Why do printers trigger so many problems? How many times have you hit “print” just to see your printer sit mutely, absolutely nothing happening? Fortunately, PCMag writer Tony Hoffman recently had a look at the most common printing problems and ways to troubleshoot. Follow Hoffman’s tips and you might spend less time cussing out your printer.
It Doesn’t Print
So, what happens if your printer isn’t printing when you tell it to? The issue, as Hoffman writes, might be simple: Maybe your printer isn’t plugged into either a power source or your computer. Or perhaps it’s a more challenging problem. Maybe your printer driver on your computer is corrupted. If that’s the case, reinstall it.
Low-Ink Warnings
No one likes to spend money on expensive printer ink. There are occasions when your computer will declare that you are out of ink, despite the fact that you’re still able to print. What to do? Hoffman recommends that you simply keep printing. Ink-level warnings vary widely in their precision. Keep printing until that ink finally disappears.
Wi-Fi Printing is Sluggish
Many printers can print wirelessly through a Wi-Fi network. Sometimes, though, it takes forever for your computer and printer to communicate. You may be able to speed things up by placing your printer as close as you can to your router. Make sure, too, that your router supports 802.11n and offers both the 5GHZ and 2.4GHZ bands.