Difference Between a Network Printer & a USB Printer

Network printers can be accessed by multiple computers.

USB printers use a direct connection between the printer and one computer. Network printers connect to a network and can be accessed by multiple machines. In both cases, connections can be wired or wireless. USB printers tend to be cheaper and more widely available than network printers. There are several workarounds for using a USB printer on a computer network, including sharing access via the connected computer, using wireless connections or converting the printer through a plug-in device.

USB Printers

A USB printer is connected directly to an individual computer by a USB cable. This method means it is easy to connect such a printer to any computer that has a USB port. This is far more common than the older serial or parallel printer ports, which are rare on modern machines, particularly portable computers such as netbooks and laptops. A USB printer usually can be plugged and unplugged without the need to restart a computer before printing.

Network Printers

A network printer is not tied to any particular computer. It can be accessed by any computer on the same network. In most home set-ups, this means the printer is connected to a router either with a wired connection or wirelessly, in the same way as the various computers in the home. The key advantage is that as long as the printer is switched on, any computer can print to it.

Sharing

Most USB printers that are connect to one machine can be set up to be accessible to other computers on a network. This can be done through the Control Panel in Windows, or the USB Printer Sharing application on Macs. The major drawback of this option is that the computer connected directly to the printer must be turned on and logged in for the printer to be accessible to other machines.

Print servers

A USB printer can be converted to act in the same way as a network-ready printer by adding a USB print server. This is a hardware device that plugs into the USB port of the printer and then connects to a network, either wirelessly or by an Ethernet cable. The device simply replicates the internal print server that is built into a network printer. Prices start from around $50.

Wireless

Some printers can connect wirelessly. With a network printer, this connection will be between the printer and the network router, and it will usually be through Wi-Fi. With a USB printer, the connection will be between the printer and the computer and will usually be through Bluetooth or infra-red. This can save the need for constant connection and disconnection of the printer, particularly with portable computers that are used in multiple locations. One drawback of infra-red is that it requires a direct line of sight between the computer and the printer.

References

• PCMag
• PC Stats