Computers & Hardware > Other Technologies & Hardware

Printer not playing the game.

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Weaver:
I’m not sure I would like the ‘wifi direct’ mode feature, says it creates an ad-hoc mode wireless lan. I would be very unhappy about the lack of access controls, competing with your existing wireless LAN for precious channels. And if you have multiple WAPs, there’s inability to roam to multiple WAPs so you have to actually be in range if the printer at all times rather than anywhere near any one of your existing WAPs in your whole wireless LAN. Weird the way some people are starting to think that everything is wireless and there are no Ethernet wired devices, everything must be a smartphone, an iPad or such, or a laptop that has a wireless NIC in it. And what happens when your neighbours start printing on your printer or their printer messes up your frequency space?

I should read the manual rather than droning on and just guessing. :-)

I wonder if one can turn that feature off? Anyway, I was quite interested in Canon, Will remember to stay well clear if some of the models and watch out for that pitfall.

My current stupid printer doesn’t work at all with my iPad unless you only use certain apps. So I need a proper fully works-with-iOS one ], and got recommendations from kitizens a while back, as I recall. Just want something that works reliably with zero hassle with iPads and can be a good citizen on an existing administered, secured wireless LAN.

Westie:
I have a somewhat old HP laser printer, which has only USB & parallel (remember those) ports. I used to share it on my home LAN from an almost-as-old PC, but couldn't print from the iPad.

I bought a cheap Pi ZeroW, installed Samba, wired it to the USB port on the printer and connected it wirelessly to the LAN. Both iPads and iPhone print flawlessly, as does my wife's laptop, so I now have a secure network printer which doesn't rely on also having the PC running.

All for the cost of a Raspberry Pi (and some head-scratching!)

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