ITE6 - Chapter 11

Printers produce paper copies of electronic files. Many situations, such as government regulations, require physical records; therefore, hard copies of computer documents are often as important today as they were when the paperless revolution began several years ago.

This chapter provides essential information about printers. You will learn how printers operate, what to consider when purchasing a printer, and how to connect printers to an individual computer or to a network.

You must understand the operation of various types of printers to be able to install and maintain them, as well as troubleshoot any problems that arise.

Extra Resources

Printer Specs: Everything you need to know

Activities

Identify the Laser Printing processes

In this chapter, various types of printers were discussed. You learned that there are many different types and sizes of printers, each with different capabilities, speeds, and uses. You also learned that printers can be connected directly to computers or shared across a network. The chapter introduced the different types of cables and interfaces available to connect a printer.

The following concepts from this chapter are important to remember:

• Some printers have low output and are adequate for home use, whereas other printers have high output and are designed for commercial use.

• Printers can have different speeds and quality of print.

• Older printers use parallel cables and ports. Newer printers typically use USB or FireWire cables and connectors.

• With newer printers, the computer automatically installs the necessary drivers.

• If the device drivers are not automatically installed by the computer, download them from the manufacturer’s website or use the supplied CD.

• Most optimization is done through software drivers and utilities.

• After you have set up the printer, you can share the device with other users on the network. This arrangement is cost-efficient because every user does not need to have a printer.

• A good preventive maintenance program extends the life of the printer and keeps it performing well.

• Always follow safety procedures when working with printers. Many parts inside printers contain high voltage or become very hot with use.

• Use a sequence of steps to fix a problem. Start with simple tasks before you decide on a course of action. Call a certified printer technician when a problem is too difficult for you to fix.

3D Printing