When to Move From USB-Only Printer to Network/Wi-Fi Model

When to Stick With USB

USB Is Fine If:

• You only print from one computer that's next to the printer
• You print rarely (less than once a week)
• You never print from phones or tablets
• You live alone or nobody else needs the printer
• Your printer is old but works perfectly (no reason to replace it just for Wi-Fi)

USB printing is actually more reliable than wireless - there's no network to troubleshoot, no connection drops, no password issues. If your current setup works and you don't feel limited, there's no reason to upgrade.

When Wireless Makes a Huge Difference

Upgrade to Wi-Fi If:

1. You Print From Multiple Devices

If you have a laptop, desktop, tablet, and phone - and you print from any of them - wireless is game-changing. No more emailing documents to yourself or carrying files on a USB drive just to print.

With wireless: Print from your laptop in the living room, your phone at the kitchen table, your tablet in bed. The printer is available to every device on your network.

2. Multiple People Need to Print

In a family or small office, USB means only one person can print - whoever's at the connected computer. Everyone else has to save files, transfer them, and ask that person to print.

With wireless: Everyone prints directly. No middleman, no file transfers, no interrupting each other.

3. You Print From Your Phone

This is the biggest reason people upgrade. Modern life means documents on your phone:

• Boarding passes
• Concert tickets
• Receipts and confirmations
• Photos from your camera roll
• PDFs attached to emails

Without wireless: You have to email it to yourself, open it on the connected computer, then print. Annoying.

With wireless: Open the document on your phone, tap print, done in 10 seconds.

4. Your Printer Is In a Different Room

If your printer is in a home office but you work from your laptop in the living room, wireless means you don't have to get up and carry your laptop to the printer every time.

5. You Work From Multiple Locations in Your Home

Kitchen table, couch, office, bedroom - if you move around with your laptop, wireless printing saves you from having to go to one specific desk to print.

6. You're Replacing Your Printer Anyway

If you're buying a new printer for any reason, get one with Wi-Fi. It costs maybe $20-30 more than USB-only models, and you'll appreciate the flexibility even if you don't think you need it now.

What You Gain With Wireless

• Print from anywhere in your house
• Print from phones and tablets (iOS, Android)
• Print from Chromebooks (which often don't work well with USB printers)
• No cable clutter
• Printer can be anywhere (doesn't have to be next to a computer)
• Guest printing (visitors can print if you give them network access)
• Cloud printing features (print from anywhere via internet with some models)

What You Lose (Potential Downsides)

• Slightly less reliable: Wi-Fi can drop, networks can have issues
• Setup complexity: Connecting to Wi-Fi is harder than plugging in USB
• Security considerations: Network printers are accessible to anyone on your network
• Troubleshooting: More things can go wrong (router issues, network settings, etc.)

The Middle Ground: USB + Network Sharing

If you don't want to buy a new printer but want some wireless benefits, you can share a USB printer over your network:

1. Connect the printer via USB to one computer (the "host")
2. Enable printer sharing in Windows/Mac settings
3. Other computers on the network can print through the host computer

Catch: The host computer must be turned on for others to print. And it doesn't work for phone/tablet printing.

What to Look For in a Wireless Printer

If you're upgrading, get:

• Dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4GHz and 5GHz) for better reliability
• AirPrint support (for Apple devices)
• Google Cloud Print alternative (HP Smart, Epson Connect, etc.)
• Ethernet port as a backup (more reliable than Wi-Fi for stationary printers)
• Wi-Fi Direct (lets you print without joining a network)

Cost Comparison

Wireless doesn't cost much more:

• USB-only inkjet: $50-80
• Wi-Fi inkjet: $70-100
• USB-only laser: $100-150
• Wi-Fi laser: $130-180

The $20-30 difference is worth it if you'll use the wireless features even occasionally.