Recommendations for a networkable laser printer (low cost)?

bbz_Ghost

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Not a color one, just plain old black & white is just fine. I know HP, Brother, and Samsung have some fairly low end models that can do networking and I'm interested, but the price difference between the non-Ethernet versions and the Ethernet-enabled versions seems a bit drastic (like $75 or higher difference) so I'm curious to know what other people think.

I have two laptops, in the same apartment, and a wireless router so I'd prefer to leave the printer with the router so that either machine can print at any time. I'd be using it with Windows but also with the MacBook I'm going to buy in the next week or so, but I shouldn't expect it to be an issue anymore for driver support across both OSes.

Just curious if people have recommendations or opinions on their own setups. Color isn't a concern, if it becomes one I can just grab some low end inkjet, but I do print a lot of technical information so B&W is all I really need.

Thanks...
 
I got my HP 1320n for only $200 back when it had a $100 rebate. I'm not sure if they still have that deal, though. Another option is that you could use an old computer as the print server (with a normal laser printer). When I was in college, we used an old Pentium 100Mhz laptop as our print server, hehe.
 
I agree, the 1320n or 1320 shared is a damn reliable printer, they are rated at like 10,000 pages a month, we have about a dozen of them and with the built in duplexer, they are a steal
 
either the 1320 HP or the low end Dell will suit your needs. They are, IMO, both pieces of crap.
 
I'd go with the Dell, I've had nothing but problems with the latest HP's I've ordered. Of the 20 4300n's I purchased, 2 didn't even turn on and another 9 have calibration and smearing problems. Getting them worked on is a pain in the ass because they were purchased through a reseller who has to send someone out on our dime to pick them up and take them back and then bring it back fixed.

For the next set, I purchased 20 Dell 5310n's, I've only had one problem, a user broke the back door. Dell had someone onsight the next day and fixed it.

If I can't trust a $1700 HP to work out of the box, I sure as hell won't be buying $299 ones.
 
Blauman said:
either the 1320 HP or the low end Dell will suit your needs. They are, IMO, both pieces of crap.
We've got 2x 1320n's running perfectly fine. Theres no need for higher end models at my office. The low end dell was free, and the 1320n's were $200... the low end dell print quality is horrible, takes forever to print, and keeps getting ghost paper jams. The 1320's are fast, good print quality, and also do duplex. Just because one model HP has problems out of the box doesnt mean they all do. Then again, just because the two 1320n's I ordered are awesome, doesnt mean yours will be defect-free. Nothing is certain, I'm just giving you my opinion on the products I use. I can't comment on a 4300n, since I've never used one.

ND40oz said:
If I can't trust a $1700 HP to work out of the box, I sure as hell won't be buying $299 ones.
The $299 ones arent made to compete with $1700 models... they're for small offices and personal use.
 
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