Cheap Brother HL-2170W 23ppm Laser Printer with Wireless and Wired Network Interfaces

To set up this printer for wireless use, SKIP THE PRINTED MANUAL. Go straight to the Brother Online Solutions Center Support FAQ for the HL-2170W and select the top-ranked FAQ: Wireless Setup Instructions. This will take you to a PDF version of the wireless setup instructions, which is more detailed and accurate than the printed manual. I recommend following the instructions for setting up wireless via temporary use of a network cable. Note: the PDF instructions are 36 pages long(!), and are still somewhat poorly organized. They may require some patience, and perhaps a Microsoft A+ certification for Windows.

In my case, to install the HL-2170W for wireless use in Windows XP, I had to manually reset the printer to factory defaults (two different ways), install the printer software & drivers, manually reboot my system (it doesn't prompt to reboot automatically), manually add the TCP/IP printer port for the printer, and tell the Add/Remove Printer wizard to use separately downloaded WHQL-certified drivers. The Windows installer does almost nothing, and the process is about as far from plug-and-play as you can get. It took me many failed attempts (about 2 hours of trial and error) before I found the downloadable PDF instructions.

Once you manage to get the printer working, you should find it relatively easy to use and excellent quality. I recently purchased and configured a Brother Color Inkjet wireless printer (MFC-495CW), which was also tricky to set up for wireless use. It's worth noting that this printer is significantly more power hungry than its inkjet sibling. My Brother MFC-495CW wireless inkjet idles at between 1 and 2 watts (according to my Kill-a-watt), and never climbs over 30W while in use. The HL-2170W idles at a steady 5 watts, and spikes to 1000+ watts (three zeroes, no joke) while starting up or printing. Consequently, I would recommend leaving the printer turned off, unless it is actively in use.
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