LAN question

[Habibrobert]

Hello,

I have a printer with a ethernet port. I was wondering what the benefit of hooking it up via a LAN connection rather than a wifi connection?

So do you just plug the ethernet cable from the printer into the router? If that is the case, then does that mean any computer connected to the router (either wired, or wireless) can use that printer?

Sorry if all of this seems very trivial, I'm new at all this.

Many Thanks!

 

[l_d_allan]

I have a printer with a ethernet port. I was wondering what the benefit of hooking it up via a LAN connection rather than a wifi connection?

In theory, I suppose the LAN connection could be faster than the wifi, but I have some doubt that applies to non-professional printing. Maybe with really, really big multi-layered .tiff's where 16-bit printing was involved. Maybe ...

I'm mostly ignorant about wireless, and also somewhat paranoid about security from people figuring out how to use my equipment as their hot-spot. I've never gotten over setting up my first laptop, and several days latter seeing a UFO (unidentified free-rider outside-my-walls) on my network topology map. I suppose it could have been a neighbor, or someone parked down the street. No thanks.

Overall, with wireless, I think there is more to go wrong, and a higher degree of "know what you are doing".

So do you just plug the ethernet cable from the printer into the router? If that is the case, then does that mean any computer connected to the router (either wired, or wireless) can use that printer?

Almost, if the software install goes ok. I installed my Canon MP990 as a network printer via home LAN RJ45. The installation was more involved than a USB connection, but not bad. After a try or two or three, the MP990 was available for the three computers on our small home Win-7 network.

With a USB connected printer, it can be network accessible, as long as the computer it is attached to isn't shut down or asleep. That's a disadvantage compared to RJ45 LAN internet connection.