When you print out a document, the printer is usually fairly close by–if not sitting next to the computer, then perhaps down the hall or in an adjacent room. But it’s also possible to print across the Internet to a printer in another location, and a relatively straightforward way to gain this capability (it works over HTTP, so there are no router/firewall issues to deal with) is to use a free utility from Printer Anywhere Inc. called PrinterShare (available for Windows, Mac or Linux).
By routing print jobs (over an encrypted link) through a central server, PrinterShare can output documents to the printer of another system running the PrinterShare software.
Why Print From a Distance?
There are various occasions when remotely printing a document might make more sense than simply sending it electronically, like as an e-mail attachment. One is if you want to maintain a certain level of control over a sensitive document–e-mails can be easily forwarded (often mistakenly) without your knowledge or permission, and sending only a paper copy makes unauthorized/unintended dissemination a lot harder.
Other possible scenarios include if the recipient doesn’t have the software to open the file you want to send, an alternative to sending a fax, or if you want to send a document to a somebody that’s not too comfortable dealing with e-mail attachments.
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