Printer with Ethernet port recommendations

[kingston12]

My Epson XP-760 printer failed at the weekend. It’s given me years of good service, so I bought the new equivalent, the XP-8700.

The problem is that there is no Ethernet port. My Wi-Fi is unreliable, and I’ve always had problems with wireless-only printers in the past. The XP-760 wired connection has been bullet-proof.

I’m ideally looking for something small and relatively cheap as it won’t be used that much, but I’m happy to compromise on virtually any other specification if I can get one that I can connect to my network properly.

Any recommendations appreciated.

[Gunk]

Have you not tried a USB to Ethernet adaptor?

[jonsp]

Not sure he'd need an adaptor.

The printer "hopefully" has a USB port so USB lead printer -> PC should work fine.

[Gunk]

jonsp said:

Not sure he'd need an adaptor.

The printer "hopefully" has a USB port so USB lead printer -> PC should work fine.

He wants to use it on his network, not hook it up to a single PC

[nyt]

Search for: network printer sharer

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004100665167.h...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=network+printer+share...

[thebraketester]

Fix the Wi-Fi?

[jonsp]

Gunk said:

He wants to use it on his network, not hook it up to a single PC

Right. But he should be able to share the printer over his network via his PC.

[kingston12]

Gunk said:

jonsp said:

Not sure he'd need an adaptor.

The printer "hopefully" has a USB port so USB lead printer -> PC should work fine.

He wants to use it on his network, not hook it up to a single PC

Yes, the important thing from my experience is that the printer itself is wired to the network. I print from a variety of wireless devices, and it seems to work fine as long as the printer is wired.

When I had a printer that was connected wirelessly the devices couldn’t find any printers on the network.

I’ll try one of the USB to Ethernet adapters. I’d not looked at those before. Thanks.

[crowfield]

I had a similar problem. WiFi printing is hopelessly unreliable, so I got round the problem with a TPLink print server ( effectively a USB to ethernet device )

[kingston12]

thebraketester said:

Fix the Wi-Fi?

That’s ongoing at the moment, but I still prefer to have static devices like printers wired if possible.

[FunkyGibbon]

jonsp said:

Gunk said:

He wants to use it on his network, not hook it up to a single PC

Right. But he should be able to share the printer over his network via his PC.

If the printer is physically located near a PC and the. PC is on wired network, then the printer can be shared and will appear to other devices as a wired device.

That is how mine is setup.

[kingston12]

crowfield said:

I had a similar problem. WiFi printing is hopelessly unreliable, so I got round the problem with a TPLink print server ( effectively a USB to ethernet device )

Thanks.that sounds like the way to do it. It's just a shame that the printer manufacturers have dropped the port on the printers themselves which would make it easier and cheaper.

[ecsrobin]

crowfield said:

I had a similar problem. WiFi printing is hopelessly unreliable, so I got round the problem with a TPLink print server ( effectively a USB to ethernet device )

I don’t have a printer but my mother has a HP wireless printer that’s a few years old. From an iPhone or iPad it’s bulletproof and in the 3-4 years it’s not missed a beat wireless printing. I can grab the model number if people want.

[outnumbered]

FunkyGibbon said:

If the printer is physically located near a PC and the. PC is on wired network, then the printer can be shared and will appear to other devices as a wired device.

That is how mine is setup.

Fine if you keep the PC permanently powered on, or are happy to go and turn it in when you want to print, not so good if you don’t.

[kingston12]

FunkyGibbon said:

jonsp said:

Gunk said:

He wants to use it on his network, not hook it up to a single PC

Right. But he should be able to share the printer over his network via his PC.

If the printer is physically located near a PC and the. PC is on wired network, then the printer can be shared and will appear to other devices as a wired device.

That is how mine is setup.

I've not got that option unfortunately as the printer is nowhere near my wired PC

[sgrimshaw]

You don't say whether you want mono, colour, inkjet, laser, MFP, duty cycle etc, etc.

Go to Printerbase or Printerland site, search for printers and set the filter for network under connectivity.

If the spec says network and wireless, it will have a ethernet connection.

First on the list from Printerbase for example

https://www.printerbase.co.uk/epson-workforce-wf-2...

FWIW, all my laser printers have cable as well as wireless.

[sgrimshaw]

From bitter experience the USB Ethernet servers can be very much hit or miss.

Many don't work with W10 or Mac or have pretty specific restrictions so choose wisely and buy from Amazon for easy returns.

The TP-Link one was pretty good, best of the bunch, but finding one is akin to finding rocking horse poo. I think it may be discontinued.

[kingston12]

sgrimshaw said:

You don't say whether you want mono, colour, inkjet, laser, MFP, duty cycle etc, etc.

Go to Printerbase or Printerland site, search for printers and set the filter for network under connectivity.

If the spec says network and wireless, it will have a ethernet connection.

First on the list from Printerbase for example

https://www.printerbase.co.uk/epson-workforce-wf-2...

FWIW, all my laser printers have cable as well as wireless.

Thanks, that link is a great help.

It looks as though business-focussed models have retained Ethernet connectivity, the consumer ones sold in John Lewis have not.

The requirement is just a fairly basic inkjet that can print wirelessly from (primary) Apple devices and very occasional scanning and copying. I'd be surprised if I ever print more than 10 pages a week.

This seems to fit the bill nicely:
https://www.printerbase.co.uk/epson-workforce-wf-2...

[sgrimshaw]

kingston12 said:

The requirement is just a fairly basic inkjet that can print wirelessly from (primary) Apple devices and very occasional scanning and copying. I'd be surprised if I ever print more than 10 pages a week.

Definitely avoid USB / Ethernet print servers then.

[Trustmeimadoctor]

we recently got the cheapest epson ecotank printer its great much better than the cheap hp before it its wifi printing from android also works much better than the old one we had but the budget one doesnt have ethernet connectivity