently spend 50p per page on a4 colour prints at uni, which is stupid.. so i thought i may aswell invest in a printer! (having said that, they are quite nice quality though!)
     
  6. ldn1

    ldn1 New Member

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    on your last answer - oh! lol , erm theyre both wireless.... specs say -

    "802.11g wireless.
    Compatible with:
    Windows 98/98SE/2000/XP/XP Pro x64: Pentium II 233MHz, 500Mb HD space, 128Mb RAM.
    Windows Vista: 800MHz processor or higher, 800Mb HD space, 512Mb RAM.
    Mac OS X (10.4.4.x Intel), OS X (10.3.x - 10.4.x Power PC): GS 500 or higher, 256Mb RAM, 500Mb HD space, Intel Core Solo 1500 or higher 512Mb RAM, 500Mb HD space."

    would that be ok?
    sorry if i sound a little annoying.. i have no clue! haha
     
  7. hbroomhall

    hbroomhall Petabyte Poster Gold Member

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    The snag is that 802.11 and Bluetooth are both wireless - but they won't talk to each other.... however

    You should be OK if your Mac has 802.11 built in.

    On the subject of costs, you will find that inexpensive ink-jet printers are very expensive to run, and your page cost may be only a bit lower than that charged by the Uni. I don't know this printer, so don't know what its running costs are though.

    Harry.
     
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  8. ldn1

    ldn1 New Member

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    thanks for the help!
     
  9. BosonMichael
    Honorary Member Highly Decorated Member Award 500 Likes Award

    BosonMichael Yottabyte Poster

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    I don't know anything about that particular model, but for my money, I wouldn't buy anything other than an HP. I might be persuaded to buy an Epson or Canon... but I wouldn't use a Lexmark unless forced.

    Just an opinion. :)
     
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  10. Toasty

    Toasty Byte Poster

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    Hi,

    make sure the printer comes with the wireless adapter. Went to a customers the other day who had got a Lexmark wireless printer but could not set it up because only the top model comes with wireless adapter all the others are wireless optional and adapter is extra, about £70.00 extra.

    Very easy to set up after we got her the wireless adapter. Just install the software then you have to connect to print with USB to start set up. Once it has picked up your wireless network and got an IP address and put in any WPE key needed you are free to roam and print from anywhere in your wireless network.
     
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  11. ldn1

    ldn1 New Member

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    cheers
     
  12. Fergal1982

    Fergal1982 Petabyte Poster

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    I have a wireless Lexmark Z1420 (BT gave it to me for free, wasnt going to turn it down now, was i).

    As I recall, when configuring the wireless on the printer (you hook it up via usb during the installation process, to set it up), there is an option to set the wireless so its peer-to-peer rather than via a network. I Cant be 100% certain since I hook mine up through the network as normal though.

    That said, if you do get it, and it doesnt work, the printers can be configured to use usb, so you could easily just hook it up to usb. not exactly ideal, but it will still function as a printer for you, and you havent entirely wasted your money.
     
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