| Introduction: Setting up a printer network is an affordable way to connect the entire office to a single printer! Learn about the different ways to connect office printers and how print servers can make sharing printers faster and more affordable. Plus, find HP internal, external, and wireless print servers that fit your business needs. |
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| There are many ways to share printers. You can share a directly connected printer, a wireless printer, or use a print server. |
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| Some external servers let you share printers on a wireless or Ethernet network. |
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| Sharing a printer saves money and time, plus reduces the number of printers a company needs to buy, install, and maintain. Additionally, with fewer printers, you can reduce the variety of ink or toner you stock, making ink storage and ordering more manageable. |
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| There are three simple ways to set up a print network: |
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Share a directly-connected printer: This is the most straightforward setup, where one PC is directly connected to one printer. You can then set up printer sharing using the computer's operating system tools, such as the HomeGroup printer sharing feature in Microsoft Windows 7. |
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Install a wireless printer on the network: HP offers many wireless printers, which allow multiple users to share a single printer. After connecting the wireless printer to your wireless network, you simply install the printer's driver on each PC as needed. Learn more about wireless printing. |
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Use a print server: A print server connects one or more printers to a network so multiple users can access it. This means printers don't have to be tethered to a specific server, nor do you need to invest in or maintain a file server specifically to manage printing. This can be a standalone device, a device that is built into some printers, or a software program. |
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| Read on to learn more about using a print server. |
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| A print server not only juggles multiple printers and users, it also offers faster print speeds than a personal printer or a server-connected printer. This is because the print server collects the print jobs into a queue, releasing your computer to do to other tasks—even before the printer sees the job! |
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| There are three types of print servers: |
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An internal print server fits into a special slot in the printer, or is built into the printer by the manufacturer (called embedded). It doesn't need a second power supply and communicates directly with the printer and the network. HP has a robust collection of internal print servers for most types of Enterprise printers. |
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An external print server adds network capabilities to an existing printer that can't support an internal print server. An external print server is an excellent way to connect older printers to a network. |
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A wireless print server allows you to print without the hassle of Ethernet cables. Once configured for office's existing wireless set up, they can accept print jobs over a wireless local area network (WLAN) connection. HP Wireless Jetdirect print servers still offer an Ethernet connection, and are offered in both internal and external models. |
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| TIP: Internal or external print server? |
| When choosing a print server, make sure you know your specific volume printing needs. Then, match those needs to an appropriate print server. For example, an external print server provides terrific print services in ordinary settings, high-volume printing environments will benefit from a high-end internal print server. |
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| If you're looking for equipment, HP Jetdirect print servers come in internal, external, and wireless models, as well as embedded in many printers' hardware. |
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| To set up a print server, you'll need: |
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A printer with an internal print server or a printer with a USB port or parallel interface that connects to an external print server. |
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A USB or parallel cable or a wireless connection to and existing wireless network, depending on the interface. |
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A printer driver and management software. |
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Your print server manual, which can be downloaded at HP.com. Follow the steps outlined in your print server's manual to connect your print server. |
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| Managing networked printers |
| If you're looking to manage a single printer—or a whole fleet of printers—HP Web Jetadmin can help you install, configure, troubleshoot, and manage both HP and non-HP networked print devices. |
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| Need help? |
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Visit the HP support forum to ask questions or see if others have experienced (or solved!) your problem. |
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Speak to HP customer support. |
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| Whether you're looking for an internal, external, or wireless print server, HP has many options available. Some even do double duty, offering both wireless and wired options! |
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| Search by print server category below, or browse HP Small & Medium Business Shopping to see the entire lineup of HP internal, external, and wireless print servers. |
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| External print servers: External print servers connect via a parallel or USB port. They are available both wired and wireless. |
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| Internal print servers: Internal print servers connect via an EIO slot for EIO-enabled printers. Both wired and wireless capabilities are available. |
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| Wireless print servers: Wireless print servers make printing easy for mobile printing professionals and include embedded, internal, and external solutions. They may also be connected using an Ethernet cable. |
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