printers

Robert has an Epson printer and the print quality isn't good. Leo says that inkjet printers need to be used a lot in order to keep the nozels clean. Ink can dry and it can clog. He can run the cleaning utility several times to clear out the clog. The downside is that it uses a lot ink. But it's the only way to get it back to printing good prints. If he only uses a printer occasionally, a laser printer is a much better option.

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Frank wants to get an inkjet printer, but he doesn't know if they're really worth the money. Leo says that while the printers themselves are cheap, the ink is extremely expensive. And he can't refill the cartridges because 1) they're messy and 2) they often won't work in the printer because of proprietary circuitry. It also affects the print head. So Leo doesn't recommend it. Frank could buy re-manufactured cartridges, but at that point, he may as well just bite the bullet and buy a new one. Plus, some cartridges replace the print head in the process.

Kurt says his HP Deskjet disconnects from the internet and he has to turn it off and back on to wake it up. Leo says there's an ECO mode that conserves power in the settings. Disable that. Also, assign a specific IP address and reserve that in your router. Then you'll have a static IP address that will keep it woke up.

Sylvi would like a good photo printer. Mostly 5x7 and below. Leo says the very best is made by Epson. If she's into black and white, they're the way to go. But Canon's Pixma is another more affordable option that Leo really likes.

(Disclaimer: Epson is a sponsor)

Jose bought an Epson EcoTank printer and wants to know if it has the same problem of the ink drying out and being unusable. Leo says that's a common problem with inkjet printers. Epson says that they have put a new coating on the print heads to prevent the ink from drying out. So it's not supposed to. If he only prints a few times a week, then Leo says a laser printer is a better option.

(Disclaimer: Epson is a sponsor)

Thomas has an Epson EcoTank ET2550 printer, but the printer is leaking. Leo says that when moving a printer with tanks, it's vital to keep it level. But Thomas says it won't stop leaking. Is it worth fixing? Leo says it probably just needs to be thoroughly cleaned. That ink should dry sooner or later, though. The key concern is if it dried onto the printer head. Leo also recommends using it to keep the ink from drying out on sensitive parts. Some rubbing alcohol will work great for wiping out all the ink.

Mike has an Epson EcoTank 4550 and now it won't print because he's used it too much. Leo says that the EcoTank has enough ink for two years, and since Mike has refilled it once, Leo suspects that the print head needs to be replaced.

(Disclaimer: Epson is a sponsor)

Jeff has a Brother printer, and every few hours, it loses its connection to his network and he has to sign back in. Rich says that the printer may go to sleep and if he presses the button on the printer, it wakes it up and the computer finds it again. But Jeff says he has tried it, and Windows still says it's offline. Jeff says it may also need a firmware update.

Felicia had her HP printer ink cartridges refilled, and now her printer won't accept the cartridge. It just says it's incompatible or counterfeit. What can she do? Rich says that printers are cheap because they can make up the cost on ink. Rich also thinks, however, that the contacts on the cartridges may just be dirty. So she should clean them with some distilled water and a coffee filter. Nothing that has threads to it. She should give it a good wiping down and try again. It should be able to see it then.

Nam bought a new router, but now he can't print. Leo says it's a good idea to delete the connection in his printer, then go into the printer settings of his computer and delete the connection there. Then reinstall. It could be it just needs to be reacquired by the OS.