Printers are one of several important devices that we need in our everyday life, especially in the workplace where we need to print documents or contracts. Students also need printers to print their projects and term papers. Every day, printers have a special role in our life.
However, printers can often cause a range of problems for us. Sometimes, they run out of ink too fast. Other times, their output quality may be flawed. There are also annoying instances when they print at a very slow pace, not to mention paper may regularly jam.
The worst is when they refuse to print at all. Fortunately, printer problems are resolvable. In this article, we identify some common printer problems and how to fix them properly.
1. The Printer Won't Print
If the printer is turned on and there are no error messages that tell you there's a problem, perhaps you should check if the printer is still connected to your computer. Check the USB or Ethernet cable. If it is a wireless model, check if the Wi-Fi is enabled and if you are connected to the right network.
Remember that in order to print, the printer driver and software need to be installed on the computer. If the driver has become corrupted, you should reinstall it. Check for the updated version. If reinstalling doesn't work, check out the troubleshooting section in the printer's User Manual. The last resort would be to contact tech support.
2. The Printer Prints at a Very Slow Pace
Some printers print at a fast pace, others at a much slower pace. The speed of printing may depend on the quality of print that you set. You may be able to speed up a slow printer if you're going to print in draft mode or the lowest quality setting. But do this only when you're not printing a format report.
Avoid two-sided printing because it tends to be slower since the printer has to flip the document over to print on both sides. If you are after speed, print from a host-based or PCL driver. However, if you're after printing photos at higher quality, use PostScript drivers.
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3. There's a Lot of Paper Jams
Paper jam is a common problem and it can be annoying. According to PC Mag, the most common cause of paper jams is paper misalignment. To avoid it, be sure to stack the paper properly before inserting it in the tray. Also, avoid over-filling the tray. If the problem still persists, check the troubleshooting section of the printer's user manual.
4. Documents Printing Have Vertical Streaks
New models of printers often come with a photocopier and scanner. This is very convenient because it's like having three devices in one. But you may experience that when you photocopy or scan a document, there are vertical streaks on the output.
Over time, the glass where you put the document to scan or copy collects specks of dust. This causes vertical streaks. According to Cartridge World USA, to solve this problem, simply clean the glass with a piece of alcohol wipe.
5. Wi-Fi Printing is Taking Too Long
The very first thing that you have to check if you are printing via Wi-Fi is if the printer and your computer are connected to the same Wi-Fi network. If printing via Wi-Fi is taking forever, check your router. Your router should offer 5GHz band as well as 2.4 GHz. You may also want to check if the firmware is up to date.
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