We went and saw a client in Blackburn South who was trying to sort out a networking issue with a laser printer. Where the printer was located in the office was not ideal and he wished to move it to an alternative location; only trouble was, there were no hardwired network ports, nor did the printer have wireless capabilities – what to do?
As the printer only had Ethernet (wired network) or USB connectivity, one option would be to get an electrician or cabler onsite to install a network cable to the new place where the printer would live; however, this is a costly exercise. An alternative way of connecting the printer is to use a couple of Ethernet over power line adapters!
Using this technology is a great option when Wi-Fi or a cabled connection just aren’t possible or cost effective. The way it works is by using your existing 240v home/office electricity circuit to create a network link. The electrical wiring in your home or office transfers electricity at the Australian standard frequency of 50Hz (some other countries like the US use 60Hz) but is able to support a variety of frequencies other than this. Extra data is able to be sent along the same lines using higher frequencies; similarly to how ADSL is able to work over typical phone lines.
Once the adapters were connected, one on each end, everything just worked, quickly and easily without any time consuming configuration involved.
The customer was very happy, as we saved him time and money.
If you need help with a networking issue, we are here to help you. Our number is 0447 619 397 or you can send us an enquiry, either through our contact page, by Facebook or by email, helpme@ckpcomputers.com.au.