How to print direct from your iPhone
It’s useful to be able to print pictures, emails or boarding passes direct from your iPhone without the need to be next to a printer. It’s really straight forward and should be achievable with little more than a few taps on your iPhone.
- Check your printer is AirPrint compatible. You obviously need to have a printer that supports AirPrint (most newer printers do) before you can use the method. All the leading brands such as Brother, Epson, Samsung, HP, Lexmark, Canon and Dell sell AirPrint enabled printers and itâs likely you would also require an iPhone 3G or later. If you are unsure about your printers AirPrint capability, the instruction manual of printer will advise you of this. If your printer is not AirPrint compatible you can still use the facility providing that you have access to an AirPrint supported printer, maybe in the office or workplace.
- Set up your printer for AirPrint. If your printer has AirPrint built in then itâs likely that it will automatically connect with AirPrint. Check in the operating manual if you need to adjust the printer settings for your printer to use AirPrint and importantly check that your printer is on the same Wi-Fi as your iPhone.
Steps to Connect and Print from iPhone via AirPrint App
- Open the app for Airprint on your iPhone. Open the AirPrint app on your iPhone after first downloading it. Applications from Apple that are compatible with you phone include Mail and iPhoto meaning you can print emails and images.
- Open the file that you wish to print, choose ‘share’ and then ‘print’. Once you click ‘share’ a menu will appear that will allow you to choose an option to send the item by text, email or to print. Select ‘print’, then tap the arrow at the bottom pointing left and tap print.
- Selecting your printer. After you tap print a choice of printers will appear on the screen for you to open. Choose the printer you wish to sue (AirPrint compatible of course), type in the number of pages you want to print and the number of copies you would like. You can also change any printer settings you would want as you can when selecting a printer normally.
- Press Print. Finally, press print to print the actual document and the printer will respond and your documents will be printed as normal.
The apps you require for your phone to enable printing from your iPhone or mobile device are all readily available from your iTunes store. For example itâs possible to download a particular app to suit your brand of printer. However some apps such as the HP printing app will only work with a HP networked printer.
Top Tip. Always remember to save money when using Airprint by using a good high quality compatible toner cartridges. Good quality compatible inks mean no compromise on quality and big savings on print ink.
- Published in AirPrint, Troubleshoot
How to Overcome the Problem of Poor Quality Prints from my Printer
From time to time you may experience some poor print quality from your printer in the form of broken text lines or half printed images. This is usually a problem caused by the print head that is located either in the printer or in the ink cartridge itself. The majority of inkjet printers manufactured by Brother, Epson, Samsung, Dell and Advent have print heads located in the printer. These can become clogged with dried ink if the printer has not been used frequently and can lead to poor quality prints. For those of you who only print the occasional boarding pass this will be more of a concern than those who print regularly either daily or weekly.
For the majority of HP and Canon inkjet printers, the print head is integrated in the ink cartridge. The theory behind the logic in locating the print head in the cartridge rather than the printer is that every time you replace the ink cartridge you are in effect replacing the print head. This obviously makes the ink cartridges more expensive to buy and you will usually find the printer will take 2 cartridges, one colour and one black.
In order to clear the blocked print heads you need to perform a simple head cleaning procedure and this can be achieved either through the printer, (if the printer has an maintenance facility) or from your PC or MAC. If you have an interface on your printer you should be able to access the maintenance > Tools > head cleaning. If you have a more basic model of printer that doesn’t have a user interface on the front of the printer simply go to file > print > properties > maintenance > head cleaning. It is recommended that you print out a test page following each head cleaning procedure as this will give you the result of your clean. If for some reason the clog on the print head is very sever it may take 5 or 6 attempts at the head cleaning before the blockage is cleared but you should see a gradual improvement on the test print as you progress.
If you have an ink cartridge with an integrated print head it is also possible to remove the cartridge, take a piece of kitchen town and damped with luke warm water and manually gently wipe the area where the ink exits the cartridge. This can help the flow of the ink if there is a blockage that the head cleaning procedure wonât shif but is only worth a try on the intergrated print head ink cartridges.
- Published in Troubleshoot
My Printer will not Recognise my Canon Compatible Ink Cartridges
Sometimes when we insert a compatible, remanufactured or non-original ink cartridge into a Canon printer, the printer may not recognise the ink cartridge or the ink volume levels of the cartridge. Typical error messages include:
1. ânon-original cartridge detectedâ
2. ânon-original Canon cartridge detectedâ
3. âink running lowâ
4. âlow inkâ
Any of the above messages will prevent you from printing.
Below is a quick guide on how to overcome this issue followed by more helpful information:
Error messages and easy Quick Fix:
Ink Cartridge Not Recognised:
Ink is running low:
Ink has run out:
Quick Fix:
Press and hold the printerâs Stop / Reset button for at least 7 seconds to clear error message.
The first thing you can do is remove the cartridge and try re-installing it to see if the printer will recognise it, if it will still not recognise the cartridge then simply hold down the stop button (this is the button with the triangle inside a circle) for a minimum of 7 seconds. This will disable the printerâs cartridge recognition facility and you should be able to print happily without any further interruption. It may be that the ink volume will not display after you have done this (although sometimes it will continue to do so) but that is a minor inconvenience when you weigh up the savings on the cost of the compatible Canon ink cartridges. If the printer says the cartridge is damaged or will still not recognise the cartridge then remove the cartridge and gently wipe the copper area or the cartridge with a dry soft cloth (the area known as the âchipâ) to remove any static that may have accumulated on it and re-insert to see if it will solve the problem.
The vast majority of the compatible Canon ink cartridges will work first time but on occasion you might have to try a bit of trouble-shooting to get it going. Itâs also possible that the ink cartridge may be faulty so if you have tried all of the above suggestions and have a second cartridge then it would be time to try that. If you donât have a second cartridge then contact your supplier to see if a replacement cartridge can be issued but make sure you make a note of the error messages that are coming up on the printer each time you insert the ink cartridges as this will help them identify what the problem is. If you are covered by a money-back guarantee then you will have no problem and you will find that the supplier will do all they can to resolve the issue for you but will refund the money to you (after the return of the faulty cartridge) if they run out of options.
All good online ink cartridge suppliers will do all they can to help and usually will resolve the situation and you will be happily printing with Canon compatible ink cartridges that didnât cost the earth!
Not all Canon ink cartridges will give an error message when installed in a printer but it is more likely to occur in remanufactured ink cartridges. A remanufactured ink cartridge is a cartridge that was once an original Canon cartridge that has been factory cleaned, repaired if necessary, refilled and had its ‘chip reset’ and re-packaged. The cartridge ‘chip’ is located in the actual cartridge and not the printer which makes the empty cartridge valuable for recycling or remanufacture. The remanufactured
Canon PG540XL black and CL541XL colour ink and the remanufactured Canon PG545XL and CL546XL ink are these such cartridges and may sometimes show the error message ‘low ink’, ‘ink has run out’ or ‘ink cartridge cannot be recognised’. This is because the printer is having difficulty reading the information on the reset ‘chip’ and needs a helping hand by the user resetting the printer by holding down the stop button for approximately 8 seconds as described above.
There are also Canon compatible cartridges that are direct copies of the original genuine Canon inks and are different from the remanufactured cartridges in that the ‘chip’ is lcoated in the printer and not the cartridge. Compatible Canon inks such as PGI550XL / CLI551XL and PGI570XL / CLI571XL are made by third party manufacturers with no connection to Canon but who have the sole objective of producing a cartridge that is a lot cheaper than the original Canon ink but at the same time maintains the quality. These compatible inks are sets of 5 and 6 inks (some printers use an additional grey colour cartridge), the idea being that they are branded as photo printers and produce high quality prints on photo paper as opposed to the printing of general purpose everyday A4 plain paper printing.
- Published in Canon, Troubleshoot
How to Overcome Problems When Changing from Original to Compatible Epson Expression T1811 Ink Cartridges
Initially when you change over, most likely your first black cartridge may get the ink status showing an error with RED X over the black ink section. This will prevent your printing job taking place.
The software is detecting non-Epson cartridges and will be offering you opportunities to only use Epson ink. To resolve this issue, you can try the following actions:
- If you still have it, replace the original Epson T1811 ink cartridge in the tray
- Close the lid
- Power down the printer, leave it off power for 2 minutes
- Power up the printer
- Raise the lid on printer so you can see the ink carousel
- Press the ink button on front right (has a teardrop image)
- The ink carousel will go to an arrow pointer in the middle of the track
This pointer tells you which cartridge to replace first. Replace this one now with the compatible cartridge. Wipe the chip area inside the ink tray and on your cartridge first.
- If it black to be changed shake the black T1811 ink cartridge for a few seconds first.
- Do not shake the other colours.
- Now press the tear drop button again
- If it goes to a second cartridge at the pointer, change this one as the first above.
- Close the lid. Select a print job
You can at this stage disable the INK STATUS MONITOR function on your printer.
Doing this will prevent the window appearing on your monitor telling you to buy Epson ink. Disabling this window before following the first procedure will mean you cannot print regardless. Itâs recommended you do this for now, and only as and when you see a poor quality print taking place do you go back and re-set the software to identify which cartridge needs replacing and then follow the initial cartridge change as before exactly.
- To disable the INK STATUS MONITOR first identify your printer on your system.
- When you have the printer device on your screen, make sure it is the DEFAULT printer.
- Right click on the printer icon. Go to Printing Preferences
- Go to Maintenance on top column. Click on Extended Settings
- Go to top right column Settings and click on the Tick at Enable Status Monitor 3
- With tick removed the ink monitor is disabled, Click OK to Save
To re-instate the INK MONITOR follow the disable instructions and simply click the monitor setting to brink back the tick and save as before. When you select your next printer job the monitor will show you which cartridge needs replacing.
The above suggestions apply to all Epson Expression printers and in particular the XP205, XP305, XP405, XP322, and XP202 ink cartridges.
- Published in Epson, Troubleshoot
Will non-original ink cartridges in Cork work with my Epson printer?
As the popularity of the non-original or compatible ink cartridges in Cork increases, the demand for generic ink has doubled in recent years. The main concern for most people who have never bought non-original cartridges before is whether the cartridge will work in their printer and how will the quality stand up against the original brand. Addressing the quality of the compatible ink will be the responsibility of any good ink shop in Cork. For everyday general purpose printing the quality of the compatible ink when compared to the original is virtually indistinguishable. If you require photographic quality images printing then it would be advisable to stick with the original brand. There are plenty of good quality compatible cartridges on the market either available from an ink shop in Cork however the best deals for these cartridges will be found online with many suppliers giving away free ink or offering low cost or free delivery.
There will sometime be cartridge recognition issues with non-original cartridges although in general Epson printers will accept the compatible version of the cartridge without too much trouble. When your first insert the cartridge the Epson printer will pick up that it is non-original and ask you if you still want to continue to print. Just confirm that you wish to proceed and check the box and proceed to print as normal. The printer will normally be able to read the ink volume of the compatible ink cartridges so apart from the initial reading of the non-original cartridge the printer should behave as it would if you were using original brand.
If you have been using the compatible ink cartridges for some time and at some stage the error message comes up the ‘ink cartridges cannot be recognised‘ this usually means that the cartridge has ran out of ink and requires replacement. As a rule, there are generally very few issues with the Epson compatible non-original cartridges and if there any problems that arenât solved easily then contact your local ink shop in Cork or the online supplier you purchased the ink from. The savings that can be made by simply using the non-originals can be substantial especially if you are a heavy user or a busy office. Epson compatible printer ink cartridges in Cork can be up to 70% cheaper than their original brand counterparts.
- Published in Troubleshoot
How do I Install my Non-Original Printer Ink Cartridges?
When the time comes to remove an empty ink cartridge from your printer it is advisable to replace it with a new cartridge as soon as possible.
Never leave your printer without an ink cartridge even if the cartridge is empty. Remove the empty and always dispose of the cartridge safely (most council amenity sites have recycling facilities available). Unpack the new cartridge but be especially careful not to touch the copper âchipâ area as contaminating this area may cause the ink cartridge to become defective. Remove any seals or labels as prompted in the instructions and click the cartridge firmly in place. When an ink cartridge has been successfully installed do not remove it as exposure to the elements may cause the cartridge to dry out.
Most printers will allow you to replace the cartridge individually as each colour runs out. The warning indicator should show on screen or on the printer (depending on the printer model), the first indication may be that the ink is low giving your plenty of time to organise replacement inks.
In some printers when the cartridge is out of ink it may still be possible to use the remaining colour for a short period of time, but itâs likely that the print quality will deteriorate, as very often the printer will take a pinch of colour from each ink cartridge to produce a print. If you need to carry out a head cleaning procedure you will require plenty of ink in all your cartridges.
In the first instance, with the power to the printer switched on, raise the scanning lid or upper section of the printer to access the ink cartridges. The ink cartridges should move to a position where you are able to access them. Remove the empty ink cartridge and unpack the new cartridge removing any seals as previously discussed. The ink cartridge should be firmly clicked into place and the printer lid closed again. The printer will then spend a little time âchargingâ the cartridge and will make several noises and movement until it finally settles down and is ready to print.
If you happen to have some documents in the queue that didn’t print previously because it ran out of ink then it will automatically print them for you. If an error message appears, for example, âcartridge not recognisedâ, remove the ink cartridge check any seal has been removed and re-install, gently wiping the copper âchipâ with a soft dry cloth to remove any static build up that may be causing the printer to have a problem reading the information on the âchipâ. Try this several times, if there is still no success, then itâs possible the âchipâ is faulty so try another cartridge if you have one. Itâs also worth mentioning that you should check that you have the correct cartridge for your printer. In the case of the installation of a non-original Canon ink cartridge, if the âcartridge not recognisedâ appears, simply press the stop button for 5 seconds (marked with a red triangle) and proceed with your printing.
- Published in Troubleshoot
My print heads are clogged and giving poor quality print outs, what can I do?
A common problem with printers is that from time to time it will disappoint you by its poor quality of the documents print outs. The first conclusion people jump to is that the ink cartridge is faulty and replace the cartridge in haste to find that the problem is still apparent. This can happen to any colour cartridge in any printer. The procedure for clearing the blockage is fairly standard and is carried out using the printer maintenance or utility feature. The cause of the ink blockage can be ink drying out in the print head through lack of use or if there is some dried out ink in a new ink cartridge that works it way into the print head and restricts the flow of ink.
In the first instance, go to file print and select properties, next choose maintenance and finally head cleaning. The idea of cleaning the print heads using this method is to force the ink through the jets of the print head and clear the blockage. After each attempt itâs advisable to print out a test sheet that will show the progress of the head cleaning, it may be a gradual procedure to see the progress and it is preferred to take up to 10 attempts to clear a severely blocked print head. Perseverance is the key to clearing a completely blocked print head. People often give up on the head cleaning too easily and assume that either the ink cartridges are faulty or the printer has reached end of life.
If your printer uses an ink cartridge with an integrated print head, (check your printer manual or ink supplier to see if this is the case), it is possible to wipe the cartridge with a warm damp kitchen roll a few times until you see the ink flow easily onto the tissue. Itâs recommended that you follow the procedure laid down in your instruction manual for your printer head cleaning, however, there are always plenty of tips available on Google on how to clear a blocked print head. If you are unsure about the type of printer you have, consult your printer manual or Google your printer model.
If you try to clear a severely blocked print head with more than 10 or 12 attempts and there is only a slight or no improvement on the test sheet it may be possible that the print head is due for replacement.This can be an expensive procedure and in many cases, is not worth the cost, due to the availability of many low cost replacement printers. If in doubt, contact your ink supplier for advice.
- Published in Troubleshoot
Will the Ink Volume Levels Display if I use a Compatible Epson Ink Cartridge in my Printer?
The Epson compatible ink cartridge is one of the most reliable non-genuine cartridges on the market. The Epson printers will generally accept the compatible version of the cartridge without any issues. The ink volume levels however may not work on all printers, this depends on whether the printer can read the volume levels via the âchipâ on the ink cartridge. If not it is safe to print anyway until the ink runs out and just replace when the ink out warning appears.
Very often the cartridge will run until the ink is completely out and then give the message âcartridge not recognisedâ. This can be a signal to replace the ink cartridge if the cartridge has been working normally for some time or for what you would consider a normal length of time. If this error message was to appear when you first insert the cartridge then the chances are the cartridge is faulty. The âchipâ that is read by the printer may be damaged, out of position or even missing. In this case try removing and re-installing a few times and if this is still unsuccessful then replace the cartridge.
The print quality of the non-genuine ink cartridge can sometimes be a concern for people who have never used them before. The rule of thumb is that they are fine for every day general printing of text and images. If you are printing photo quality images and the colours are of particular importance then you may notice a slight difference in quality from the original genuine cartridge. In 95% of cases the compatibles are acceptable and the savings of up 70% when compared to genuine cartridges are a big plus. There is also more ink in the compatible ink cartridge than the genuine.
The reason for this is that the third-party manufacturers fill the cartridges to the top and donât leave space. This is why a lot of the popular compatible cartridges are described as XL or high capacity so the customer benefits the extra ink at no extra cost. When an printer is bought new the ink cartridges that come with the printer only contain a small amount of ink and they are refered to as âset upâ inks. This ink will not last long and of course the printer manufacturer is hoping you will buy the genuine cartridges immediately. Switching to compatible or non-genuine cartridges not only saves you money but gives you the freedom to print for longer.
- Published in Epson, Troubleshoot
My Brother or HP printer says my ink cartridges are âold generationâ and need to be replaced with ânew generation cartridgesâ
Recently both Brother and HP have made changes to their software in the latest range of printers that will not allow earlier versions of ink cartridge to work in the printer. Itâs not common knowledge that many printer brands have more than one printer that uses the same printer cartridge. A good example of this would be the HP364 cartridge. This cartridge works in almost 50 HP printers so is in big demand as a compatible ink cartridge.
Brother and HP have recently released new printer models that work with ink cartridges that work with past models. However, they have updated these new printers with software that will not permit the earlier version of the cartridges to be used. This is a problem for the user of the new model if they buy locally or online and are given the earlier version of the cartridge. Many suppliers of the cartridge will not exchange the ink cartridges, as the buyer did not stipulate that the printer requires the newer version of the cartridge. This applies to either original brand cartridges or the compatible version.
Why have Brother and HP decided to introduce new ink cartridges to run with their new printers therefore rendering the previous cartridges unusable is a bit of a mystery to ink stockists. One theory is that they are trying to prevent the compatible version of their earlier cartridges being used in the new printers. This seems like a logical theory, as it will take the compatible manufacturers some time to develop the technology in the cartridge âchipâ to enable the compatible version of the cartridge to work in the new printers.
If you are unlucky enough to have a stock of the early version cartridges then unless your supplier will take them back, which is unlikely, then the only course of action left open to you is to dump them and replace them with the new version of the cartridge. Also, online firmware downloads from the manufacturers such as HP or Brother have been reported to have been preventing the use of compatible and remanufactured cartridges or at least causing difficulties for those people who had previously used them with no problem. Itâs a matter of personal choice whether to accept a firm update from a manufacturer but if you use compatible ink cartridges it may be wise to give it a miss.
- Published in Brother, HP, Troubleshoot