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What's the best Airprint printer as of Jan 2012? NOT the HP P1102W.

rfmeredith

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Last July we got my in-laws all set up with an iPad2 and new wifi network in their home. They do not have a computer - just the iPad. They wanted to be able to print so I got them one of the few Airprint laser printers available at the time - an HP P1102w. I set them up using my MacBookPro. Getting the P1102w was a tedious process involving a firmware upgrade and several calls to HP, but we got it all working.

Then we discovered that if the P1102w is powered off, the router and modem need to be power-cycled to get it back on the wifi network and visible to the iPad. Not only that, but after they recently returned from a vacation, the printer would not join the network no matter what they tried. The blue wifi light flashes and then goes off.

Now I have the printer at my house after hours at their location trying to reset it with my MacBookPro with no success. I am awaiting a call back from HP tech support, from a Macintosh/Printer specialist (no HP printer specialists for Mac OS are available on weekends).
My in-laws are not technically oriented people. They shouldn't have to be. They just need a simple system that works consistently. Having to power cycle the router and modem should not be part of the deal.

So, we are done with this printer. It's too inconsistent. Seems like HP is really PC oriented and not Mac friendly, especially not iPad friendly. There are many more printers available now. I need a laser printer that we can set up one time and then it just stays on the network even if it is turned off and then back on. Is that too much to expect? A printer that I can setup easily, give it the network password and then turn it on and it just works. How about the new Brother Airprint printers? Anyone have any experience with a laser printer that meets these requirements?

I'm not interested in any workarounds like Fingerprint. I'm familiar with that because we use that at our home with a regular printer. It works fine but it's too complicated for this need.
 

mkjservices

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Personally I have not seen any laser AirPrint printers. Not saying they don't have them just saying I haven't seen any. Personally I have the HP 8500. I feel that it is a solid device and the it's initial setup can be done without a printer. I really can't say I have had a problem with it falling off the network or not printing. I have been using it since aug 2011. Hope this helps.
 

skimonkey

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Hi there and welcome to the forum!

I have chosen not to set up my wireless printer to my ipad, just because of reading other people's postings. However, that should not be your reason. I just don't have the patience with that and also have my printer connected to my desktop to print if needed.

Have you tried to do a search to see what you could find with your questions? I hope that this helps you in your quest to help your inlaws...Good luck.

See here regarding Airprint: http://www.ipadforums.net/airprint/

A
lso, another link that Twerppoet (a knowledgeable member here) had mentioned in another post: iOS: AirPrint 101
 

twerppoet

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As you troubleshoot hold in mind that the router can also be part of the problem. Make sure its firmware is also up to date. Don't limit your troubleshooting to the printer.
 
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