Optimal BYOD & Guest Printing Access for Office & Events

Corporate events are no longer limited to paper sign-in sheets and static information packs. Delegates arrive with their own laptops, mobiles, tablets and even Chromebooks, laptop, Mac and public computers at locations like the library, expecting to connect, share and print on demand.

This is reflective of the broader BYOD (bring your own device) culture across Australian workplaces, with hybrid work and mobile productivity now the norm. Managing printing across different operating systems is a major challenge for IT administrators.

Modern guest printing solutions offer many features to support these devices. Cloud printing solutions can also help organisations reduce IT infrastructure costs by eliminating the need for print servers.

Guest access provides temporary, controlled printing for non-employees such as speakers and visitors. Access is usually authenticated by email verification, a QR code, a PIN or a disposable account. Robust implementations keep devices isolated from production systems, encrypt jobs in transit and use secure release at the printer so documents are not left unattended.

Challenges of Guest Access

Providing guest printing at scale introduces a few common issues, including: Planning for these prevents queues, security incidents and help desk spikes.

Without management guest printing can also consume a lot of bandwidth, storage space and printer resources which can strain event infrastructure.

• Security and data protection: open networks and shared passwords increase risk. Use network isolation for guests, encrypt jobs in transit and require secure release at the device with a PIN, QR code or single sign-on.
• Device and driver diversity: attendees arrive with iOS, Android, Windows, macOS and Chromebooks. Prefer driverless workflows such as email to print or a universal print queue so users don’t need to install drivers.
• Venue network constraints: busy venues have congested Wi-Fi, captive portals and strict firewalls. Make sure your solution can work over standard ports and provide an email workflow as a fallback. Some solutions offer installation-free workflows for guests. Network limitations such as firewall restrictions or VPN settings can also prevent guests from connecting to printers, so testing and preparation are key.
• Scalability and throughput: print demand spikes at registration and session changeovers. Use follow me queues, load balance across multiple printers and keep consumables ready so devices don’t go offline.
• Cost control and payment: apply colour rules, quotas and print accounting. If public printing is offered, enable pay per print via card or pre-loaded funds and log jobs for audit.
• User experience and support: the process should be a simple two- or three-step flow. For example, scan a QR code, send to the displayed email address, collect with a PIN. Provide clear signage near the printers and a short quick-start card at registration.
• Compliance and privacy: align settings with the Australian Privacy Act and your internal policy. Retain only the minimum necessary job data and set short expiry for uncollected jobs.

Top Solutions for Secure Printing and BYOD Printing

There is no one size fits all platform. For corporate events, prioritise driverless workflows, secure release at the device, simple onboarding for guests and clear reporting for admins.

Pair your chosen platform with pre-configured device configurations so devices arrive ready to use and can be scaled up or down for the event.

The options below are widely used for BYOD and guest printing and work across iOS, Android, Windows, macOS and Chromebooks.

Comparison overview

Solution	How guests print	Security and control	Best for	Ease for guests
PaperCut Mobility Print	Native share to print, email to print, QR codes	Secure release with PIN or card, quotas, print accounting	Large conferences and multi-room venues	Simple
ezeep	Email to print or lightweight app, browser portal	Job isolation in the cloud, optional SSO, detailed logs	Pop-up events and external contractors	Simple
PrinterLogic	Temporary guest accounts, web submission	Granular access control, auditing, follow me queues	Paid public printing or mixed staff and visitor use	Medium
UniPrint Infinity	Follow me printing, mobile and email submission	Secure release, compression for congested links	Corporate retreats and distributed floors	Medium
Princh	App or browser-based workflows with card payment	Built-in pay per print, usage tracking	Paid printing at public or semi-public areas	Simple

 

In practice, our team prioritises a network-first approach. Rather than prescribing a specific print app, we recommend coordinating with venue IT to enable station-to-station traffic on the event Wi-Fi and to allow rental printers onto the network. This typically delivers a simpler, more reliable BYOD experience. – Neil Levin

When to choose what

• If you need the fastest onboarding, choose an email to print workflow and display the address on the sign at registration.
• If security is top priority, require PIN or QR release and set short expiry for uncollected jobs.
• If you’re setting up a user-pays system, select a platform with pay per print or integrate with a card or funds system.
• If the venue network is unreliable, make sure the solution works over standard ports and test on both Wi-Fi and mobile hotspots.
• Choose a solution that offers advanced print options and features to meet different user needs, such as secure print release, device compatibility and flexible guest printing workflows.

BYOD Printing Benefits

BYOD and guest printing improves the event experience while giving organisers control over cost and risk. Attendees can print from their personal devices with a simple two- or three-step process, so it’s easy for everyone, including students, to print without hassle. Users can print from their mobile device to any printer via secure print release with PaperCut Mobility Print.

IT doesn’t have to build permanent infrastructure for a short period of demand. But user confusion about how to print can result in frustration and support requests for IT teams, so clear instructions and support are key.

• Better guest experience: native share to print on mobile, quick email to print and QR or PIN collection keeps queues moving. Clear signage and a quick-start card reduce questions.
• Lower cost to serve: rental printers avoid capital expense. Apply colour rules, duplex by default, quotas and print accounting. If charging is required, enable pay per print with card or pre-loaded funds and log every job for audit.
• Stronger security: isolate guest devices from the network, encrypt jobs in transit and use secure release at the device. Set short expiry for uncollected prints and require username and password for staff.
• Scales reliably: follow me queues and multiple devices absorb peaks at registration and session changeovers. Works across iOS, Android, Windows, macOS and Chromebooks, even when the venue Wi-Fi is busy.
• Actionable insight: dashboards and reports show usage per site, device and user, which helps with capacity planning and post-event review. These solutions provide a reliable service for both event organisers and attendees.

How to implement

Follow these steps to implement guest printing at your event.

1. Assess: estimate attendees, print volume and peak times. Note device mix across iOS, Android, Windows, macOS and Chromebooks.
2. Choose app or browser: select a driverless solution such as Princh, ezeep, UniPrint Infinity, PrinterLogic or PaperCut Mobility Print. Get pre-configured printer rentals so devices arrive ready to use.
3. Guest access: enable email to print or a simple web portal for guests to submit a file (e.g. PDF) for printing. Set a single guest queue and require PIN or QR release with short expiry for uncollected jobs.
4. Venue prep: test Wi-Fi and fallback connectivity. Guests can use email or web submission depending on their preference. Place printers near registration and high traffic areas and display the print address and two- or three-step instructions on the sign.
5. Staff and admin training: brief registration staff on resetting guest PINs and basic triage. Ensure admins can review logs, quotas and payment settings.
6. Monitor and optimise: watch queues during the first session changeover, shift load as needed and capture reporting for post-event review. Enable duplex by default and colour controls to manage cost.

Why rent for temporary event printing

Buying printers for occasional conferences ties up capital when devices end up sitting idle in off-peak periods. Short-term, pre-configured printer rentals give you the capacity you need for the event window and then scale back to zero when it ends.

A complete event printing solution includes both hardware and software support for seamless operation.

• No capital expense: pay only for the days used, with delivery, set up and collection included.
• Manage costs:  only pay per pages printed, not for full sets of toner
• Fast deployment: units arrive configured for your chosen app or browser, queues and secure release.
• Scale on demand: match device numbers to delegate counts, session rooms and peak times.
• Lower operational risk: printer rentals are a managed service; hardware swap-outs, consumables and basic support are handled for you.
• Cost transparency: clear per day pricing supports procurement approvals and post-event reporting.
• Focus on the experience: your team can serve delegates instead of troubleshooting drivers.

Ready to make BYOD printing simple?

BYOD and guest printing allows organisations to deliver a seamless experience for delegates while maintaining control over cost, security and compliance.

With the right platform, secure release at the device and simple onboarding, you can support laptops, mobiles and tablets across iOS, Android, Windows, macOS and Chromebooks so you can print from any major operating system without opening up your production network.

A tried and tested guest printing solution can also protect guest data and ensure compliance with security regulations. For corporate events, the best approach is to pair a driverless print solution with short-term, pre-configured printers that match your expected demand.

Define the workflow, prepare the venue, brief staff and create a seamless guest printing experience, then monitor and optimise during the first peak period. The result is a professional, reliable print experience that reflects well on your brand and keeps queues moving.

Next step: if you’re planning an event and need help with BYOD printing and guest access, get in touch for a customised rental plan and configuration guidance.

FAQs

Can printing be enabled without giving guests full network access?

Yes. Modern BYOD printing solutions use secure, isolated methods such as email to print, QR codes or temporary guest accounts. Visitors can print without being added to your internal network, which protects sensitive data. Guests can find their print jobs at the print release station, so only authorised users can collect their documents.

What’s the easiest way to enable BYOD printing at a corporate event?

Use pre-configured printer rentals with a cloud print platform. Guests can send documents directly from laptops or mobiles without drivers. PaperCut Mobility Print and ezeep both support simple, secure workflows. Web Print is an optional feature in PaperCut MF and PaperCut NG that allows users to upload their documents for printing via any web browser without installation.

How do we keep event printing secure?

Require hold and release queues, PIN codes or QR code authentication. Set short expiry for uncollected jobs and encrypt data in transit. Use secure print and print release features to ensure only authorised users can access and collect sensitive documents. Keep guest devices isolated from production systems.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy printers for events?

Renting is usually more cost effective for short-term or occasional events. It avoids capital expense, paying for toner that isn’t used, includes pre-configuration and support and eliminates long-term storage and maintenance.