Many organizations have also realized that without Wi-Fi 6 devices connected to that new Wi-Fi 6 network, there were more vulnerabilities than they could tolerate in their upgraded wireless environment.
Once you have got a shortlist of Wi-Fi 6 printers ready, there are a couple more things to consider:
- How much will your workers be moving around? Will they stay inside the four walls of your store, warehouse, hospital or plant? Will they need to work outside on occasion, perhaps in the garden center, in the curbside pickup/returns lot, or at a blood drive? This will help you determine how much coverage – and, specifically, how many access points – you will need to ensure a consistent connection. You need to ensure workers can print labels, receipts and more in place, no matter where they’re working.
- How many devices will the printers need to connect to, and how easily can they connect? Although you may have a mixed form factor or mixed model device fleet from a mobile computing and scanning perspective, the goal is to find a single mobile printer model that can connect to all those devices. It will make fleet management so much easier (and IT so much happier).
Reaping the benefits of Wi-Fi 6 transformation
While no organization enjoys having to start over, or rip and replace, there are also benefits from such changes.
Technically, you could still use Wi-Fi 5 devices on your Wi-Fi 6 network (and vice versa), but then you will not get the full benefit of your Wi-Fi 6 network unless you are also using Wi-Fi 6 devices.
When you have a high density of connected devices relying on the same access point, and you are trying to use older technology from either a network or device perspective, you will face performance issues. You can connect more Wi-Fi 6 devices to Wi-Fi 6 access points than you can by connecting Wi-Fi 5 devices to Wi-Fi 6 access points, or Wi-Fi 5 devices to Wi-Fi 5 access points.
When you connect the right devices to that network, such as Wi-Fi 6 printers or mobile computers, then you are going to get better device performance because it is going to run faster than a Wi-Fi 5 device on a Wi-Fi 6 network. In turn, the whole operation is going to run smoother, and your business will get a better ROI for all its Wi-Fi 6 investments in aggregate.
Your team will be able to more quickly and consistently connect to the network which, in turn, will enable them to efficiently print business-critical things like the labels, shelf edge labels, and RFID tags that help you make and save money by enabling you to more accurately track, manage and move goods.
They will also be able to complete print jobs and process transactions for both purchases and returns faster, which will help eliminate friction in the checkout and returns processes and help make you a hero with both customers and employees.
Zebra provides a comprehensive range of Wi-Fi 6 printers, allowing customers to transition to Wi-Fi 6 networks seamlessly. They are available in either Industrial printers that designed for high-volume applications and harsh environments, Desktop printers that are compact and simple to operate or Mobile printers that enables mobility and increases workers’ productivity.
The choice is yours
For organizations that care about adopting the latest wireless technology to maximize productivity, Wi-Fi 6-enabled Zebra mobile, desktop, and industrial printers are integral to their business operations and productivity.
With Zebra’s industrial printers for harsh and demanding environments, desktop printers that are compact and simple to operate, or mobile printers that enable mobility and increase workers’ productivity, your organization can maximize the benefits of its wireless networks with:
- The latest best-in-class security
- More seamless roaming
- Faster and more reliable connections
- Higher client device density per access point