New research shows some printers can be set on fire remotely

In a story reported by Yahoo! today, a team of researchers from Columbia University has been able to show that some pre-2009 HP LaserJet printers can be hacked remotely and set to overheat, potentially causing a meltdown or fire.  The team used the LaserJet's reliance on firmware updates and lack of proper security to hack into the printer and send the necessary commands that could cause it to overheat.

While this is a far-fetched circumstance, it could certainly happen.  Newer printers generally have better security measures, but printers can be hacked, and this story shows that in addition to the theft of sensitive data, actual physical damage can be caused remotely.

Updates

The following copiers, printers, and fax machines were added over the past couple of days:

- Brother HL-5370DW

- HP Deskjet 960c
- HP Deskjet 990c

- Lexmark T654n

- Ricoh Fax 1180L

- Sharp MX-B401

Sharp MX-B401 configuration page

On the Sharp MX-B401, you can print out a general configuration page or a network configuration page. The general configuration page, called the all custom setting list, gives a lot of information about the device and its setup -- basic network info, paper tray settings, page count, etc. This configuration report is typically about three pages long. To print the all custom setting list:

- Press the System Settings button next to the touch screen.
- Select List Print (User) on the touch screen.
- Select All Custom Setting List.

The network configuration page, on the other hand, consists of two pages: the system status report and the configuration report, both of which provide detailed network settings. To print these pages:

- Press the System Settings button next to the touch screen.
- Select List Print (User) on the touch screen.
- Under the "Printer Test Page" heading, touch the down arrow next to the white box.
- Select the option for NIC Page.
- To the right of the drop down box, select Print.

Brother HL-5370DW

To print a configuration page (called the printer settings list) from a Brother HL-5370DW printer, press the blue Go button three times in a row.  The printer settings list is three pages long, and contains information such as interface settings, recent paper jams, and network configuration.  It also displays the printer's page count, as well as the life remaining in the various consumables and supplies.

Ricoh Fax 1180L parameters list

On the Ricoh Fax 1180L, the closest thing to a configuration page is the user parameters list.  The parameters list shows current settings as well as page count, the amount of toner remaining, and what size paper the different trays are set for.

To print the parameters list:

- Press the down arrow button to enter the menu.
- Press 54 to print out the parameters list.

Lexmark T650 / T652 / T654 configuration page

To print a menu settings page from a Lexmark T650, T652, or T654 printer:

- Press the Menus button on the front of the printer.
- Use the down arrow to scroll down through the options until Reports is the active choice.
- Press the button with the check mark on it (in between the four arrow buttons).
- If Menu Settings Page is not the active choice, use the down arrow to scroll down until it is.
- Press the button with the check mark on it.

For detailed network and interface information, you can print out a network setup page by selecting Network Setup Page instead of Menu Settings Page from the Reports menu.

Cyber Monday printer deals

If you're looking for a new printer, check out these two deals on Amazon today:

- HP Photosmart Plus Wireless e-All-in-One Printer: $84.98
This wireless inkjet printer, which has a regular list price of $149.99, prints at up to 32 pages per minute (30 pages per minute in color) and has a color touch screen you can use to make copies, prints, or scans.  It is AirPort compatible, so you can print from your PC or your Apple device.

- HP Officejet 4500 All-in-One Printer: $54.90
The Officejet 4500 (list price: $99.99) comes with a 20-sheet automatic document feeder, and a paper tray that holds 100 sheets of paper.  It prints at up to 28 pages per minute (22 pages per minute in color) and can fax, scan, copy, or print.

Updates

Config page instructions for the following printers and copiers were added recently:

- HP Officejet 6210
- HP Officejet Pro L7750

- Sharp MX-M950

Sharp MX-M950 configuration page

On the MX-M950 copier, you can print out a network configuration page, which actually consists of two pages -- the System Status Report and the Configuration Report.  These two reports give detailed information about the copier, but they don't display the page count.  To view the MX-M950's page count, follow these instructions.

To print out the configuration pages:

- Press the System Settings button.
- Touch List Print (User) on the screen.
- On the next screen, under the heading "Printer Test Page," select NIC Page from the drop-down menu.
- Touch Print.

Sharp MX-M950 page count

To see the page count for a Sharp MX-M950 copier:

- Press the System Settings button on the copier's operation panel.
- On the screen, touch Total Count.
- Touch Job Count.

The copier's total page count will be displayed, with the counts for the individual functions listed farther down the screen.

Sharp AR-168 / AR-168D / AR-168S page count

To view the page count on a Sharp AR-168, AR-168D, or AR-168S:

- Make sure the machine is in Copy mode.  If it's not, press the function button until Copy is the active mode.
- Press the Menu button.
- Press 3 for Total Count.

The screen will display "Total Output" followed by the total page count.  Scroll to the right using the arrow key to view the page counts for individual functions.

Early Black Friday printer deals

If you're in the market for a new printer, Black Friday is a great time to buy one.  Many online retailers are starting Black Friday sales early, including Amazon and HP.

HP is currently offering their ENVY 100 all-in-one touch screen printer for $179.99 if you buy it online (including a $70 rebate).  However, if you enter coupon code ENVYDEAL at checkout, you can get this cool printer/scanner/copier for just $125.00.  Hurry, though, because this code is only good through 11/25/11 and it's only good for the first 500 people that use it.

Amazon has many printers at discounted prices right now.  Both the Canon PIXMA MG5320 Wireless Inkjet Photo All-In-One Printer and the HP Photosmart 6510 All-In-One Printer are $99.99, down from $149.99.  On the higher end, you can get a Canon imageCLASS D1150 Laser Multifunction Copier for $449.99 (68% the regular price of $1,395.00.  Or if you don't want to spend as much money, the Lexmark Prospect Pro205 Wireless Multifunction Inkjet Printer is only $87.99 (list price $173.99).

For more deals on office equipment or ink and toner, check out Amazon's Printers & Ink page.  New deals will probably be posted throughout today and tomorrow, so check back often.

How to print a usage page for an HP LaserJet 4200 series printer

To print a usage page from a LaserJet 4200, 4250, 4300, or 4350 printer:

- Press the down arrow to go into the menu.
- Scroll down until INFORMATION is the highlighted choice.
- Press Select (the green button that has the check mark on it).
- Scroll down until PRINT USAGE PAGE is the highlighted choice.
- Press Select and the usage page will print out.

How to print a supplies status page from an HP Color LaserJet 5550

On a Color LaserJet 5550, the supplies status page shows how much of each color toner is remaining (both in percent and in estimated page counts) as well as the life remaining for the fuser kit and transfer kit.  It also gives you all of the part numbers if you need to order any of them.

- Press the down arrow (or Menu) to bring up the main menu.
- Scroll down until INFORMATION is the highlighted choice.
- Press Select (the green button with the black check mark on it).
- Scroll down until PRINT SUPPLIES STATUS PAGE is the highlighted choice.
- Press Select.

How to set HP printers to display their IP address on the ready screen

Many HP printers can be set up to display their IP address right on the main screen, so you don't have to go into the menu or print out a configuration page to find it.  (These steps will only work on HP printers with connections to a TCP/IP network; printers that connect via USB won't have an IP address.)

LaserJet series:
- LaserJet 4200 / 4250 / 4300 / 4350
- LaserJet P4010 / P4014 / P4015 / P4510 / P4515

Color LaserJet series:
- Color LaserJet 3600 / 3700 / 4700 / CP4005

Updates

Instructions for the following three Photosmart printers have been added recently:

- HP Photosmart 7450
- HP Photosmart C4380
- HP Photosmart D5360

Ricoh Fax 1180L page count

To see how many pages have been printed from a Ricoh Fax 1180L fax machine:

- Press the down arrow to enter the menu.
- Press 824.

The screen will display "PRINTED PG" followed by the page count.

Mobile apps for network and printer troubleshooting

Smart phones can be helpful if you're trying to troubleshoot a network or printer problem.  Below you'll find links to several apps (almost all of which are free) that can come in handy when troubleshooting printer or network issues.

- Free Android apps for printer technicians
- Free Android apps for network technicians
- BlackBerry apps for network troubleshooting

How to view HP page counts

Most HP printers don't give you the option to view their page counts directly from the printer's display screen.  However, on the devices listed below, you can view the page count without having to print out a configuration page or test page; just follow the steps provided for each model.

Designjet series:
- Designjet 800ps

Digital Sender series:
- Digital Sender 9250c

How to adjust the PowerSave timer on an HP LaserJet 4000 / 4050 / 4100

The PowerSave timer determines how long the printer stays fully-powered and lit up before it settles into low-power mode.  Timer settings range from 15 minutes to 3 hours, or you can turn the timer off.  To change the PowerSave timer:

- Press the right side of the Menu button repeatedly until "Configuration Menu" appears on the screen.
- Press the right side of the Item button until "PowerSave =" appears on the screen.
- Press the right or left side of the Value button to change the PowerSave timer.
- When you've found the time you want, press Select.  An asterisk will appear next to the setting.
- Press Go to exit the menu.

HP Designjet 800ps

Wide format printers count page usage differently than "normal" printers do.  To view the page usage of an HP Designjet 800ps, follow the steps below:

- Press the Menu button (if you are not already in the menu).
- Scroll down to "Set-up menu."
- Press the green Enter button.
- Scroll down until "Printer information" is the highlighted option.
- Press Enter.
- "View" should be the highlighted choice; if it's not, scroll up now to make it the highlighted choice.
- Press Enter.
- Scroll down until you see "Paper usage:" displayed on the screen.