Getting started with wireless printing

Wireless printing can be a real convenience for many reasons:

• Without wires, there is less clutter in your home, installation is easier, and you can move your printer or computer around.
• Print photos and documents from any room in the house. If you have a portable printer, you can print while on vacation, from your child’s classroom—anywhere.
• If you already have an in-home wireless network, anyone who visits with a wirelessly-enabled PC can connect to your printer—no wires required.

Adding a printer to your home wireless network—also called Wi-Fi—has several advantages.

• Range: Wi-Fi has a range of around 300 feet, so you can position your printer in a central location for everyone to use. Print recipes, homework, or driving directions from any computer in the house.
• Transmission rate: Wi-Fi sends data at a brisk 55 Mbps, so you can print quickly, and also send larger files, like photos, to the printer without bogging down the network.

To add printing to your home Wi-Fi network, your printer needs to be enabled to print wirelessly. Some newer printers have wireless technology build right in, so all you do is add them to the network following your computer’s prompts.

For other printers, the HP Wireless Printing Upgrade Kit (pictured above) is a quick and easy way to add wireless capabilities to your printer. It works with most HP printers and PCs, and is compatible with many non-HP printers (check with your manufacturer).

The kit includes a printer receiver and PC receiver for a wired desktop or notebook computer. Simply plug the unit into your printer and PC, and install the software from the included disc. That’s it. You’re ready to start printing wirelessly.

Bluetooth is a wireless standard common in many different devices. It’s available in some cell phones, PDAs, laptops, digital cameras, and printers—or can be added. It’s a convenient way to get all these gadgets to work together. For instance, if you take photos with your camera phone, you can use Bluetooth to send them to your computer or printer.

As with Wi-Fi, some new printers are already Bluetooth-ready. Check your manual to be sure. You can also install a Bluetooth card to your printer to add it to the network.

If you’re in the market for a new printer that’s built for wireless, here’s what to consider:

• Determine your budget.
• Decide on Bluetooth or Wi-Fi technology.
• Browse the options that meet your criteria. HP offers several models—from desktops and all-in-ones to compact styles—that use both technologies.