LtRay
|
posted on February 21, 2006 03:09:18 AM new
Hope someone can help me with this.
When issuing a print job from my laptop computer, the quality of the print-out is not as good as it is if I issue the print job from our desk computer.
Both systems are running the same verion of XP. The laptop is wireless to a router. The desktop is cabled to the router and the printer is connected to the desktop. I have re-intalled the print driver several times on the laptop and still have the same print quality problem.
Anyone have any suggestions? I'm hitting delays in shipping. The desktop system is my husband's so I have to do my shipping when he is not using his system.
It is an annoyance that I have been dealing with for a while now and would like some input. Has anyone else ever run into this?
Thank,
Dianna
|
irked
|
posted on February 21, 2006 04:26:09 AM new
Is your printer capable of connecting to the router too, to bypass the desktop? And is your print settings set the same on both PCs, I mean does your Laptop settings match what the desktop shows as its settings, so you know printer is recieving same type print commands. . Guess since you can print from laptop it is shared out right from the desktop. NAT might be your problem or directly connecting printer to router might help.
Check out these urls maybe will give you idea how to look up through google for more help.
http://compnetworking.about.com/od/homenetworking/a/routernetworks.htm
This one talks about the Nat and some about printer problem.
http://ask-leo.com/how_do_i_get_my_wireless_access_point_to_work_with_my_existing_router.html
Hope you figure it out.
**************
Can't touch this! uh huh, uh huh.
"Por favor, no exprima el Charmin."
|
mikes4x4andtruckrepair
|
posted on February 21, 2006 11:45:00 AM new
I know this is going to sound like a dumb question but it's alway's easy to forget the basic's. In the laptop printer default setting's is the print quality set to the same as your desktop system? If it is, have you tried increasing the print quality setting on the laptop to see if your print quality improves?
They say your memory's the second thing to go, I just can't remember what the first thing is. 
|
LtRay
|
posted on February 22, 2006 12:28:55 AM new
Thanks guys.
Those were some good links Irked, but no help.
Mike, I had already checked the basics. Never hurts to ask the simple questions.
I don't remember it being a problem with our laser printer, but the laser died last month and I have not replaced it yet. We are currently using an old, slow HP printer that should have been thrown out 3 years ago.
Guess I need to bite the bullet and go printer shopping. yuck!
|
photosensitive
|
posted on February 22, 2006 09:05:18 AM new
Not sure about the Windows font systems (I am Mac) but do you have the same fonts installed on both machines? I seem to remember from my years as a cube dweller forced to use Windows that some printers did not do as good a job at rendering fronts from the screen image if the actual font was not loaded on the computer.
If this is not applicable for your Windows system just ignore it.
-----o----o----o----o----o----o----o----o
“The illiterate of the future will be the person ignorant of the use of the camera as well as of the pen.”
Maholy-Nagy, Vision in Motion, 1947
|
LtRay
|
posted on February 22, 2006 09:38:13 AM new
That is a valid point Photo. Yes, my font files are the same.
|
irked
|
posted on February 22, 2006 10:22:18 AM new
Go buy a really inexpensive one that will connect direct to your laptop via USB, cut out the middle 2 jumps you are making through network. Save headache for when you have a really good printer to spend time looking for that all elusive probably simple solution. It can sometimes be the simplest thing the can cause havoc in networkijust finding it is problem.
( Walmart has some really good ones usually for not so much.) Get a simple one not a all in one that takes up so much resource on your laptop. Never hurts to have an extra printer for when ink or other problem crops up.
**************
Can't touch this! uh huh, uh huh.
"Por favor, no exprima el Charmin."
|
mikes4x4andtruckrepair
|
posted on February 22, 2006 12:15:00 PM new
The best bang for the buck I found in laser printers when I bought a new one about 1/2 year ago is a Brother HL-5140. Bought it at Staples when it was on sale. However, in my trips to Staples since I bought it, it seems to alway's be on sale. You can buy a second paper tray for it if you need one. I bought the second paper tray on ebay for something like $60 (a steal) and keep shipping labels in one and regular paper in the other.
They say your memory's the second thing to go, I just can't remember what the first thing is.
|
LtRay
|
posted on February 23, 2006 12:22:44 AM new
Mike, I checked reviews on your printer because the price sounded great. The reviews don't look too good. And we really need a 3-n-1.
Our next laser has to be capable of doing labels and heavy duty printing because DH is finally working on his dissertation.
In the reviews on the HP, the users complained about paper curling on heavy print jobs and labels getting stuck on the drum.
We were using an ancient Brother laser/copier/fax. Worked great but was a little on the slow side. I'm sure it will still work, just did not want to fork out another $100 for a drum for a 7 year old printer. Thought it might be time to upgrade for speed. After reading those reviews, I may just buy the drum for the Brother and put it back into production!
As for hooking a printer up to my laptop. It is easily done, but not my preferred work mode. I carry my laptop around the house too much. Spend lots of time on the lanai writing auctions because I don't smoke in the house. Have the photo studio set up in the garage. My office is at the other end of the house, etc, etc.
I am going to set up a dedicated print server on the router, just have not gotten around to it. Just bought DH a laptop so he is out of excuses for working on his dissertation. Set up the camper for full mobile computing because we are on the road so much now checking on the parents in TN and KY.
I quit working in IT 15 years ago because I was sick of computers and now I find myself right back in a sys-admin job. We know officially have too darn many toys!
[ edited by LtRay on Feb 23, 2006 12:27 AM ]
|
mikes4x4andtruckrepair
|
posted on February 23, 2006 08:07:10 AM new
Not sure about the reviews but I'm very happy with the Brothers printer I have. Fast and very cheap to operate. The additional paper tray is a nice feature that I don't have to pay for up front and is something you can keep your eye out on ebay for at a reduced price. I print probably 200-300 pages a day and have not had a single problem with mine yet.
They say your memory's the second thing to go, I just can't remember what the first thing is.
|
LtRay
|
posted on February 23, 2006 08:51:40 AM new
Mike, that should suit out print output ok. If he prints more than 200 pages a day, I'll be expecting to see a royalty check for his new book 
Do you run adhesive labels in yours? I need to be able to do both full sheet and custom size. One of the big complaints in the reviews was that it melted the adhesive and labels stuck to the drum, there-by ruining the drum.
Another complaint was that you had to hand feed envelopes. Had any experience with that?
I definitely like the idea of having 2 paper trays!
|
mikes4x4andtruckrepair
|
posted on February 23, 2006 09:16:06 AM new
Yes, I have regular paper in the one tray and the two part full page labels in the other (like you get from UPS or DHL). I have never had any problem with it printing labels. Sounds like someone got some cheap labels to me. I think you would have that problem with any laser printer and the use of cheap labels, they all do get hot afterall.
I do also print envelopes with mine. Not alot but I do use that feature once in a while. You do NOT have to use the hand feed tray for this. As you can see from my pictures of the paper tray it is fully adjustable. So if you wanted to you could load one paper tray with envelopes.
I have also included pictures of the optional paper tray. The Brothers HL-5140 printer has a single paper tray and the hand feeder built in and the second paper tray is a option. This is one reason it is less expensive than many others on the market. Great for a person that does not need two paper trays. But I myself did need it so I just gave it a few weeks and found a super cheap one listed on ebay and bought it (it was worth the wait).
They say your memory's the second thing to go, I just can't remember what the first thing is.
[ edited by mikes4x4andtruckrepair on Feb 23, 2006 09:18 AM ]
|
BillsHobbyEmporium
|
posted on February 23, 2006 10:26:26 AM new
I use a Brother MFC 8220 and it is great but I have not used it for adhesive labels yet because I am afraid of the adhesive. I just print regular paper ones. Any more input on adhesive labels for these?
Bill
|
mikes4x4andtruckrepair
|
posted on February 23, 2006 10:30:02 AM new
Bill - I think you would find you would not have a problem as long as the labels are not the flimsy cheap ones. I have run reams of labels through my Brothers laser printer and never had 1 misfeed, jam or problem with my toner drum getting gooed up.
They say your memory's the second thing to go, I just can't remember what the first thing is.
|
ewora
|
posted on February 23, 2006 11:17:32 AM new
Mike's printer is the same printer they use at the work place I fill in at a couple times a month.
It prints fast and they put stamps.com labels through all the time without a problem.
|
BillsHobbyEmporium
|
posted on February 23, 2006 01:12:19 PM new
Mike,
OK what are good ones? I always ship by USPS since it is 99% small priority mail.
Bill
|
mikes4x4andtruckrepair
|
posted on February 23, 2006 01:14:59 PM new
I usually buy mine on ebay, no specefic supplier. I can't say I have gotten a bad lot of them yet. Many people just sign up for a UPS account and use their labels, it's not ethical but it is done.
They say your memory's the second thing to go, I just can't remember what the first thing is.
|
LtRay
|
posted on February 23, 2006 05:28:24 PM new
Hi Mike, DH says he really needs a 3N1. Since you raved so much about your Brother, we have decided to go with a Brother MFC-7820N. If it lasts us 7 years like the last Brother, I think it will be worth the extra $$.
I called a friend of ours who runs a truck dispatch company. They do tons of faxes and prints daily and it is the printer they use.
Plus it already has a network card so I can hook it directly to the router and skip the additional print server I was going to setup.
Thanks for all the help.
D
|
