December 20th, 2007
Brother's HL-2170W laser printer gives you Wi-Fi for $149
Hate the cables but want to avoid the headache of setting up a print server to wirelessly connect your printer? Here’s an easy way out: Brother has just announced a monochrome laser printer with built-in Wi-Fi at a breakthrough price of $149.
The Brother HL-2170W’s specs are very similar to the company’s existing line of budget lasers, but what sets it apart is the 802.11b/g and Ethernet networking interfaces. That’s built in, not an additional-cost-option. (Of course, you can also connect via USB, if you’re a fan of cable clutter.) The HL-2170W isn’t available yet but should hit the stores by the end of the month, according to a Brother spokesperson.
The company says that the compact HL-2170W can automatically configure itself to connect to your router–if the router supports Broadcom’s SecureEasySetup, Wi-Fi Protected Setup, or Buffalo’s AOSS technologies. I haven’t seen reviews of the printer yet, but I’d digest this claim with a rock of salt. Every time I’ve tested a peripheral that trumpets its auto-config capabilities, I’ve ended up on the phone with tech support.
The HL-2170W is rated at 23 pages per minute print speeds (expect a lot less in real-world use) and includes 32MB of memory. Its paper tray can handle 250 sheets of paper and prints at a maximum resolution of 2400×600 dots per inch. The printer is Mac-friendly, too.
One thing I really about Brother’s line of budget lasers is that they’re extremely compact—perfect for the small home office. The built-in Wi-Fi makes them indisputably more likable.
For the past 15 years, Rik Fairlie has covered technology and the business of technology for numerous publications and Web sites. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.
