Travelling with Laptop and Printer

Wriman · Newbie

Travelling with Laptop and Printer

Joe50 · Guru

Depends on how your laptop connects to the internet. I have a Telstra 4G wireless modem/router which can have up to 5 devices connected, two of which are my PC and printer. Otherwise, if you only have a USB dongle modem, you can get a stand-alone wireless router to provide the WiFi laptop-printer connection. Friends of mine have a D-Link WiFi router which also accepts the Telstra 4G USB dongle and is set up to log into Bigpond - their laptops share the internet connection and the printer.

Joe

FYI the D-Link router my friends have is a DWR-113

-- Edited by jpw50 on Thursday 23rd of January 2014 08:27:19 PM

Roving-Dutchy · Guru

Your laptop can print to the printer by wireless if it is a wireless printer you just need to load the installation disc that came with your printer and follow the setup instructions or you can plug the printer into a USB port on your computer and again follow the setup.
Cheers
David

pauline · Guru

That is what I do David..............works fine

Wriman · Newbie

Ok I will try your method David before we hit the road!

Dunmowin · Guru

Welcome to the forum. Something to bear in mind, while your laptop can work with out power (for a while) I don't think there are any printers - yet - that run off 12 volt. So, to use your printer, you will need to either be on 240v power, i.e. in a caravan park, or run the generator.

-- Edited by Dunmowin on Thursday 23rd of January 2014 10:59:23 PM

NeilandRaine · Guru

Dunmowin wrote:
Welcome to the forum. Something to bear in mind, while your laptop can work with out power (for a while) I don't think there are any printers - yet - that run off 12 volt. So, to use your printer, you will need to either be on 240v power, i.e. in a caravan park, or run the generator.

-- Edited by Dunmowin on Thursday 23rd of January 2014 10:59:23 PM

or get an inverter

native pepper · Senior Member

Dunmowin wrote:
Welcome to the forum. Something to bear in mind, while your laptop can work with out power (for a while) I don't think there are any printers - yet - that run off 12 volt. So, to use your printer, you will need to either be on 240v power, i.e. in a caravan park, or run the generator.

-- Edited by Dunmowin on Thursday 23rd of January 2014 10:59:23 PM

Canon, HP and a number of other make battery operated printers, there are a.so A4 portable laser printers as well and not that expensive.

_wombat_ · Master (of Mischief)

Would depend on how much printing you need to do, to save space in the van I leave printers at home, if I need to print I go to any local libuary and print there, 10c-20 each A4 sheet.

PS you will need to take your laptop to the libuary with you biggrin biggrin

-- Edited by _wombat_ on Friday 24th of January 2014 08:59:24 AM

Roving-Dutchy · Guru

Instead of taking your laptop to the library put the documents on a USB drive and then print from that at the library.
USB drives are extremely handy when travelling I use them every day to back up any photos taken that day so I then have a copy on the computer and also a USB drive, it's very easy to carry out this backup.
Cheers
David

_wombat_ · Master (of Mischief)

Roving-Dutchy wrote:
Instead of taking your laptop to the library put the documents on a USB drive and then print from that at the library.
USB drives are extremely handy when travelling I use them every day to back up any photos taken that day so I then have a copy on the computer and also a USB drive, it's very easy to carry out this backup.
Cheers
David

good idea, I never thought of that but then I'm only a wombat. biggrin

thanks for the tip

Dougwe · Chief one feather

_wombat_ wrote:
Would depend on how much printing you need to do, to save space in the van I leave printers at home, if I need to print I go to any local libuary and print there, 10c-20 each A4 sheet.
PS you will need to take your laptop to the libuary with you

-- Edited by _wombat_ on Friday 24th of January 2014 08:59:24 AM

Gee bigW that's a bit rich mate, for 10-20c I would want them to provide the laptop as well.

_wombat_ · Master (of Mischief)

Dougwe, we all know you are a scrooge biggrin biggrin

where have you been? have not seen you around for a couple days, getting ready for Tassie are you?

On the plus side it's been nice to have a rest from Dougwe. biggrin

When are you going to use that new av with the backpackers turned around facing the front? biggrin

Dougwe · Chief one feather

You neglected to send that one.

_wombat_ · Master (of Mischief)

Dougwe wrote:
You neglected to send that one.

biggrin biggrin biggrin biggrin biggrin biggrin biggrin biggrin biggrin biggrin biggrin

Sherio · Veteran Member

You can also save to SkyDrive or similar and print off that in a library - saves having a USB. But I carry a printer for convenience and use the inverter when we're on solar.

_wombat_ · Master (of Mischief)

another good idea, thanks Sherio, and welcome to GN

Pete49 · Senior Member

On the plus side using a usb avoids getting a virus from the place you use for printing. Rare but beats losing the lot

Pete

_wombat_ · Master (of Mischief)

Pete49 wrote:
On the plus side using a usb avoids getting a virus from the place you use for printing. Rare but beats losing the lot
Pete

Regular backups also ensure's you do not lose the lot.

Bello · Veteran Member

G'day, I run my laptop and printer through an inverter from my battery supply, have done for about 14 years, different computer and printer every now and then, and have had no trouble. I have a small printer which is no trouble to pack.

Keep the battery charged with a genny or 240 when in a 'van park (that is rare).

Good luck

spida · Guru

I have a cheap light colour printer scanner which is wireless but needs power. Scanner is great for documents to email etc. Do my business cards as well. Cartridges cost the same as the printer!!!!

grae and deb · Senior Member

depends on budget but re printers , canon and hp make a 12volt or battery printer ,our is te hp 100 officejet , a little ripper , does even good 6x4 photos on gloss paper
runs on battery or 240v battery will do a lotof pages
we also run a telstra dongle 4g ,best coverage for oz , simple to set up , good luck with it
these little printers are often hard to find , we found ours in office works before we left last year

BlodandPJ · Member

This is the sort of helpful advice I am looking for as have been unable to work out how to post a question myself, my other question is with its scanning ablities as we want to do digital and scan and shred all our old paperwork. and I have a lot!! does it have an auto feeder so I don't have to si there and feed one at a time and does it have double sided ability so I don't have to turn pages over?

thanks BlodandPJ