Home, Wireless Printer

[Digerati]

In fact, I just replaced his black cartridge yesterday and the expiration date was April 2018. I thought perhaps the printer would refuse to use it.

Years ago, there were some printers that did stop printing when a cartridge expired. But various consumer protection agencies around the world got after the printer makers so they updated their firmware to, as CLI Phreak noted, just yell at you about it.

 

I note some 3rd party inks don't properly report their status to the printer and this can cause expired or even out-of-ink errors. However, most printers let you disable these warnings somewhere in their menu system.

 

Again, there is sound reason for this - old ink, even when still sealed in original packaging, will age and can thicken, then clog up the jets and print heads. So even if there is a sale that is too good to pass up, don't buy more than you can use within a reasonable amount of time.

 

Note too, like many liquid based things, once the cartridge is opened, the aging process accelerates. This is typically not a problem is you print often, but if like me, it could be two weeks or more between actual print jobs. That's not good. So I try to remember to print something - usually an ink status report - once a week just to keep the jets clear and heads moist.

[JerryM]

You pay $9.99 a month to get ink whenever you need it.

You are not forced to sign up for Instant Ink. My husband doesn't print enough to justify this so I made sure I declined that when I bought him a new printer in August of 2017.

 

In fact, I just replaced his black cartridge yesterday and the expiration date was April 2018. I thought perhaps the printer would refuse to use it. So he used 1 cartridge for 10 months. Paying $119.88 a year for 1 cartridge would be ridiculous! Of course HP would try to convince you the cartridge needed replacing when it didn't. My old printer does that with a flashing light. I ignore the flashing light and keep on printing. I can tell when I need a new cartridge by what comes out of the printer not any flashing light.

 

What is the new printer?

Thanks, Jerry

[raymac46]

A few other things I look for in a printer when it's time to shop for one. These may not all apply to you.

• Linux friendly. I have a bunch of Linux machines and I find in general that HP is going to work well with them.
  
• Wireless capable. I want to have it on the network with its own IP that I can set manually.
  
• Decent scanning capability. I don't have room for a separate scanner so I'll want an all-in-one.
  
• Able to print the odd photo on photo paper. My mother-in-law is 88 and old-school.
  
• Compact footprint and low profile. My desk has a raised shelf and the printer has to sit there.
  

If I can get a printer that satisfies the above and has individual ink pots I'll give it serious consideration next time. My Envy 5530 is still working OK but you never know.

[JerryM]

Thanks raymac46.

Jerry

[zlim]

The printer is a Deskjet 2655.

Two warnings: it is good I bought a smart phone in March 2017 because the printer had to be set up using it.

No drivers came with it so I had to go online and download a driver.

 

These are the directions I found online when I researched the model

What you do is download the HP Smart AiO Remote app. When you first boot the app, it will request that you turn on WiFi (if it isn't already on) and begin searching for the printer. It uses WiFi direct and will be broadcasting its own signal. Your phone will scan the airwaves one by one until it finds the printer. This takes anywhere from 30 seconds to 2 minutes. Once it finds your printer, you'll be asked to select your actual wireless network from a list and enter your password. This data is transmitted to the printer and it logs into your network. From this point on, all your computers running Windows 7 and up or OSX Mountain Lion and up will see the printer in their devices list automatically.

[JerryM]

Thanks a lot. It sounds as if it might be too complicated for me. I appreciate the help.

Regards, Jerry

[raymac46]

https://support.hp.com/ca-en/document/c05367434

 

It looks as if the Deskjet 2655 can be set up without the smartphone app. I haven't set one up in a while but I always found that you could do it from the printer touchscreen. You still need the driver though.

[Digerati]

It looks as if the Deskjet 2655 can be set up without the smartphone app

I have never heard of a printer marketed as compatible with Windows that required a smartphone to setup so, I thought that odd when first mentioned. I think they put so much emphasis on the fact it can be setup for wireless printing from a smartphone, that they (their marketing people) overlooked the fact it is perfectly cable of being used from a Windows PC too. I mean after all, it is not exactly a portable printer!

[zlim]

you could do it from the printer touchscreen.

This model printer lacks a touchscreen.

[Digerati]

No touchscreen but it looks like it has a menu system and LCD information display panel on top.

[zlim]

The panel simply shows you the status of the carts and the signal strength of the wifi. It shows you how many computers are printed and if there is paper in the try. It is not a menu system.

[Digerati]

I was thinking of the various buttons on top. One is an "i" so I was thinking that would print out a status page, perhaps with the information needed.

[zlim]

The "i" turns wireless on and off. If you wanted to use it attached to a computer and not wireless, you'd keep wireless off.

 

My husband tried to print something and nothing came out (the printer is not attached to any computer). I showed him how he has to be sure the wireless is turned on. (There is a light which is easier to see than looking at the status screen). I tapped the button to turn it on and in a few moments, his print job came out. We tend to keep that printer off. He doesn't use his basement desktop computer so the printer which is also in the basement only gets turned on to scan something, copy something or he wants to print something on his computer.

[Digerati]

The "i" turns wireless on and off.

No. Look just above the "i" button and you will see the antenna button to enable/disable wifi.

 

https://imgur.com/cy0CFFK

[zlim]

Since the antenna looks like an i with a dot on the top, I figured that's what you meant.

 

The "i" (aka information) button wastes more ink. When tapped it prints out a page of information. It tells you what the buttons do as well as printing out the serial number, firmware version and telling you that automatic firmware update is on.

[Digerati]

The "i" (aka information) button wastes more ink.

That's true. But if you don't print often, the jets and print heads can gum up. If you don't print often (like me) printing a status page once a week gives you a status report, and keeps the jets and heads working.

 

On my HP, the one page report tells me, among other things how much ink I have left, when I installed each cartridge, type of network connection (Ethernet or wifi) and the assigned IP address.

[zlim]

But if you don't print often, the jets and print heads can gum up.

So far that's never happened. We have a very old HP 722 that my husband prints labels on from time to time. It used to be about twice a year. It works fine.

 

the one page report tells me, among other things how much ink I have left, when I installed each cartridge, type of network connection (Ethernet or wifi) and the assigned IP address.

None of that was on the report.