Keep an Eye Before Buying a Network Printer

Sharing a printer over a network is certainly a good idea if you have more than one computer in your home or workplace. Space and money is saved when you share over a network irrespective of your work environment. You can always make better use of that extra cash to buy a better suited printer more efficient and more advanced.

If you have a small office it is wiser to buy a single competent printer for $600 than spending $600 on different four $150 printers for each of your Computers. Getting a single printer also saves space.

First decide if you really wish to share a printer on a network. Once you have, its time to decide what network features to look for. Different situations (Small/ home offices, small businesses, and medium-size businesses) need different configurations. Use any of the following approaches to share a printer on a network.

a) Connect it to a print server. It's a device that connects a printer to the network.
b) Connect the printer to a computer and configure Windows for sharing.

Either one of the above approaches can turn the printer into a network printer designed for proficient use on a network.

Network Interface Card (NIC) is the built-in network interface offered by network printers today. It is worthwhile to note that not all of them have network connectors on a separate card. Are you absolutely sure you need a network printer? In a home-office environment using small networks, Windows alone will suffice for sharing a printer. If you are sure, here are some tips that might prove helpful in your purchase decisions:

* Ensure that your printer has the appropriate interface for your network, which is usually an Ethernet connection. Other alternatives do work but make sure that the printer works well with your operating system.
* Be resolute on setting up a fully automated network setup routine. More so, if you are unfamiliar with network printer setups. Setting up a network printer requires technical know how on how to assign an IP address; create a new port, etc.
* Built-in Web pages allowing you to check the status and change settings from the Web browser are a must. It is surely an advantage when the help desk is located on different floors than the printer. This is particularly true for large companies where the support staff is scattered. The advantage of this is that it will let you access any printer from your desk. Moreover working with a Web browser is far easier than toiling through menus on a front-panel LCD.
* Do you have to print documents that others shouldn't read? Obtain a private-printing feature wherein you can send a print job that won't print until the PIN code is entered.
* Arrange for input trays that hold at least 1,000 sheets of paper for a small business. Even if you don't need them right now, you will quite likely need to add it later.
* Get a big output tray-- big enough to leave outputs from multiple printing jobs.
* Consider using remote-management software if you have quite a big number of printers. A capable program lets you upgrade firmware and drivers remotely without visiting each printer. This saves lot of time.
* Go for printers with stacker or sorter options. Even if you don't require advanced paper handling now it's a good idea to invest in them now. You never know when you might need it. Advance planning for the future with investment today, helps!