What is a Print Server ?
| Print Servers |
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What is a print server? A print server is a dedicated server that connects a printer to a network. It enables users to print independently of the file server or a dedicated PC. Since networked printing typically accounts for more than half of all network activity, it may not be economical or efficient to route all printing jobs through a general file server, which could be overwhelmed with print jobs and cause the entire network to slow down. A dedicated PC could ease the burden on the file server but this is a costly solution since it requires the purchase of additional hardware and software, and can be complex to set up. Print servers are ideal solutions since they are reliable, compact and affordable, and easy to install and administer. With embedded Web pages for simple management, you can have a print server up and running in a matter of minutes. In addition, as your network expands with new protocols and printers added, you'll be safe to know that your PrintServers can still accommodate your needs since they support virtually all printer models and all network environments. Print servers can be internal or external. An external PrintServer is more flexible since the same PrintServer can be used even as printers are changed or upgraded. The PrintServers are no bigger than a portable CD player, making them ideal for businesses with limited space for computer equipment. Because the network cable can be much longer than a standard parallel printer cable, this allows a printer to be placed much further from the printing computer. In general, a printer is connected to the PrintServer, the PrintServer is then connected to the network. When a computer is installed on the network, the default printer is then assigned to a network port instead of the standard parallel port (LPT1). The PrintServers usually come with software which when installed, provides the proper network port needed by the printer. The port is configured to use the available network protocols to allow all clients to print to the printer by default. |
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