Networked in-vehicle printer and WiFi

We just finished setting up a network printer in a car!  One of our clients is a busy executive that spends a lot of time in the car during a regular work-day.  His assistant needed a way to get hard-copies of documents to him while he was away from the office, so we came up with a plan to make this possible using some cool technology.

The printer we chose was an HP ENVY 100 because it had two features we needed: built-in WiFi for networking and it’s ePrint-enabled, so print jobs can be emailed directly to the printer.  To allow remote printing on-the-go, we used an Autonet Mobile modem to turn the car into a rolling WiFi hotspot.  Autonet Mobile specializes in 3G modems that are designed to be installed in your car; they’re being factory-installed by GM, Chrysler, Subaru, Volkswagen, and other manufacturers.  The CarFi modem that we used includes a docking station that allows the modem to be transferred between different vehicles.

The printer is powered by an inverter hidden in the trunk and as soon as the car starts, the printer and modem both come online automatically.  The modem connects to the internet via a 3G data network the same as many cellular providers use; it then creates a WiFi network that the printer automatically recognizes and connects to.  Once connected, documents can be emailed directly to the printer from anywhere and from any device.  HP also provides an ePrint Center that allows the printer and print jobs to be monitored in real time from a web browser.  These two devices work beautifully in conjunction.

The entire solution can be purchased on Amazon and installed in just a few days. Click to see the items you’ll need. “>