Print Servers

[TriedandTested]

Can someone explain how these work?

For example; currently we have few network printers (good ones) and lots of desktop inkjets connected locally to a workstation and shared.

What do print servers do differently...and how?

Thanks.

 

[csmager]

They don't have a keyboard, mouse, montor, lots of memory, an HDD, fast CPU... etc.

Basically, they just took one task a PC can do, and it only does that... works in a pretty similar way though.

If the server wasn't specifically designed for the printer it's connected to (external vs. the built in ones), then you might struggle with getting feedback like ink levels, paper jams and the like. Same with Windows Print Sharing in most cases.

 

[Curiosityx]

They exist only to act a medium between the client pc and the printer, you still have to share the printers off a host machine though but you specify an IP address for the printer instead of a local port.