NFC and Printers
With NFC, you can use your printer to print directly from your mobile device without either device being part of a wired or wireless network. Most major printer makers (such as HP, Brother, Canon, and Epson) have implemented NFC on many printers. Most NFC-ready machines have an NFC mark on them for touch-to-print and scanning operations.
Canon has included NFC in some of its recent digital cameras. Photos can be printed directly from the camera to the printer with either a close proximity wave or by holding the camera close to the printer and pressing a button on the camera screen. The action works similarly for smartphones and tablets.
Epson deployed NFC in several of its all-in-one printers, such as the WorkForce Pro WF-4630 All-in-One. Brother included NFC in some of its high-end models, such as the MFC-J5620DW wide-format model.
How NFC Works for Printing
The initiating NFC device (such as a smartphone) sends a request for a connection or a tag. In turn, the receiving device (such as a printer) sends an NFC tag. After the two devices authenticate in this way, they exchange data (such as a smartphone sending a document to the printer for printing). These actions are completed with no drivers required.
