Advice on Laser Print/Scan For Leopard

[jamesmcnee]

I have two orphan HP machines on my desk -- a laserjet 1000 and a scanjet 4670.

Both work but are cranky -- the printer I have some weird xenon drivers and the scanner takes over 100% of my CPU when in idle until I quit the process. HP has disowned them both so there will be no drivers (good or bad) for Leopard.

I haven't made the jump from Tiger to Leopard yet but when I do I'll want a printer scanner that works well in that OS.

I have a wireless router with ports on the back so should I look to a network compatible and/or wireless machine. (I don't understand the benefit of wireless printer -- you don't exactly walk around with a printer the way you do with a laptop.)

I want a B/W laser printer.

I don't scan a lot -- maybe 3 or 4 times a week -- but it is very handy to be able to do scans.

Any advice on what to look for? Brands to look at / brands to avoid? Questions I should ask? Useful buyer's guides on the web? Any other advice or suggestions?

Thanks

 

[danny_w]

I don't know about scanning, but I just bought a Brother 2170W wireless printer that seems to work well under Leopard, although it is quite basic. It also has an ethernet connection for connection directly to your router. I wanted a wireless printer so that I could place the printer anywhere I wanted without regard to the location of the computer or router. If you get this model, be sure to download the newest drivers and to follow the instructions for setting up a wireless connection; by default it expects an ad-hoc connection for some reason, and you need to hook it up via ethernet to change the default.

You can get the printer most places for about $99 on sale if you look around.

 

[kneb139]

Troubles hooking up Brother 2170W either via Airport wireless, or ethernet

I don't know about scanning, but I just bought a Brother 2170W wireless printer that seems to work well under Leopard, although it is quite basic. It also has an ethernet connection for connection directly to your router. I wanted a wireless printer so that I could place the printer anywhere I wanted without regard to the location of the computer or router. If you get this model, be sure to download the newest drivers and to follow the instructions for setting up a wireless connection; by default it expects an ad-hoc connection for some reason, and you need to hook it up via ethernet to change the default.

You can get the printer most places for about $99 on sale if you look around.

I must be missing something because I cannot see my Brother 2170W when hooked up via Ethernet. I want to use it wirelessly in the end but need to get to it via ethernet first to do the settings dance. Anyone got tips on exactly what needs done? MacPro 10.5.5 Thx

 

[danny_w]

I must be missing something because I cannot see my Brother 2170W when hooked up via Ethernet. I want to use it wirelessly in the end but need to get to it via ethernet first to do the settings dance. Anyone got tips on exactly what needs done? MacPro 10.5.5 Thx

Did you follow the instructions and do the initial setup wired? They had very explicit (and not very user friendly) instructions on how to enable the wireless connectivity that is mandatory. Once endabled it will show up as a Windows PC "brwXXXXXXXXXX" under the shared section in Finder. Then install their driver (I had to get a newer driver from their site) and install it.