Epson is using its booth at this year’s Macworld Expo in San Francisco to show off a new wireless printing technology that is based on the same foundation as Apple’s AirPort scheme.
The demonstration uses a Macintosh PowerBook equipped with an Apple AirPort card to print directly to the new EPSON Stylus Color 880i printer using the 802.11b standard.
The new Epson wireless print server will enable Epson’s networkable ink jet printers to wirelessly connect to local area networks using the IEEE-802.11b communication standard.
Wireless networks based on the 802.11b standard operate at up to 11 Megabits per second and have a range of 150-300 feet, depending upon the density of the walls and floors the radio signal passes through to reach the print server. The 802.11b communication standard does not require a clear line of sight to print.
“With an extensive range and fast transmission speeds, wireless networking using 802.11b has significant potential to enhance convenience for a variety of applications,” said Mitch Kadish, senior product manager, connectivity products, Epson.
The Epson 802.11b wireless print server is an option that attaches to the parallel port of Epson’s networkable ink jet printers. The unit will be available in the second quarter of this year.