Customer Rating: 
Summary: An excuse to sell printer cartridges
Comment: I have this printer and I also had the 2140 before it. After about 1000 sheets I get a pop up on my
computer telling me the toner is bad. I know, starter cartridge, low yield. The problem is, the
print quality is fine so I know there is nothing wrong with the toner.
Once this
cartridge alerts pops up though it will no longer print at all. You will get nothing out of the
printer except the alarm. So if you are in the middle of something, be prepared to drop it.
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Now, replaced the cartridge. About 1500 pages later the same alarm. Print quality is fine
but if this printer decides it is time to spend another 40 bucks on a toner cartridge that is that.
You cannot use the printer until you replace the cartridge.
As I said earlier I had the
Brother 2140 which was the prior non wireless version. I never saw an alarm such as this. You may
have gotten a low toner alarm but if the print quality was ok you could ignore it and get another
500-1000 sheets no problems.
So it appears Brother 'fixed' the ability to actually
ignore the alarm as you could with the 2140 by completely disabling the printer in the 2170w model
when it decides it is time to pony up some cash.
This will be the last Brother product
I purchase.
Customer Rating: Summary: Very nice ..
Comment: I bought this printer to replace a dead Epson inkjet printer, which was connected direct (USB) to
our non-wireless capable XP Pro desktop. This desktop is connected to a DLink DGL-4500 wireless
router and we run two wireless connected Vista64 laptops. Additionally, we've an wireless HP inkjet
(primarily for photos) connected to the network.
This printer is not only our first
laser, it's the first Brother product I've ever purchased.
Based upon the reviews here
(the great majority favorable to the printer itself, while lamenting the difficulty with it's
wireless configuration), I was absolutely committed to "follow the directions for wireless setup ..
step by step". I also had went to Brothers support page and downloaded "new" drivers and other
apps, having them "ready" for the installation. I'd pre-determined NOT to use the included install
CD from the printer package.
However, and as evidence validating the adage, "a blind
hog can root-up an ear of corn every once in a while", the install took a detour.
/>Installing at the desktop, the first thing I did was to make the CAT5 connection between the
printer and the router .. great!
Then, despite having the directions open on the desk
(and having read over the steps a dozen times) .. I immediately pressed the "wireless connect"
(which searches for devices one would like to add to the network) button on the DLink. I then
(using an ink-pen .. Brother couldn't have placed/designed it's remote connect "button" worse,
unless they'd buried it deep inside the printer) pressed the remote connect button on the printer.
They, almost immediately, found one-another and the light on the printer glowed a solid blue ..
great!
Then, re-looking at the instructions .. GASP!, I hadn't installed the driver
first!!
So, I unzipped and executed the "driver install" file I'd downloaded. I didn't
recognize the screens in it, compared to the instructions, and aborted. I then unzipped and
executed a "wireless setup" file I'd also downloaded .. same thing, didn't recognize the screens in
the book and aborted it. What now?
I shoved the CD into a drive and, there in the
"wireless connection" section" I discover a selection identified as, "install printer driver on an
already successfully network connected printer" (or some such) .. hot dog! That's me! I selected
it and the printer driver was immediately installed .. it's control icon appearing on the XP
desktops taskbar.
I then used the same CD (and selection) to install the driver on both
of the laptops .. each immediately also becoming printer aware and usable.
From start
to finish, the actual install to get 3 boxes working with the printer might have been 20
minutes.
We really like the printer and would (already have) recommend it's purchase to
others. Excellent.
