[Solved] hp printer question

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lightman47
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Location: Central New York, USA

[Solved] hp printer question

Post by lightman47 » 2019/06/07 12:36:48

Due to a wind storm and subsequent power outage earlier this week I find myself in the market for a new printer. I am considering a HP Laserjet Pro M281fdw, but I see no drivers for it listed in my printer dialog boxes.

Has anyone had any luck with this printer/scanner on CentOS 7, or should I keep looking for another printer? I don't want to buy it then do battle for two weeks before finding out I can't get it working.

Thank you much.
Last edited by lightman47 on 2019/06/08 19:57:09, edited 3 times in total.

MartinR
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Re: hp printer question

Post by MartinR » 2019/06/07 13:04:16

I run exactly that model and it works fine. You need to use install hplip (yum install hplip, it's as easy as that) which is in the base repository. I had to set mine up as a 277 not a 281 but it still works fine. From CUPS: Driver: HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M277 Postscript (recommended) (color, 2-sided printing). My main machine talks to it over USB, other machines either talk to the main server or go direct via ethernet (and for laptops wifi through the router). I have run it on wifi before, there's not a lot to choose between wifi and ethernet.

One big, nasty, downer: HP have been doing naughty things with toner cartridges. :cry: I bought a set of third party cartridges which worked for months and then one-by-one they stopped working reporting that the printer could not talk to them. I understand that the printer may "phone home" to update its code, possibly this is why. The original (empty) cartridges allowed me to continue printing. It's lousy customer relations and may cost them sales, but they probably don't care about single users only corporate ones.

lightman47
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Re: hp printer question

Post by lightman47 » 2019/06/07 13:25:26

THANK YOU so much! That's what I needed to know.

Proprietary ink: They sell the printer below cost with the plan to make the money on the ink. Drives me crazy as well, but they're all doing it - laptop batteries, power cubes, etc. all have to be theirs or they don't work.

Thank you again.

MartinR
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Re: hp printer question

Post by MartinR » 2019/06/07 13:31:53

I'd expect that on a cheapo domestic ink jet, but not on what is supposed to be a professional SOHO product.

lightman47
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Joined: 2014/05/21 20:16:00
Location: Central New York, USA

Re: hp printer question

Post by lightman47 » 2019/06/08 19:08:52

PRINTING is as you described - fantastically easy! It's a (hard wire) network printer.

Scanning hints?
Imagescan "Could not send command to scanner. Check the scanners status."

Thank you.

EDIT:

Nevermind - found my answer in the printer Menu - it's "web page" on my network where you configure, heh. I'll get it working eventually. Thank you again.

MartinR
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Re: [Solved] hp printer question

Post by MartinR » 2019/06/08 22:03:17

You have a choice for scanning. You can either scan to email or to a network folder. Scanning to email sends the scan to an email address via HP central. Scanning to a web folder is a local issue that doesn't involve third parties. Scanning to email has no security implications for the systems (though who might read things at HP could be an issue) whereas scanning to a folder might open up an attack vector. In the latter case you can either set up individual folders (if you trust everyone with access to the machine) or else set up a collection folder that will need a privileged intervention to move the scans to user's own space.

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TrevorH
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Re: [Solved] hp printer question

Post by TrevorH » 2019/06/08 22:39:42

I've been very happy with my Epson 2760WF. Cheap ink, linux support - even remote scanning works. As far as I know, no timebombs.
The future appears to be RHEL or Debian. I think I'm going Debian.
Info for USB installs on http://wiki.centos.org/HowTos/InstallFromUSBkey
CentOS 5 and 6 are deadest, do not use them.
Use the FAQ Luke

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