Simpletons question re USB or wireless printer

[Kenny]

My USB printer is going slowly AWOL ( usual head cleaned new ink cartridge but still prints crap ). I only want a run of the mill home printer/scanner and was thinking of this one...

https://www.hp.com/gb-en/shop/product.aspx?id=223N4B&opt=687&sel=PRN

Thing is, I have never used wireless products before, just USB cables. Can my desktop Windows 10 computer run a wireless printer? How do I know if it can? Does the wireless printer run
off my router or is it a product built into my PC ? Basic question I know

 

[adventuredon]

The link posted brings up laptops for me. Usually a wire to printer then printer goes onto WiFi I can print from my phone if need be and my printer is also a cheap go one. Post the proper link? Does your windows machine have WiFi?

 

[Mr Bean]

Yes it will run fine.

You connect the printer to the router and your laptop will see it - once you've loaded the driver etc.

Well, that's how it works with my Epson wireless printer...

 

[Greg Masters]

That printer has a USB connection port.

 

[MacJ]

Before you buy take the cost of replacement ink cartridges into account. Some are truly rip off. I buy non-manufacturer replacement. Just be careful not to download software updates (Epson anyway) as they will stop non-Epson working.

 

[er-minio]

Network LASER printer.

 

[wessie]

Network LASER printer.

I only ever have a mono-laser printer at home to print the odd letter or PDF insurance certificate. Fires up every time, no blocked jets. I have had the same one since 2018 and it gets used less often than once a month, and it is still on the original toner cartridge. Although, I see the days of the £30 printer have gone and the cheapest is about £90 for a Brother. This was £32 in 2018.

 

[Bear]

Firstly, watch out for printer makers (HP and Epson in particluar) that block aftermarket cartridges. I use a Brother printer/scanner/fax bought as a clearance item in late 2014 which offers Wifi and USB connections. I connect by WiFi which is a pita to set up on the printer but it means I can print from my desktop (connected to the router by Ethernet) or my laptop (connected by WiFi). Both run Windows 10 and, once I'd installed the drivers from the Brother website all worked perfectly.
If you've only a desktop computer then USB will give you an easier setup but if you've a laptop you probably need WiFi to save the cable tripping you up. Also, connecting to a desktop by usb means that sharing the printer to other devices means you need the desktop running. Connecting by WiFi bypasses the desktop and it's demand for electricity.

 

[er-minio]

Fires up every time, no blocked jets.

Same exact scenario. Lives in a cupboard, always on. I print a few pages every few months. Never an issue.
I would just avoid HP as they have some stupid "green" settings where the printer will turn off after a few hours of inactivity and there is no (easy) way around this.
I once bought an HP Laser printer for an office I was working in with the idea of our CEO to be able to print stuff remotely and then pick it up when in the office and the entire thing became a massive pain in the ass for the printer shutting off automatically every x hours.
I ended up having a contraption that would keep it alive, but was a PITA.

HP – never again.

 

[Kenny]

Thanks guys, plenty to think about

 

[Pablo1]

I have a slightly different model of HP envy printer, when I bought it , it came with a leaflet to sign up to an HP ink plan, they monitor your ink levels remotely and post out new cartridges as required, i signed up for the basic plan which is free and allows you 10 prints or copies per month before then charging you £1 for each further set of 10 prints, ive found this suits me fine.

 

[SBD]

I have an Epson wireless printer which talks to my laptop, study desktop, iPad, herself’s iPad, laptop, etc.

it doesn’t use cartridges, you put ink in it. Includes scanner, seems to work fine. Our IT manager at work bought his first and recommended it.