I am getting the macbook on Thursday and I want to get a good printer to go with it. There is a printer for 99.95 that you can get for free after rebates (HP C3140). I have heard it is an alright printer and it won't connect wirelessly. What is a good printer (under 200 and compatible with the apple 100 rebate) that connects wirelessly? Let me know......Thanks.
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Wireless Printer....
- Thread starter macdaddy121
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Add BlueTooth or use an AirPort Express + USB
You can add a bluetooth printer adapter to any printer's USB port. However, the MacBook supports the fastest version of Bluetooth, version 2 (3.0 Mbps), while no BlueTooth printer adapter is beyond Version 1.1 (768 kbps).
Also, if you stick a BlueTooth printer adapter in the USB slot, the slot becomes unavailable for use by computers that are BlueToothless.
You might find a printer that has a slot for an Ethernet card, then buy a wireless card. But such printers and compatible cards are rare, especially in your price range.
That's the best I can do. It's not easy to find built-in BlueTooth, much less built-in 802.11 wireless Ethernet, in such low-cost printers.
I've bought my college-bound daughter a MacBook and an HP Business Inkjet (2300DTN) that contains a built-in Ethernet card. To give her wireless printing, I have two choices:
You can add a bluetooth printer adapter to any printer's USB port. However, the MacBook supports the fastest version of Bluetooth, version 2 (3.0 Mbps), while no BlueTooth printer adapter is beyond Version 1.1 (768 kbps).
Also, if you stick a BlueTooth printer adapter in the USB slot, the slot becomes unavailable for use by computers that are BlueToothless.
You might find a printer that has a slot for an Ethernet card, then buy a wireless card. But such printers and compatible cards are rare, especially in your price range.
That's the best I can do. It's not easy to find built-in BlueTooth, much less built-in 802.11 wireless Ethernet, in such low-cost printers.
I've bought my college-bound daughter a MacBook and an HP Business Inkjet (2300DTN) that contains a built-in Ethernet card. To give her wireless printing, I have two choices:
- Using a USB cable, connect the printer to an Apple AirPort Express wireless hub, but leave the hub disconnected from the university's network (to comply with its rules).
- Buy a BlueTooth 1.1 USB printer adapter and let my daughter print at 25 percent of the MacBook's rated BlueTooth speed.
PaulinMaryland said:
I notice you're from Maryland and, being from Maryland and having friends from the University of Maryland, I will point out to you that a friend of mine uses his AirPort Express wireless hub in his dorm room without any problems. He even works for the computer office (OIT: Office of Information Technology) so I think he'd know if he wasn't supposed to be doing that.
I don't know if your daughter is planning to go to the University of Maryland, but I thought I should point this out to you.
Edit: In response to the OP, I would go with the Airport Express; even though it's another $100+ it'll probably serve you well.
I just bought a Kensington Bluetooth adapter that is 2.0 ($20 with rebates from circuit city) to connect to my Canon MP500 which the Apple store sells for under $200. The adapter connects using the USB port in the front, so if I need to connect the printer to a computer with a wire the back port will still be open. Canons are really great printers... you should look into them.
To clarify, a few printers--the Canon MP500 among them--offer both kinds of USB port: The "printer type" (squarish Type B) and the "computer type" (narrow/flat Type A). This provides a second connection point and, at the same, time, lets you use wireless adapters designed for computers. That's important for BlueTooth, where the only way to get BlueTooth 2.0 is to get a PC-type adapter.dew said:
PaulinMaryland said:
You sure about this? I have an MP780 and I thought the type A USB port is for connecting cameras and printing using PictBridge...I would imagine the same is true for the 500 - but I could be wrong...
routers in the dorm room
Did you see my recent thread asking whether routers are allowed in campus dorm rooms? The consensus seemed to be No. Some have suggested workarounds; for example, make your network private, or (my preferred workaround) don't plug the wireless router into the campus Network/Internet; just use it as a wireless print server. I hope that Maryland will allow that.
But in my experience, to ask is to invite a No. For example, we're not supposed to have cameras at work. Yet just about everyone with a cell phone has a built-in camera. Did anyone ask, "Should I trade in my cell phone for one that lacks a camera?" No. Is anyone going to ask? No, because they know that the answer will be Yes.
Yes, she will be going to the U of Maryland's main campus. In my experience, IT gurus are at least as likely to break the rules. For example, where I work, only IT types have Administrator privileges. Just about all of them have used their privilege to install software such as AIM that we're not supposed to have at work. They go by the principle, "Do as I say, not as I do."pianoman said:
Did you see my recent thread asking whether routers are allowed in campus dorm rooms? The consensus seemed to be No. Some have suggested workarounds; for example, make your network private, or (my preferred workaround) don't plug the wireless router into the campus Network/Internet; just use it as a wireless print server. I hope that Maryland will allow that.
But in my experience, to ask is to invite a No. For example, we're not supposed to have cameras at work. Yet just about everyone with a cell phone has a built-in camera. Did anyone ask, "Should I trade in my cell phone for one that lacks a camera?" No. Is anyone going to ask? No, because they know that the answer will be Yes.
PaulinMaryland said:
I can print of the brother MFC-3800 CN which has an ethernet adaptor via a router and wi-fi with the MAc. I remember having seen it in the US for about half of what I have paied in the EU...
However, I have not been able to scan via wi-fi like I can do with XP...A bummer, really because I have to walk back to the computer to click "scan"....I know some modern midrange printers have ethernet network support, dunno if any would fit your price range but perhaps its an option worth looking into if you have a router with an extra port.
I totally agree with Matty's comment here. When I picked up a free HP printer from Apple after rebates I hooked it up to an Airport Express via USB and I can print wirelessly to it. It doesn't get any easier than that. A definite recommendation going this way, plus it gives you wireless access AND you can stream your iTunes to speakers connected to the XPress too.MattyMac said:
PaulinMaryland said:
I think it's worth a shot if she wants the wireless. My friend is pretty good about following the rules. And the worst that could happen is they ask her to remove it from the network, but she could still use it for her printer. Just a thought.
kingjr3 said:
My old printer was a MP780 and you can only use the front USB port on it for things such as PictBridge, but the newer ones, such as the 500 allow you to use it for other things such as a USB Bluetooth connection. Canon even makes their own Bluetooth adapter, although it costs $80 instead of the $20 I paid.
I use the airport express with a canon iP3000. Best printer I ever had and cheap as chips. Airtunes is a major incentive.