PrinterFilter: Help me find out if I can make this a wireless printer!

June 1, 2006 11:23 AM

HPPrinterFilter - looking at a LaserJet and how to make it wireless.

I'm looking at buying the HP Color LaserJet 1600. It does not have network connectivity but it does have a USB port. I'm trying to determine if I purchase HP's BT450 Bluetooth Wireless USB adapter and plug it into the LaserJet 1600's USB port, will that give the printer Bluetooth ability?

I called HP "Pre Sales Questions" and they said they "Do not test that adapter with that printer". So should I be looking for a printer with 8.011a/b/g or Bluetooth or will this adapter work?

posted by bkdelong to Technology (5 answers total)

The adapter should work but you can always go with other vendors, such as D-Link or Axis. Indeed, you will likely save a lot of money not going with HP for a print server.
posted by Mr. Six at 11:34 AM on June 1, 2006

I use lots of 175x JetDirect boxes (the ethernet equivalent of the BT450) to network non network HPs. It works flawlessly but they are fairly expensive.
posted by Mitheral at 11:40 AM on June 1, 2006

Originally I used the SMC Barracuda wireless adapter with parallel port for my HP 2100 Laser Jet, I then moved on to a Hawking HPS12U print server that has parallel and USB ports wired into my new wireless router.

Both methods have worked quite well. I prefered the wireless router with inluded printer server from SMC for ease of use but once the Hawking was set up correctly it has also proven to be trouble free.
posted by ptm at 5:23 PM on June 1, 2006

Careful with the Hawking - it will set up a DHCP server that can interfere with another DHCP on your network. It's the first print server I've used that sets up a DHCP service.
posted by Mr. Six at 7:35 PM on June 1, 2006

There are allegedly "universal" wireless-to-USB print servers out there, but when you get into the nitty gritty they support everything but HP. At least they do everything but the HP I bought. :-( Don't purchase one until you see it explicitly laid out in writing that the printer/print server combo you want to set up is promised to work.
posted by NortonDC at 8:02 PM on June 1, 2006