Technology is a wonderful thing that can greatly enhance our productivity and quality of life. However, when that technology fails to work or breaks down, it’s entirely frustrating. In the office, few things are more baffling than when printing or scanning jobs hit a logjam due to an unexpected issue. Luckily, most common printer problems are easy to troubleshoot with just a little extra know-how.
1. Paper Jams
Paper jams are perhaps the most loathsome of all printer problems. While your knee-jerk reaction may be to rip the paper out in both frustration and an attempt to clear the block, we recommend some patience. Tearing the paper out can just make the problem worse or damage a part of the printer. When removing the paper we recommend referring to the troubleshooting section of the printers manual. The most common cause of a paper jam is misaligned paper. Be sure that you are squaring off the paper when you load it into the tray and that you are using the right kind and quality of paper for your printer.
2. Poor Print Quality
When it comes to smudges, faded type and poor image quality, there are a couple of issues that could be going on. Sometimes these problems are related to the print settings you have selected. First, check that you have the correct media selected and that the paper in the tray matches the type selected in the print driver. If that doesn’t solve the problem you can take a look at the ink cartridges to make sure there isn’t any damage to or issue with the cartridge. If smudges are the problem, try printing several sheets in black and white, which should do the trick.
3. Nothing is Printing
If you’re standing in front of a printer that is not spitting out your documents, where should you start the troubleshooting process? First, if you have multiple known printers, make sure that you’ve selected the right one for the job. Second, be sure that your printer is still connected to the correct WiFi network, USB or Ethernet connection. An empty paper tray is often an issue as well. If none of these solve the problem, try shutting down the printer, waiting a few minutes, and then turning it back on. Lastly, if your printer is still not working, it could be an issue of a corrupted driver that needs to be reinstalled on your computer.
4. WiFi Printing Takes too Long
The truth of the matter is, while WiFi printing is oftentimes more convenient, it can be slower and present more problems. Slow print jobs on a WiFi connection could simply be a problem of printer placement. Make sure your WiFi router is close to your printer and that there aren’t big objects obstructing your connection, and this should help increase throughput and performance. Sometimes printer speed and performance are impacted by the amount of network traffic. If it’s possible, try manually switching the channel of your wireless router.
Commercial Printer Maintenance in the San Francisco Bay Area
If these or other problems persist, it’s time to call in some help. Our maintenance and repair professionals at WiZiX Technology Group are experienced in servicing all makes and models of printers. We have a huge inventory of parts and supplies on hand and offer same day, on-site service and repairs in the San Francisco Bay Area (as well as Fresno and Sacramento). If your office technology is in need of upkeep or it’s time for a printer upgrade, speak with one of our representatives today!