I read about this. They make the printer WITH a perfectly good USB port and then stick a “no USB” label over it and attempt to force you to use their wireless setup.
trying to force the app, force the networking… get the printer online and sending data back, trick an account signup too… because, hey. user data nom nom nom.
and of course, also trick you into enabling automatic firmware updates–the first of which will be waiting for you and ramps-up blocking of third-party consumables.
When I put the old HP printer on the network, I put it into a “Restricted Internet Access” group on the router. Indended for limiting the kids’ internet access times, but you can set it to locked perpetually.
This worked fine for a number of years until it started wasting ink like mad (had to deep-clean it after 3-4 pages with color images (not full-sized images, just some graphics on the page).
I read about this. They make the printer WITH a perfectly good USB port and then stick a “no USB” label over it and attempt to force you to use their wireless setup.
https://post.lurk.org/@yaxu/110833261398955782 for more.
holy fuck.
And if they do have USB printing, the firmware might still get in the way. Don’t buy HP printers if you just want to print and be done.
trying to force the app, force the networking… get the printer online and sending data back, trick an account signup too… because, hey. user data nom nom nom.
and of course, also trick you into enabling automatic firmware updates–the first of which will be waiting for you and ramps-up blocking of third-party consumables.
Don’t forget all the ads to buy their ink every month and other bullshit
When I put the old HP printer on the network, I put it into a “Restricted Internet Access” group on the router. Indended for limiting the kids’ internet access times, but you can set it to locked perpetually.
A lot of HP consumer printers will stop working if they can’t phone home for a week or so
This worked fine for a number of years until it started wasting ink like mad (had to deep-clean it after 3-4 pages with color images (not full-sized images, just some graphics on the page).
This is a fairly recent development. Maybe 3-4 years old.
Our last HP was definitively older. I have to admit it lasted long, and worked rather good until about a year ago.
Can confirm, sister in law had one of these and it took me an embarrassingly long time to figure it out.