Modern Businesses Require
Network Printers

Network printers are an essential component of operational efficiency in today’s interconnected workplace. As opposed to the standalone printers of yesteryear, networked (or “shared”) printers are simply that: a printer you can access from many devices via a simple network. Have you heard about seamless printing for an individual employee or team? This is especially useful for businesses that do a lot of printing or have multiple departments that need shared print resources.

What Are Network Printers?

A network printer, as the name suggests, is connected to local network media and allows printing such services on demand from many different users without requiring these devices to share any of their connectors. Instead, these printers can connect with Ethernet, Wi-Fi, or through print servers. Once connected, they will be available on any device that is authorized to use these services within an organization.

Advantages of Network Printers

1. Increased Access and Convenience: A Network Printer is installed and managed on a network, meaning employees can send print jobs from one location but retrieve the document in another (even if it’s upstairs). This also avoids the requirement of one printer for each department or workstation, decreasing hardware costs. Several network printers will also support mobile printing, which makes it possible to print from tablets or smartphones. This is especially helpful for teams who are always on the go or working remotely.
2. Management and Control Centralization: With networked printers, a print management console or print server software is used for centralized control. The primary benefit is that it allows IT administrators to monitor the use of printers (like toner usage), push configuration changes down remotely, and schedule maintenance cycle tasks. It also gives them the power to manage who can use which printer, restricting page output to certain users or departments. This way, sensitive documents can only be printed by the people or a group that needs it.
3. Reduced Cost and Better Optimization of Resources: A shared printer infrastructure means less money must be spent on multiple standalone printers — reducing the cost of each device itself, its maintenance, and supplies. Organizations can also set up print policies or print quotas to enforce these practices, reducing waste from printing.
4. Many network printers are equipped with power-saving modes and consume less energy when inactive. All of these elements result in cost-saving and environmentally sustainable business practices.
5. Enhanced Security Features: Advanced security is built-in with modern network printers, so sensitive information stays safe. User authentication, such as requiring employees to input a PIN or use a smart card, is one such security measure. This also ensures the documents will not be left unattended on output trays.
6. Document Security (In-transit, or data that is not getting intercepted over the network) — Networked Printers support Secure print and, if you want, support encryption for in-touch prints. The audit trails can be configured by administrators, to keep a record of who accessed the printer and what documents were printed.
7. Scalability for your Growing Team: As your business grows, network printers can easily integrate and scale with your print infrastructure. Add new printers to the network or update access permissions rapidly. On top of that, cloud-enabled network printers can connect with the likes of Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace for remote workers to send print jobs back from their location into an office printer.

Characteristics of Network Printers

1. Wireless Printing: Network Printers can support Wireless, so you can access devices more easily.
2. Duplex Printing: As you can imagine, all good printers have duplex printing available, enabling dual sides of the paper to be printed automatically, reducing waste.
3. Print Servers: Print servers are a useful feature of network printers, as these control print queues better.
4. Versatility: You can even get network printers that also function as scanners, copiers, and fax machines.
5. Cloud Integration: Cloud printing lets you print easily from your office or home and have it available at a Copy Center for pick up.

Network printer applications in the real world

1. Corporate Offices: Network printers facilitate paper printing resources across departments, significantly simplifying workflows in large offices. This could mean network printers printing out contracts for legal teams, on-demand brochures, and reports that marketing teams need to print as soon as possible.
2. Educational Institutions: Network Printing for Schools and Universities Network printing helps teachers, students, and administrators across schools and universities. Instant printouts of live assignments, reports, or study material from any connected device assure operational and collaborative convenience.
3. Healthcare Facilities: Network printers are a must-have for printing patient records, medical prescriptions, and diagnostic reports in hospitals and clinics. This secure printing prevents unauthorized access to sensitive health data.
4. Retail and Hospitality: Retail outlets and hotels make use of network printers for such uses as bills, receipts, and guest confirmations. Small and large businesses and organizations can work with an eMazzanti professional to configure, install and maintain timesaving, reliable networked printing that will let you serve customers even better.