The curse that is Brother wirless printing

[toad]

Really, I had it working and I really liked the print results. Then it just went away. I tried for about an hour to get it back and then said to heck with it. I looked through two boxes of junk searching for a USB cable. I had a couple but they were the wrong type for computer to printer hook up. I checked online for the right type. My local Walmart had a reasonably priced model. So I dragged my old bod the half block to it. Good grief, they have cables scattered all over the place. I finally found a guy free to show me where the type I wanted was at. He took me right to the site....where all the hooks for computer to printer cables were empty. He said they did have one model left but it was the expensive Belkin $20 type. So he took me over to the aisle across from the printers and there lying flat on a shelf, dang near invisible were the cables. I was too tired to slit throats and scream so I just bought the flushinger cable.
I got online and found that Brother had a upgrade for the software. Of course you first have to download an app to remove the old software. The when I'm downloading the new stuff I had to be careful to decline the extras they wanted to dump on me.
A heck of a lot of folderal just to load bus routes and how toos.

[HTRN]

Brother wifi printing not working? Shocked, I tell you shocked!

[Netpackrat]

Brother wifi printing not working? Shocked, I tell you shocked!

No kidding. Not sure why anybody would put themselves through that in a world with $100 HP wireless laser printers.

[evan price]

Somebody bought one at work for the utility printer. It's been 5 years. Never have gotten the wifi working. And then the Brother half-full toner cartridges are great too... why did anybody buy anything but HP?

[toad]

I saw that Brother monochrome laser printer at Wally World, is was about $20 cheaper than the HP. I thought surely Brother has worked the bugs out after all of the complaints over the year.....yeah I know, sucker. I didn't know about the capacity difference between the included toner cartridge and the replacement cartridge either until I looked up cartridge prices on line. I'm thinking it will be more economical for me to get rid of the Brother when the cartridge runs out. Maybe I could trade it for a ham sandwich or something.

[HTRN]

I reiterate my previous advice about buying a refurbed HP.

Or you could spend 40 bucks and buy this.

[toad]

Since I can't ride the bike that far or carry that printer in Lewisville on the motorcycle, I'd have to rent a vehicle. Then I'm pretty sure I'd have to spring for toner. by the time you add up the costs.......It either mail order or haul my cart to Wally World or Sam's.

[Greg]

I reiterate my previous advice about buying a refurbed HP.

Or you could spend 40 bucks and buy this.

Funny. I'm a bit of a technophile, but I hate shit that doesn't WORK. Because that's what technology is FOR, to help you get shit done. So I personally tend to embrace the more mature technologies. I like to stay right on the line of things that are 'becoming mature'.

Anyway, HP isn't what it used to be. (Nothing is.)

Unless you get one of the high-end heavy duty corporate monstrosity HP printers (and like HTRN says, you should buy those refurbed), you're not getting what you like to think you're getting. HP 'personal' printers have been getting cheaper and nastier for a long time. 15+ years ago my $400 Samsung monochrome laser was a much better piece of hardware than the equivalent $400 HP monochrome personal laser (a friend's gf had one), and things haven't gotten better for the HP's since then. If you buy a decent quality printer (i.e. not a 'host' printer) from most any manufacturer, you should be fine.

But certain things to avoid. Ink jets never work right (the way they claim to, the way you think they should), they will clog, the ink will dry out- printer's dirt cheap but your life will become a nightmare of expensive, short-lived consumables. Wireless printing never works right. Go with a wired, monochrome laser. Look at lots of reviews online. There are perfectly good models from Brother, Samsung, HP (just don't pay extra for the name), etc. If you need to print pictures, upload them to Costco, etc.

[Denis]

Go with a wired, monochrome laser.

+1. My HP LaserJet 1100A was a high-$ item when new, is probably 20 years old by now, frugal with toner, a fine standby photocopier, and it has never given any trouble, other then I can't find Linux drivers for the scanner feature (too old).

I also got it for free

[Denis]

Or you could spend 40 bucks and buy this.

Those are the business! I have personally put tons of paper through those. If I could find one that cheap here, I'd be right onto it...