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From what I've researched on the internet today... to decide what the best choice for a .... Wireless/Color/Laserjet/Multifunctional/Printer is - and the number one concern seems to be -->is it compatible and certified with WINDOWS VISTA. I've been reading Blogs/reviews... and many Vista users have complained about installation issues. I went to the Vista Website and was confused to see them suggest some of the same printers that Bloggers had reported as TRASH! since they couldn't get the printers installed!
We have just taken the first step in going wireless with laptops (HP 32 Bit Vista Window)- but our printer is not wireless and we have attempted wiring it to the Router, but cannot succeed in getting the laptops to print to it! Perhaps the Vista program has an issue with the 4 year old printer. CONFLICT? But before I INVEST in another printer? I want to make sure my anal significant other doesn't get upset at me... by buying another printer that is not going to work with our Window's program! It would be nice to know that the new printer would work with the Vista and the new Windows program (Windows 7) that I've been reading about today!
So? Any chance your computer gurus have a couple of choices of printers that match our needs? PLEASE!!!!
Thanks for taking the time on this lengthy inquiry.
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Looking for a Printer That Fits Our Needs
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#2
mphenterprises 
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Posted 17 March 2009 - 04:34 PM
Hi Sugarwin and welcome to the PCWorld Communities. :D
The Discussion to which you have posted your concern is in relation to the news article. I have branched your issue into its own Discussion. This will give the members of the Community a greater chance of seeing and responding to your question.
The Discussion to which you have posted your concern is in relation to the news article. I have branched your issue into its own Discussion. This will give the members of the Community a greater chance of seeing and responding to your question.
#3
smax013
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Posted 17 March 2009 - 06:40 PM
You will be hard pressed to find a NEW printer that you could buy these days that will not work with Windoze Vista. The problem with older printers is that some printer manufacturers choose not to create drivers for their older printers. But, since Windoze Vista is now the de facto "standard" for new computers, only a suicidal printer manufacturer would not ship a new printer with Vista drivers available for the printer.
This is not to say that you might not still enough installation problems. You could find some printers and their driver installation process that choked on Windoze XP...long before Vista came to be. It is aways possible that someone screws up or ships something that is just not ready for prime time.
Now, I don't tend to recommend specific items...at least not to someone that I don't know and can get a MUCH better feel what their needs and wants are.
But, we can certainly help you narrow it dowm some. You left it fairly broad. Do you want an inkjet, B&W laser printer or a color laser printer? The corollary to that is...how much color vs. B&W printing do you do? Do you want to print photos on photo paper? Do you want/need to printer larger format (i.e. 11x17 or larger)? Do you want just a printer or an "all in one" type device? If the later, do you need faxing? Copying? Scanning? How much do you want to spend?
How did you attempt to wire it to the router? USB cable to a USB port? Or did you buy some sort of printer server device and hook it up with a network cable? What is the brand and model of your router (i.e. does it have a print server capability built in)?
Have you tried directly hooking the old printer up to the new computers with Vista? What is the brand and model of the old printer?
This is not to say that you might not still enough installation problems. You could find some printers and their driver installation process that choked on Windoze XP...long before Vista came to be. It is aways possible that someone screws up or ships something that is just not ready for prime time.
Now, I don't tend to recommend specific items...at least not to someone that I don't know and can get a MUCH better feel what their needs and wants are.
But, we can certainly help you narrow it dowm some. You left it fairly broad. Do you want an inkjet, B&W laser printer or a color laser printer? The corollary to that is...how much color vs. B&W printing do you do? Do you want to print photos on photo paper? Do you want/need to printer larger format (i.e. 11x17 or larger)? Do you want just a printer or an "all in one" type device? If the later, do you need faxing? Copying? Scanning? How much do you want to spend?
How did you attempt to wire it to the router? USB cable to a USB port? Or did you buy some sort of printer server device and hook it up with a network cable? What is the brand and model of your router (i.e. does it have a print server capability built in)?
Have you tried directly hooking the old printer up to the new computers with Vista? What is the brand and model of the old printer?
#4
rgreen4
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Posted 17 March 2009 - 07:47 PM
If your printer is only 4 years old, that means that it was at most two years old when Vista was released and would have been considered current. You did not say how you had connected the printer to the router.
If you would tell us the brand and model of the printer we can research the availability of drivers and how it could be connected to to the network.
Now there are three four ways to hook up a printer, but only two work directly with a router and they require specific networking circuitry within the printer. Those two are ethernet (RJ45 plugs and a cable that looks like a fat phone cord) and wireless. The other two ways, parallel (almost gone now) and USB must either connect directly to a computer or to a device called a print server. A print server is a stand alone device containing the network interface found in a printer that is network ready. You could also connect the printer to one computer and then share it over the network. The downside is that the computer host must be on in order for other computers to use the printer.
While finding a color laser All-In-One is not difficult, you will find you do not have the diversity of options that are found in Inkjet All-In-Ones. While not all Inkjet AIO's are not network capable, almost all Laserjet AIO's are network capable, but then that is most likely because of the pricing structure.
If you would tell us the brand and model of the printer we can research the availability of drivers and how it could be connected to to the network.
Now there are three four ways to hook up a printer, but only two work directly with a router and they require specific networking circuitry within the printer. Those two are ethernet (RJ45 plugs and a cable that looks like a fat phone cord) and wireless. The other two ways, parallel (almost gone now) and USB must either connect directly to a computer or to a device called a print server. A print server is a stand alone device containing the network interface found in a printer that is network ready. You could also connect the printer to one computer and then share it over the network. The downside is that the computer host must be on in order for other computers to use the printer.
While finding a color laser All-In-One is not difficult, you will find you do not have the diversity of options that are found in Inkjet All-In-Ones. While not all Inkjet AIO's are not network capable, almost all Laserjet AIO's are network capable, but then that is most likely because of the pricing structure.
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