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I posted yesterday about frequently "losing" the connection with my Brother MFC 6800 connected to a hub and my Airport Extreme. Nothing showed up that helped me solve the problem and I'm ready to go a different route. Who can recommend from personal experience a reliable networkable laser printer - monochrome is all I need. Preferably not multifunction. I'd like to keep the cost around $100, give or take, as I don't print much. If given a brand and model number I'll just wait until it goes on sale somewhere. I like the Brother line.
I don't want to leave my existing printer plugged into my Mac Pro and share it because I don't leave the Mac Pro on when I'm not using it, just to answer that question before it's asked.
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I've always preferred HP printers. Yeah, they cost a little more, but they are work horses and just keep going. I have an HP 3300DN. It's Postscript, networkable, 1200 DPI, Duplexing and toner carts locally available. My last HP 4-M lasted 8 years!
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I just bought a brother 2170w fron Newegg for $121 (thats with an extra High cap toner). I've had it for a week and had no problems so far. It was wireless and ethernet built in and has great print quality. I usually buy HP, but we have had brothers at work and they seem to be a much better value.
For $121 (or $99 without toner) you cant go wrong.
Stavs
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[quote swampy]I've always preferred HP printers. Yeah, they cost a little more, but they are work horses and just keep going. I have an HP 3300DN. It's Postscript, networkable, 1200 DPI, Duplexing and toner carts locally available. My last HP 4-M lasted 8 years!
I recall reading that some HP printers have been pretty stingy with Mac drivers. Is this still the case?
The Brother mentioned just above is at the price point I'd like and I've been happy with my Brother MFC. I'll check out Newegg. Thanks!
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If your HP is postscript, I can't see how you could be disappointed. I just got that Carnox posted HP p2015 --- normally $349 (USB no duplex/network), but the D model is duplex, and the DN model is both.
The driver is excellent.
This printer was dropped to $146 internal at Circuit City, mine dropped to $119.99 and I can still send in the $125 rebate - direct to HP!
So with tax and full size toner, it was $3.36. I got a 256MB memory stick for it, to add to the 32MB, originally for $14,but NoOSX posted $11, and they honored it. So I got a postscript level 3 printer, 1200x1200, 27ppm, with manual duplex (driver is excellent for that as well, and it's already in Leopard!), with 288MB of RAM, for $14.36.
Check Circuit City -- you have until June 30th. In store only -- LaserJet p2015.
The Brother Stavs mentions sounds good. If it has BrotherScript Level 3, and the duplex/networking for $121, that's hard to beat as well. I've always been very impressed with their printers, and their toner carts are reasonable, compared to the Lexmark I have, which requires $143 to replace toner in an Optra E310. Not gonna happen with factory, that's for sure.
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I'll drop in at CC on my way home tomorrow and see if the HP p2015 happens to be available.
Best price on the Brother appears to be at Buy.com for $144 shipped at the moment. I'm not in a big hurry as I can deal with the one I have for the nonce. It's just that I'm tired of the issues I have using it with Airport. Maybe it will go on sale again. Right now I want to accumulate the experiences of others and make a list of printers to consider.
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remember... the one I got is not a network printer.
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Brother 5250DN. Duplex and networkable. Also supports Bonjour.
Note that the newer HP consumer level lasers are not what they used to be. A friend of mine who runs a printer repair business loves the newer HP's as they bring him lots of work. He uses a Brother in his shop, if that tells you anything.
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[quote Jimmypoo]remember... the one I got is not a network printer.
Ah, thanks. At the price you managed to snag it for, who cares? B)-
