Wireless Printer

[themightybloods]

I've just got a few queries about wireless printers, and as I have never owned one before, if someone could help me out, it would be greatly appreciated.

First of all I am looking to buy this multifunction printer (the Canon Pixma MG6150):

http://www.canon.com.au/en-AU/For-You/Printers/PIXMA-InkJet-Printers/MG6150

http://dicksmith.com.au/product/XP9615/canon-mg6150-multi-function

So for anyone that owns this printer especially, can you answer the questions and also give me your opinion on the printer- I would love to know what people think of it and their first hand experiences of using it.

My questions about this and wireless printers in general are as follows:

1. Is it compatible Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit edition as well as Macbook Pro OS X 10.6.6. (I assume that it is, as that's what it says in the specifications)

2. Do you hook up your wireless printer to the home network? As my wireless signal strength isn't that strong, will printing/scanning via wireless, therefore slow up other wireless activity i.e (surfing the net on a laptop) Would then the printer be password protected, and be able to support WEP protection etc.

3. My home network is 802.11b, would this printer in particular still be able to work efficiently with this.

4. Would I be able to setup this printer to connect with two wireless computers- a windows 7 laptop and a macbook pro? How would I go about doing this, so both the laptop and macbook can access the multifunction printer via wireless. Can I install the software on both computers?

5. Is the scanner wireless as well- so can you scan a photo and then edit it for example on a laptop without connecting any cords.

6. Can you print a photo from the laptop or macbook wirelessly on standard size photo paper?

7. Can you connect any camera, via USB or insert the memory card to the printer, or is it only some devices?

I have read all the specifications and feature lists for this printer, so I have and idea of the answers for these questions, but would really like some firm confirmation, before I possibly buy it.

I know I can ask some of these questions at the store, but I would like to know beforehand anyway. So if anyone could help, that would be great. Thanks

 

[Mr Eagle]

I own a HP wireless printer, so this advice is only generally accurate, but here goes...

In Win7, my wireless printer appears as a device on the network (e.g. it has its own IP address, 192.168.0.3) but the OS also recognises that it can print.

According to the specs, this Canon is compatible with WEP and WPA so that won't be a problem.

Unless you're planning to print scan some ginormous files, any activity on your wireless network should be momentary and not a block to web surfing - 802.11b can in theory handle up to 11Mb/sec between networked machines. If you're willing to invest in upgrades to your network gear, you would find that an 802.11n setup would probably improve signal strength and remove any chance of clogging the network.

The scanner and the printer are the same machine so yes, anything scanned will fly over the wireless network to a networked laptop just as the printing data can fly in the other direction.

 

[TeamHurley]

I've just got a few queries about wireless printers, and as I have never owned one before, if someone could help me out, it would be greatly appreciated.

First of all I am looking to buy this multifunction printer (the Canon Pixma MG6150):

http://www.canon.com.au/en-AU/For-You/Printers/PIXMA-InkJet-Printers/MG6150

http://dicksmith.com.au/product/XP9615/canon-mg6150-multi-function

So for anyone that owns this printer especially, can you answer the questions and also give me your opinion on the printer- I would love to know what people think of it and their first hand experiences of using it.

My questions about this and wireless printers in general are as follows:

1. Is it compatible Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit edition as well as Macbook Pro OS X 10.6.6. (I assume that it is, as that's what it says in the specifications)

Yes has drivers for both.

2. Do you hook up your wireless printer to the home network? As my wireless signal strength isn't that strong, will printing/scanning via wireless, therefore slow up other wireless activity i.e (surfing the net on a laptop) Would then the printer be password protected, and be able to support WEP protection etc.

You join the network just like a laptop joins it. The printer is not password protected to resources inside your network but externally it is in the sense that anyone to wants to use it would need the credentials to log on to your network.

3. My home network is 802.11b, would this printer in particular still be able to work efficiently with this.

It says in the specs that is supports .11b however it is an old and slow protocol with a theoretical speed of 6 megabits per second. That is 750 kilobyte a second. So to spool a 75 megabyte document and copy it over your network to the printer would take 10 seconds using the full bandwidth of the network.

to put it in perspective 802.11n has a speed of 300 megabits per second.

It would work but it would be slow, especially if you have bad signal strength. This would be a bit of a bottle neck in your rnetwork and you may want to look at upgrading your router.

4. Would I be able to setup this printer to connect with two wireless computers- a windows 7 laptop and a macbook pro? How would I go about doing this, so both the laptop and macbook can access the multifunction printer via wireless. Can I install the software on both computers?

You join the printer to the network and then on the pc add printer through the control panel or by using the disc that came with the printer.
It should come with mac drivers however if it doesnt you can download them from the vendors website. The process should be automated and pretty painless.


5. Is the scanner wireless as well- so can you scan a photo and then edit it for example on a laptop without connecting any cords.

depending on how you set it up it will scan the image and either send it via email to your account or store it on a network share where you can access it.

6. Can you print a photo from the laptop or macbook wirelessly on standard size photo paper?

It prints 4" x 6"

7. Can you connect any camera, via USB or insert the memory card to the printer, or is it only some devices?

Only some devices. Not sure with this one.

I have read all the specifications and feature lists for this printer, so I have and idea of the answers for these questions, but would really like some firm confirmation, before I possibly buy it.

I know I can ask some of these questions at the store, but I would like to know beforehand anyway. So if anyone could help, that would be great. Thanks

looks like a good printer... enjoy.

 

[mighty mick]

canon printers are the best in the market and the 6150 can be connected wirelessly through the router, or by ethernet to the back of the router. pretty much most of the questions are answered,

for the usb connection for the cameras, its called "pictbridge" canon invented it so most canon cameras are fine. check the manual of your own camera as many cameras are now supported, otherwise use the card reader.

 

[Dangas]

The ease of a wireless printer is great, no need to hook my laptop up to anything, just search for printers over wireless network, easy