Author: James Kara Murat

Setting up a network printer is a good way of increasing efficiency in the office. Efficiency within the workplace must always be a guarantee no matter how big or small the office is. Using a network printer is one good way of cutting back on the time spent in getting printing jobs done, and it also reduces the need for buying individual printers for individual computer users in the office.

How can you set up a network printer without any hassles in the office? Below is a step-by-step solution to get this done.

1. Printer location. The network printer should be set up at a location that makes it easily accessible to the people who will be using it. Not doing so will result in inconvenience for its users and can prevent these people from doing their work more efficiently.

2. Type of connection. Decide on whether or not the network printer will be a wireless printer or if it will be connected to the other computers through local area network. One possible factor that can help you weigh your decision on whether or not you should set up a wireless network printer or connect it via LAN is the physical layout of your office. If the office is small enough and without a lot by the way of dividers and walls, going wireless may be the better option.

3. Enable printer sharing. The network printer must be set up in such a way that it will accept printing jobs that were not queued by the computer acting as its server. In this, you will need to set up administrative protocols. Do not let the term “administrative protocols” scare you, though. At the basic level, all you need to do is to open your network printer’s Properties dialogue box from the Windows Vista Control Panel or from Windows Explorer, and then check on the box that will allow it to print out documents queued by the other computers on the network.

4. Share the printer. A lot of times, it is not enough to just set up the network printer to accept printing jobs from other computers connected to the network. The operating system of the printer server must also be notified that it should allow other computers to make use of the network printer.

5. Continuous maintenance. Because the network printer is shared now, someone among the office team should be made responsible for the upkeep of the network printer. This person does not have to be a whiz at computers; just someone who knows his or her way around a computer will do. This person should also be in charge of what could be seen as the mundane tasks of keeping the paper bin in the network printer filled or making sure that the printer ink cartridges still have ink.

It is not hard to set up a network printer for a small office. Just a little planning will get the job done.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/hardware-articles/setting-up-a-small-office-network-printer-without-hassles-363999.html

About the Author:

About the Author:
James Kara Murat the contributor of Printer Ink Cartridge Articles. More information on the subject is at Setting Up A Small Office Network Printer without Hassles, and related resources can be found at Optimizing Your Network Printers.

By Michael Russell

Choosing an output device (notice I did not say “printer”) is an arduous task indeed: inkjet, laser, LED, 3-in-1, 5-in-one, 7-in-one, photo printers, MFPs….. the choices are seemingly endless.. To make matters worse, the employee at the big retail/computer/electronics store has held the job for less than a week and is a lot more knowledgeable about PlayStation than anything else. So what do you do? Here’s a little quick guide to help you sift through most of the choices.

These tips are based on how much paper you use per month. If you do not know (I wouldn’t if somebody asked me), then think of how often you buy paper and how much; then divide by the appropriate timeframe. Regular office paper (A4, letter- or legal-size) normally comes in 500-page reams or 2500 or 5000-sheet boxes. If you buy a 2500-sheet (5 ream) box once a quarter, you therefore use 833 sheets per month.

A – Less than 50 sheets per month: Get as cheap an inkjet as you can – just make sure there are store-brand or knockoff cartridge brands readily available so you can purchase those as soon as the warranty on your printer runs out. If your printer dies, DO NOT fix it: it will be cheaper to get a new one (which will come with a new cartridge pack). I would personally buy a “multi-function” with a flatbed scanner, as they are now quite cost effective. The more mainstream the brand, the more retailers carry it, the better.

B – 50 to 250 sheets per month: If your usage dictates that you need colour and/or a multi-function (any combination of 2 of the following: printer/fax/scanner/copier), then definitely get a multi-function inkjet. However, before you do, do some research (15 minutes on the internet) to determine how much cartridges cost and what their yield (how many pages you can get out of them) is. If a cartridge costs $45 and yields 450 sheets, it will start getting expensive. If you do not need anything other than straight B/W printing, then get an entry-level laser/LED printer. They now come with a very good price tag (under $200) and are very cost-effective.

C – 250 to 1000 sheets per month: In this case, there is no doubt you need to get a laser or LED since it does not make any kind of sense to get an inkjet – the cost will be much higher. If you can, try to get a Multi-function, but remember to do your homework on cartridge cost vs. yield – and do not let the comparatively lower cartridge cost fool you (a $280 cartridge with a 5000 page yield is a lot better than a $120 cartridge with a 1000 page yield). Also, get a system that is suited to your primary application: do not get a fax-based system if 90% of your usage will be copying.

D – Over 1000 sheets per month: In this case, your best bet is to call 3 or 4 office-equipment providers, as they will guide you towards the best choices according to your needs. Just be sure to get 3 or 4 quotes (just to keep them honest) and get an all-inclusive service contract; they include toner and all your services and are typically cheaper (at this stage) than buying toner alone for a laser system.

A few parting words: These tips are for basic office use only; if you need oversize paper (11×17 or A3), o photo-quality finishes for pre-press, these tips are not for you. Also, I do not recommend refilling laser cartridges, as the systems themselves are somewhat of an investment and can be picky. For inkjets, however, since the machines themselves are almost disposable nowadays, it should not be a major issue.

Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Lake Tahoe

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Russell
http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Right-Small-Office/Home-Office-Printers&id=285761