Archive for the ‘Printer Setup and Maintenance’ Category

Are you unable to view the status of the jobs in your network print queue?

We all know that the computer must communicate with the printer in order for data to successfully be transferred and documents to be printed.  However, bidirectional support allows the printer to communicate back to the computer as well, delivering essential information such as the print queue status and ink or toner levels.

Most current machines enable this bidirectional communication automatically.  When the printer is not communicating back to the computer properly, users are not able to monitor print queue status and other important information.  The problem usually lies in the printer driver software.  The easiest solution is to reinstall or update the printer drivers.

Follow the steps below to reinstall or update the printer drivers:

1. In the Start Menu, type “printer” into the search box and hit Enter.
2. Right click on the icon displayed for your printer and select Delete.
3. Right click in the window (any empty space) and choose Run as Administrator.
4. Select Server Properties.
5. On the Drivers tab, remove your printer and select the option to Remove Driver and Driver Package.
   

   Image: Wikipedia.org

6. In the Start Menu, put “APPWIZ.CPL” into the search box then press enter.  (At this step, be sure all printer software is removed from the printer).
7. Go to the printer manufacturer website and locate the section designated for downloading drivers.  (Typically in the Support section).  You can also enter your model number in the search box.
8. Select the driver for your printer, which will launch the Setup Wizard.  Follow the onscreen prompts to complete the installation. Continue reading “Enabling Print Queue Status in Networks” »

Setting up a new fax machine is usually not difficult. When it comes time to test its operation, however, most users need to find another user and another fax machine, taking up their time as well as yours. Fortunately, the HP Fax Test Service provides an easier solution. By sending a fax to their toll-free number, you can receive a return fax in just a few minutes to confirm that your machine is able to both send and receive. Here are the steps to follow.

How to Use the HP Fax Test Service

1. Make sure your fax machine is plugged in, turned on and filled with paper.
2. Prepare a simple text sheet that you can send. Any simple office memo will suffice, or just print out a single-page document with some sample text on it. You could even include a favorite quote just for fun!
3. Insert the page for faxing and send it to 1-888-HPFAXME (1-888-473-2963).
4. Wait 5 to 7 minutes (or sometimes as long as 30 minutes) for a return fax. If you receive the return fax, you have now verified that your fax machine is working properly. Continue reading “HP Fax Test” »

Monitoring the level of ink that is remaining in your inkjet cartridges of your printer is a fairly simple task that could make a world of difference, especially in an office environment.  Knowing how much ink is left allows you to gauge how soon replacements will be needed.  This is important in an office because running out of ink could halt production entirely and potentially waste an entire work day.

By using the supplies status feature, you can calculate the number of cartridges that will be used per month based on when a cartridge was installed and how much ink has been used since that time.  Users who print frequently should purchase enough replacement ink to support at least a month’s worth of printing.  This way, you will never run out and you can qualify for bulk discounts from vendors.  Even if you want to buy a year’s worth, most cartridges have a shelf life of 1-2 years.

There are a few different ways to access the ink level status information, depending on the make and model of your printer as well as the installation software features.  Though it is impossible to give you step-by-step instructions, the general processes are similar enough to guide you through.

Mac users are required to download the “Ink Level 1.22” utility from the Apple website to be able to monitor the ink levels of cartridges.

Via Printer

Using the navigation buttons on your printer, sort through the menu until you find an ‘information’ option.  Keep in mind, it could also be listed under diagnostics or maintenance.  Keep sorting until you find an option for checking status.  Some printers require you to print a status page, while others let you few the levels directly on the LCD screen.

This is an example of the ink levels being displayed on the LCD on the machine:

Continue reading “Monitoring Ink Levels” »

Image: Filter Forge

Let’s start with the obvious- what is a corona wire?

Chances are if you are not a printer technician, you have no idea what the answer is.  This may even be the first time you have ever heard the word ‘corona’ outside of a cold one on a hot day.  However, this wire is one of the single most important parts of any laser printer, and it doesn’t require a lime.

Though laser printers generally have the same components, the interior functionality and design have small differences that are unique to each manufacturer.  These make it challenging to generalize cleaning techniques and give “how-to” instructions. Continue reading “How to Clean Your Corona Wires” »

Citrix software can provide a way to log into another machine remotely, and can be a great solution for when you are on the road, or using a different operating system and still need to access Windows programs. For the most part, you can print from the applications on the remote machine as long as the printer is set up with the machine properly. Sometimes, shared printers on an ethernet network can be more difficult to set up, however, especially remotely. If you are trying to print with Citrix but are having problems, try these simple instructions to get you up and running. You will need the name of the print server before you begin.

If you have an iPad, you probably love all of the cool apps that you can download. Once you find something you like though, you may want to print it out. Printing from an iPad isn’t the easiest thing in the world to do, though. There are different programs and instructions to get you set up.

1. Download the AirPrint app.  Once that is downloaded, use MediaFire to save the AirPrint zip-file.  To do
   this process correctly, make sure you do not have any other applications running in MediaFire or RapidShare.
2. After the file is downloaded, unzip it and save to “C:\Program Files\airprint”.  Doing this will create a new
   file in your program named “AirPrint”.
3. On the “Run” menu, type in the command “cmd”.  When a black display box opens up, you need to type,
   “sc.exe create AirPrint binPath= “C:\Program Files\AirPrint\airprint.exe -s” depend= “Bonjour Service” start= auto” into it.  This is the programming code you will need to get AirPrint up and running, so make sure everything is spelled correctly and capital letters are used in the correct places.
4. When the code has been correctly keyed, you should receive a reply from Apple.   Here you will be given
   the option to “Allow Access” to AirPrint, and you need to click onto that.Once you have done so, go ahead and try testing with your iPad.   Most likely you will be asked to assign a username and password to the account.  Set this up if you’d like or just choose “Guest Account” instead.

Though not all printers are compatible with the AirPrint application, almost all current machines are manufactured with this built in capability.  HP printers used to be the only ones that could successfully print a task sent from an iPad through AirPrint, but now Brother, Lexmark, Epson and Canon have all released printers that are compatible.

Here is a link with the complete list of compatible printers: (https://ipod.about.com/od/usingios4/f/Airprint-Compatible-Printers.htm)

Even if your machine is not labeled as AirPrint compliant, there are a number of tools that can be downloaded on the internet to allow access, for both Windows and Mac operating systems.

For a tutorial on how to print from an iPad using any printer, check out this video:

One of the most common things HP printer owners want to know is how much ink is left in their cartridges. Although some units make it very obvious when they are running low, some don’t. When you encounter issues such as faded color when printing, for example, the cause could be as simple as low ink levels, but you need a way to check them. HP inkjet printers usually offer multiple ways to monitor ink levels, making this information easy to find. Below is a general explanation of a few methods for checking the amount of ink in your cartridges. Though this won’t work for every HP inkjet or deskjet printer, it will work for most. Continue reading “Checking HP Ink Levels” »

The Lexmark P915 is a very popular inkjet printer, and it offers high-quality photo printing at an affordable price. As with many budget models, it features a fairly basic control panel, and relies heavily on the included software package for many of its features and options. Continue reading “Installing Lexmark P915 Software” »

Fax machines are essential to offices that frequently correspond with peers, clients and vendors throughout the country and world.  Being able to send important documents in a matter of seconds has changed the face of business communication.  If your office frequently receives faxes, you know there is nothing more frustrating than junk faxes wasting time, paper and fax toner or ink… well, except maybe paper jams.

If junk faxes are becoming an issue, there are a few ways to stop the madness.

Use the fax blocking feature on your machine:

Enter the sender’s fax number into this feature and it will automatically block any faxes sent from said number.  Your machine’s manual should explain how to implement this function on your model.  It will serve a similar purpose as a SPAM folder on your email inbox. Continue reading “How to Block Junk Faxes” »

There are a plethora of benefits to having a wireless printer in the office, such as the HP OfficeJet Pro 8600.  This convenient technology has revolutionized the way businesses operate from within and has positively impacted the cost and rate of production.  Here are the top 6 reasons it is a good investment for any office to get a wireless printer: Continue reading “Top 6 Benefits of Wireless Printing in the Workplace” »