Recommend a printer

My friend wants a printer to use with her laptop. do all printers work
alright with a laptop?? she has been told they do not all work well.

pmj...

Basically, yes, pretty much so (but there are (a few) exceptions)
Assuming it's a USB Printer (& taht the Laptop has USB Port(s) on it),
then it should work OK in any USB Port.

windoze has basic drivers Included for may USB printers & for the
ones that it doesn't, you can use the Drivers taht are supplied with
the Printer.

If the Pinter has a Parallel (which is unlikely on a New Printer),
then the Laptop would have to also have a Parallel Port (which some
Laptops do have, but not all).

pmj...

Oh?
Who told her that?
& in what way don't they work?
& which ones are they talking about?

She would need to ask for more specific Info.

I have looked at her laptop and see she only has USB ports and no special
printer ports (mine has a printer port)

pmj...

That's fine!
(See above)

so as long as she gets a printer with USB connection it should work o.k???

pmj...

Yep, basically.

Jackie...

I think it one an assistant in PC World that said not all printers work on a

Rabbit...

Now why doesn't that doesn't surprise me :-)

pmj...

Well (strictly speaking) he's right!!!...
Not *all* Printers do!!!

There *are* some (a very few) Printers that won't work with a Laptop,
but any normal pPrinter that any normal person would buy from any
normal shop at any normal price will work fine!

laptop!!

With some (but not all) USB Printers, you do have to be sure that
the Drivers for it are Installed *before* Plugging it in to a USB Port,

Jackie...

Does that mean running the CD-rom before connecting the printer?

pmj...

Yes, possibly.
The point is that WinXP will prolly have some Drivers for it anyway,
but if it *doesn't* have any suitable Drivers (or if you specifically
want to use the Drivers that the Printer Manufacturer provide), then
yes, you would need to Install them first.

But beware...

Many Printer Manufacturer's CDs Install no end of *other*, unwanted,
un-necessary, superfluous & not needed stuff, along with the Drivers
(which *are* what you want), which often leads to much Confuzzlement
with a lot of people (especially people, like your friend), who are
relatively new to using windoze & a PC & the Internet.

for the first Time.

Cos if the Drivers aren't already Instal;led, when windoze Runs the
"Found New Hardware" Wizard thingy, it Installs a "Null" Driver for it,
if it doesn't have (& can't find) teh Correct Drivers & then, when you
try to Install the Printer, it (windoze) says that it's already
Installed! (or that there is no New Hardware to Install)

pmj...

Do you know what Make & Model of Printer she is getting (or has got)?

When we know that, we can make some more Comments & suggestions,
depending on what Make & Model it is.

Jeff Gaines...

Certainly should, many printers are USB only nowadays.

It'll be a pain plugging it in and out - and it's best to use the same USB
port each time, otherwise every time she plugs it into a different port XP
will ask for the drivers again.

datasmog...

Really?
That can't be right.

pmj...

In my experience & the way I understand it, windoze only prompts
for Drivers (saying "Found New Hardware" & Running the "Found New
Hardware" Wizard thingy) the *first* time something (that is
unrecognised) is Plugged in to a USB Port.

It keeps an (internal) record (in the Registry) of the Hardware ID
(which it gets from the Device, as a combination of the Vendor ID
& Device ID & combines that with the USB Port Information, to arrive
at a "Unique ID" for the Device).

There's an Option in the Found New Hardware Wizard thingy, (if you
choose *not* to actually Install the Device) which says "Don't Prompt
me again" - So long as you Tick that (or make sure that it is already
Ticked) when you Click [Finish], then you don't get Prompted again.

So...

It's actually best (& most suitable, for most people) to Plug in a USB
Device into *each* (& every) USB Port, after it's been Installed once,
in one of the Ports. [*1]

That way, windoze then knows about it & won't ever Prompt for it again,
when it's Plugged in to any of them.

[*1]
Once a Device is Installed (in one of the Ports), the Drivers Files
for it (if windoze doesn't already have Drivers for it) are Copied
over to the PC, so that when it's Plugged into another USB Port (for
the first time), then windoze can Automatically Install the Drivers
for it. You only need to do it once (in each Port) - after that, you
don't get Prompted, cos it "Recognises" the Device. Obviously, there
are various things that you can do (knowingly or unknowingly), which
will make windoze "forget" that a particular device has already been
Plugged in, but normally it remembers USB Devices OK, so long as they
*have* been Plugged in to the other Ports (at least once).

Jeff Gaines...

It may not be for Mac OS X but it's a 'feature' of Windows :-)

datasmog...

It's not something I've ever come across on Windows, or does it only
apply to printers.
A USB device is a USB device and it shouldn't matter which USB port is
used. The operating system should not be a factor.

Jeff Gaines...

Well one would think so :-)

I did read an explanation once but memory is vague. It was argued it was a
'good thing' because you might want to plug something in 1 port configured
in one way and in another configured differently, sounds like BS to me! It
seems to apply to all USB devices.

datasmog...

Incredible!
I wonder if that's on the fixit list for vista.

It's bad enough when Windows proudly proclaims it's found a new piece of
hardware everytime instead of just quietly getting on with it. If it
started chastisng me for not using the same port as last time I think I
would very quickly start screaming.

Jeff Gaines...

That may be why Windows users are a little horse :-))

datasmog...

Is that an insult?
I've seen them described as Lemmings, but not horses.

Jackie...

Thank Jeff I will remember that as I will be the one to install it for her.

I set her up with her e-mails and everything has been going well for weeks

pmj...

Good!
:-)

except now she keeps getting her name and password come up when she connects

pmj...

Is this when she actually Connects to the Broadband Internet
Connection itself?

What type of Modem is she using?
& what is she doing to (how is she) Initiating the Connection?

Is she using an Icon (Shortcut) to teh Connection?
Or is she expecting the Connection to be Initiated by some Program
(such as Internet Explorer or OutLook Express), when she uses that
other Program?

I have found that for most people, it's actually better to separate
those Actions & have the Connection *not* Automatically Initiated
by an yApplication, but to Connect up yourself, when/if you need it
(normally just once, when you first Boot Up.

Having the Connection Initiated by other Programs usually leads
(sooner or later) to Confuzzlement & it makes it much harder to track
down & Isolate what the actual Problem is, when you have problems.

to her B/B
I have gone to Tools/Accounts and checked through her two e-mail settings
and everything seems fine, I have even taken them out and re-inserted again

pmj...

See what I mean?

I thought you said her prob was that she was gettin ga prompt for her
Username & PassWord when she *Connects* to he r *Broadband* Connection?

That UserName & PassWord (for the ADSL Broadband Internet Connection)
isn't the same one (though it *can* be the same!) as the UserName
& PassWord for her eMail Account.

She (& yo uor anybody else trying to Help her) needs to be clear about
*what* is actually asking her for the Details & which UserName
& passWord she needs to be Entering.

pmj...

Jackie...

She has not bought a printer yet, she wants a printer/scanner combined, she
has asked me to look for one I think suitable, so for my request here,
she does not want to pay too much, probably up to about Ł60 I think.

pmj...

I think she needs to be aware of (& beware of!) the fact that many
of the cheaper Printers *especially* MFDs (Multi-Function Devices)
such as Scanner/Printers are only cheap, cos the Manufacturers charge
an exorbitant fortune for new Ink Cartridges!!!

So, if it gets anything other than very little use, it will soon cost
her more in Ink than it did to buy in the first place.

Lexmark printers in particular are a good (bad!) example of that.

If she's the sort of person (& I know many people are) that like
to Print out loads of Web Pages, eMails & News Posts etc, then the
cost of Ink can very quickly mount up, with Printers like that.

Make sure she finds out how much Replacement Ink Cartridges for it cost.

Jackie...

There is a Lexmark `all-in-one` which is a scanner printer and it only has
one cartridge but it can print in black or colours
and I think it is about Ł14 for a refill, my son has one and his two

pmj...

Yep, that's the kind I mean.
They can pretty soon end up very expensive to Run.

TEspecially the kind (like that one) which don't have a proper Black
Ink cartridge, so they Prin tordinary Black stuff as a sort of
dark, muddy Brown mixture of all the Colors.

pmj...

Is it the same Model?

children often use it and he says one cartridge has lasted about 9 months.

pmj...

OK, fair enough, if they don't print all that much (or just mainly
Print Pages with just a bit of Text on them which doesn't actually
use all that much Ink, (& not many Photos or Pictures, which does use
more Ink), then that may not be too bad.

Also, if they have made sure to Select the "draft" (or "Economy")
Mode, then that uses less Ink & so the Ink Cartridges last longer.

But 14 Quid still seems a lot of Money for an Ink Cartridge!

The Canon (original) ones that my Printer uses only cost about 5 Quid
(for Black ones) & they last a long time (& the Color ones only cost
less than a Tenner (for Canon Originals)

I am still wondering how one cartridge can print in black and colour?? I

pmj...

See above.

They Print the Black as a sort of dark, muddy brown mixture.

That's OK for many purposes, but it's very wasteful of (Colored) Ink.

Proper Black Ink is better (& also much cheaper)

have looked at the particular model in Tesco but it looked very cheap and

pmj...

Yep, they are.

fragile,
it was about Ł38.00. I have been looking at them for my friend. I have

pmj...

LOL!
See what I mean?
& that's for a *Scanner* as well as a printer!!!
So how much quality (of manufacturin g& materials) do you think there
is in each bit of it?

pmj...

Well, they (those sort of "El Cheapo" Lexmark Scanner Printers) do OK
for many people, for (very) basic & (very) light use, (I have had & used
Lexmark Printers - I had a (Printer only) that cost less than 27 Quid!

But the Cartridges cost nearly 20 Quid each & didn't last very long.

I really do think that it's worth paying a bit more for one that is
made a bit better quality
& for which the Cartridges aren't so expensive & last longer.

already ben comparing ink replacement prices. I always use compatibles for
my HP with no problems.

pmj...

I have tried both Compatible Ink Cartridges & Original ones
(for HP, Lexmark & Canon) & found that the Compatible ones can be
very variable - some are OK, but many aren't.

I have found that the HP Cartridges cost the most, but last quite
a long time.
The Lexmark Cartridges cost almost as much as the HP ones did, but
lasted next to no time.

But the Canon Cartridges are the cheapest & last me ages.

I haven't actually tried (for myself) any Epson Printers, but I know
people who use them & they say similar things about them as I say
about the Canon ones.

I don't think she will want to be copying many webpages but just for letters
and copying things to distribute to others in her apartments.

pmj...

Well, I s'pose for only 38 Quid, it might be worth a try?
But bear in mind that when she decides to get another, better one,
that is cheaper to Run, she will already have spent not only the
38 Quid on that Printer, but also more than that, on several (just 3!)
Cartridges....

All of which could (usefully) have been put towards (spent on) the
cost of a better, more economical Printer in the first place!!!

Jackie...

Thank you for that information, summing it all up I reckon she should look
for a good Cannon or Epson Printer/scanner.
I will probably go with her when she decides to buy, going on holiday soon
so will see about it on our return then I will let you know the outcome.
Thank you pmj.

pmj...

Which may well Help, if it was an *eMail* Authentication (Logon)
problem, but from what yo uare describing, it sounds like an *ADSL*
Authentication problem?

but she is still having problems, any advice welcome please!!!!

pmj...

See above.

First of all, can you ascertain how she is Connecting to the Internet
What is she doing to Connect up?

& what does the Box say, when it asks (Prompts) for the UserName
& PassWord?
Is it an Internet Connection Prompt?
Or is it a Mail Client (OutLook Express) Prompt?

Jackie...

Anita...

Jackie I have a canon i80 which I use with my laptop which is a Toshiba
M30 never had any problems with it and the cartridges are not that
expensive either. Very good for printing photos too.
It even fits in the same case as I have the laptop in.

Jackie...

Thank you Anita I will go with her to choose a printer and will look out for
a similar one.

I think it must be an ADSL Authentication problem -

Jackie...

I have been to see my friend today and the problem is solved, thankfully,
the dial-up connection box was showing her Sunday name
so she was just clicking cancel. After I explained what was happening and
that she had to say OK she was getting per messages and was able to send
them.
I do believe she was getting a different message on the dial-up on previous
occasions so that when it showed her full name she thought something was
wrong.
We discussed a printer or a printer/scanner and it seems she has to go out
and use copying machines quite a lot so have decided she will need a
printer/scanner
and when we both come back from our jollidays we will start looking around
to buy a Printer/Scanner, Epson or Cannon!
Thank you for your help pmj.

She has an icon on her desktop for B/B Tiscali which brings up the
connection box ,
but on the top of that over the connection box comes a box with her B/B
address and password she had when she first had B/B but I set her up with a
new e-mail address and password because the original one gave all her full

pmj...

Yep.
That's cos there's an Option (in the Connection Properties)...
[/] Prompt for UserName & PassWord

It's always a good idea to have that Option Set, (which she does have)
so that she can check (& confirm) that the *correct* UserName Details
are being Sent - just in case something (or someone) has changed it.

name which she did not want to have shown. It is difficult to get rid of

pmj...

Yep, but the *eMail* UserName & PassWord *aren't* what is needed to
actually Connect to the Internet, using the Broadband Connection.

She does need to realise that & understand the difference.

that box, I believe there is only the choice to cancel not to connect?? not
quite sure about that now, I think she has been cancelling it by using the x

pmj...

Well, surely she needs to *not* cancel that bit?
She needs to Click [Connect] or [Dial] doesn't she???
(That's assuming that the Details *are* Correct & that she *does*
actually want to Connect to the Internet!!!
:-)

on top right but when she goes to her inbox it says she is off line, then it

pmj...

Well yes...
But also, remember that the "Work Offline" Option (in OutLook Express
& internet Explorer) can actually be Enabled when you *are* Connected!
That Option doesn't actually Disconnect you - it just tells OE/IE not
to use the Connection & to work *as if* it is OffLine.

To Disconnect from the internet yo uhave to actually choose Disconnect,
from the *Connection* Status Box (or Icon)

goes back to the whole thing again! I just don't know how to sort it for

pmj...

Well, yes, it will, if she Clicks the [Yes, please (try to) Connect]
Button, when OE tells her that there's no Connection, so it's "Working
Offline"

her so would be pleased of your help pmj!!

pmj...

Try working through with her, the various stages/steps involved
(& making sure that you/she has set the various Options properly)

Then, when (if) it fails, or there's a prob, she (you & anybody else
who is trying to help) can suss out what the prob is & where it is
& thus what to do to make it Fixted.