AmbiCom WPKIT Wireless Printer Adapter

by Ambicom

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B0000DBJDO
• Item model number: WPKIT
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: September 16, 2003

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

This wireless printer kit from AmbiCom is designed to turn your printer into a wireless device, eliminating the need for inconvenient and dangerous networking cables. The kit is compatible with a wide range of printers and includes one wireless printer adapter and one wireless printer slave adapter. You can add up to 30 printer slave adapters to a wireless printer network, enabling up to 30 computers to print from a single printer.

The adapters are easy to set up and connect to both your computer and network printer through their respective USB ports. 128-bit encryption helps to protect the security of your network, while the 2.4 GHz frequency hopping spread spectrum signal delivers a wireless range of up to 100 feet in a closed environment and up to 250 feet in an open environment. The kit works with both PC and Mac platforms and comes backed with a one-year limited warranty.

What's in the Box
One WP-SA wireless printer slave adapter, one WP-MA wireless printer adapter, documentation

Product Description

Ambicom WPKIT Wireless Printer Kit

See all Product Description

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

202 of 202 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wireless printing easy and comparatively affordable, January 29, 2004

By 

mommacass "mommacass" (Palmyra, VA United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: AmbiCom WPKIT Wireless Printer Adapter (Office Product)

As usual, when it comes to electronic gizmos, Amazon doesn't provide a lot of info on this, but I took the leap and bought it and now I'll give you the low down so you can decide if this baby is what you are looking for. Basically, this is a USB cable minus the cable. You plug one gizmo (the printer adaptor) into your printer and the other gizmo (the slave adaptor) into your USB port on your computer and you can print just as if you had the cable pluged in. If you have more than one computer, you can buy more slave adaptors separately to plug into each of them (Amazon sells these also). Now, my printer was already installed on both of my computers before I used this. I plugged this in and was able to print from both computers without problem. Ambicom has a website that gives better detail concerning printer compatability. Some printers will print more slowly using this gizmo but I didn't have that problem with my hp5650. Just check the chart on the web site before you buy this, the one on Amazon isn't detailed enough.

What I like:
1. You don't have to have a wireless network setup for this to work. It works all by itself between the printer and whatever computers you plug the slave adaptors into. If you do have a network setup, this isn't dependent on your setup so you don't have to worry about compatability issues.
2. No need for a "printer server" or any of that other confusing and expensive hardware.
3. No software to install for this gizmo to work. As long as you have your USB printer driver installed on your computer and you are already printing with a regular USB cable, just pull the cable and plug this in instead.
4. Works in a 100 foot radius.

What I don't like so much
1. The adaptors stick out about two inches from your computer and printer. Not generally a big deal, but my toddler and baby find the slave adaptor sticking out of my laptop fascinating and they have a tendency to yank it out. Of course, that's not a problem if you have two inches of space and no kiddos.

Things to keep in mind
1. The adaptor that plugs into your printer does need to be plugged in to a power source, which shouldn't be a problem since the printer has to be plugged into a power source. It does come with it's own power cable.
2. It is not compatable with all printers and the list on Amazon is not completely accurate, so check out the chart on the Ambicom website.
3. This item is actually both adaptors - one for your printer and one for one computer. To hook up additional computers, buy a slave adaptor (also sold on Amazon) for each additional computer you want connected.

48 of 51 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Does not work with all-in-one (print/copy/scan) printers, January 12, 2005

By 

Amazon.com Monkey - See all my reviews

This review is from: AmbiCom WPKIT Wireless Printer Adapter (Office Product)

Before ordering, you should know from Ambicom's own support website that "The following printers will not compatible with the wireless printer kit:

Laser printer

Inkjet printer with memory card reader

Photo printer with memory card reader

Multi-functional (All-In-One) printer

and printer that is not listed on the chart"

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Kept Wireless Printing Secret, April 8, 2004

By 

Robert Salita "Software Developer" (CHI PAR PHX SYD PDX CLD NKC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: AmbiCom WPKIT Wireless Printer Adapter (Office Product)

Until wireless USB becomes available, this amazing gadget is a great way to roam and print. It functions as a wireless printer cable featuring bi-directional printing. Toss away your existing USB printer cable, plug in one USB adapter gizmo into your notebook, the other USB adapter gizmo into your USB printer -- voila, instant wireless USB printing. Its that simple (well, not quite, the printer adapter only worked when I used the supplied USB extension cable). The printer adapter requires use of the supplied AC-DC adapter (110v to 240v).

My computer is an HP zt3000 notebook. Printer is a Canon i80. Works great with the i80 although not documented as a compatible printer. Perhaps many non-documented printers will work also, YMMV. My wireless test range was 100 feet through one wall. The range is identical to my wireless router range. Aparently this gadget uses bluetooth, it is only pairs between the two supplied adapters, not possible to pair with any other devices (missed opportunity here).

This gizmo is better than using a print server because it allows bi-directional printing. However, I've got to wonder if there's problems with security or interference from other nearby units. So maybe its best to keep it a secret afterall.