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Why HP?
I have worked in the IT industry for over 17 years (and even longer as the “family computer guy”) and have come across a multitude of printers: Canon, Lexmark, Epson, Brother, Konica, HP, Ricoh, and all have their Pros and Cons. One thing is common, however: HP is the most widely used in the business world and for good reasons!
So, how does this monochrome (black and white-only printing) HP LaserJet Pro M404dw (W1A53A) fare? Pretty well!
In A Nutshell
The latest addition to the LaserJet Pro line of printers produces sharp, fast, two-sided printing with business-class features and security. The cost of replacement toners is high but has the capacity to output a large number of pages. Add the 550-sheet feeder tray (#D9P29A), and we got ourselves a compact, 800-page, clean, and professional-looking laser printer for the home or small office.
What’s Good? What’s Bad?
Pros
- Crisp, sharp print quality for text and graphics
- Fast print speed (up to 40 ppm)
- Compact, sturdy, and professional looking
- Duplex printing (prints on both sides) for supported sizes (letter, legal, executive, etc)
- Printing options: WiFi, WiFi Direct (device directly connected to printer), Ethernet wired network, USB cable printing, or email
- M404dn model lacks the WiFi/WiFi Direct options
- An email address is provided through the HP Smart app to which you can forward emails to for printing
- Can print directly from mobile devices (both Android and Apple iOS) either through the HP Smart app or from other apps that support mobile printing
- Easy WiFi configuration by downloading the HP Smart app (Apple iOS/Android/Windows 10)
- HP Smart app effortlessly detected the printer, guiding you through configuration, usage, and provides statistical data
- Windows 10 app through the Microsoft App Store works very well
- Advanced network and security configuration available (through the HP Smart app and a web browser interface)
- See “Security” section below for more details
- Email notification of events, such as out-of-paper or hack attempts
- Tray 1 opens on the front for checks/envelopes/manual feeding
- Tray 2 holds paper for 250-sheet feeding, and a Tray 3 can be purchased
- Works with HP 550-sheet feeder tray (Part #D9P29A)
- Makes the printer look more professional, keeps a few reams of paper out of sight, and minimizes the number of trips needed to replenish the trays
- Came with USB cable
- AirPrint: Apple Mac compatible
- Google Cloud Print compatible
- To set up, the printer will waste 2 sheets: one with instructions and another to confirm setup was completed
- Extended replacement toner available for VERY high capacity printing
- Included starter toner can print about 2,000 pages
- Quiet mode (prints more quietly at the expense of speed), though I did not find the normal mode to be noisy
- Configurable, automatic power on/off/sleep modes
- Defaults: Sleep Mode of 1 minute, Shutdown of 4 hours
- Fairly light weight at 19 lbs
- Additional, advanced, business-class features include
- SNMP, WINS, SLP, LPD, LLMNR, Syslog, NTP time sync
- Usage and Job reports
- Backup/Restore of settings and Firmware updates
Cons
- Replacement toners were EXPENSIVE at launch, but had come down reasonably since
- Did not include a network/Ethernet cable
Tips
- The software to download for Windows and Mac OS is “HP Easy Start” which you can grab from HP’s website
- The software to use on mobile devices (Apple iOS/Android) is “HP Smart”
- You can access the full, complete printer configuration by finding the IP address on the printer (or through the HP apps) and typing it into your web browser
- The HP Smart app includes a free trial to Mobile Fax
- Allows you to fax print jobs from the app
- Requires you to have a valid fax number (per regulation), but does not need a phone landline
- I did not check what the service’s cost is after the 1 month trial
Security
In today’s environment, information security has become more important than ever. I thoroughly appreciate HP’s inclusion of features and settings to help protect one’s network. Here are some of them.
- Removal of Web Services
- Although the printer conveniently allows you to print from the web or via email, any route a hacker can enter from presents a vulnerability.
- The HP Smart app allows you to turn off those web services to minimize the attack footprint
- The default admin password should be changed for additional security
- Network Connectivity Options
- The printer allows you to turn on/off any unused printing options, including: wired ethernet, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth, AirPrint, Google Cloud Print, and the Internet Printing Protocol (IPP, IPPS)
- The IPP/ IPPS methods allow you to assign user access for printing from mobile devices
- The printer allows you to turn on/off any unused printing options, including: wired ethernet, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth, AirPrint, Google Cloud Print, and the Internet Printing Protocol (IPP, IPPS)
- Certificates
- This topic is a BIG one on its own, and to many, a very confusing one
- In short, Certificates are like passports issued by an authority both parties trust. They help secure communication between the printer and the sender
- The HP M404dw uses a self-signed, pre-installed certificate and supports CA-signed ones that are PEM/Base64 encoded
- This topic is a BIG one on its own, and to many, a very confusing one
- Email Alerts
- You can be notified when a specific threshold is met (default: 1 minute)
- Cartridge missing, empty, or low
- Door open, media mismatch, paper jam, out of paper
- Job storage memory problems, such as USB device disconnected and out of memory
- You can be notified when a specific threshold is met (default: 1 minute)
- Firewall Rules
- Built-in firewall, complete with configuration of rule priority, address and service templates, service list
- Failsafe option where HTTPS remains accessible even if it is blocked by a firewall policy (so an admin doesn’t accidentally get locked out)
- Secure Communication
- Cipher suites, SSL/TLS protocols, and HTTPS redirection can be enabled/disabled
- SNMP options include v1/v2 and v3
- ACL: An IPv4-only access control list is available to control access to the printer
- 802.1x Authentication: PEAP, EAP-TLS protocols are supported
- Cartridge Protection to lock a toner to a specific printer to prevent theft
- Using a protected cartridge on another printer will not work
- The lock cannot be undone on that cartridge. It is permanent
Final Thoughts
As with most HP printers, this is a quality, business-class product with the speed and sharpness the LaserJet Pro series is known for. The security features are a welcome sight! I do prefer the HP M404dw (WiFi) model (which costs $50 – $100 more) over the HP M404dn (USB/wired network) for its versatility of not having to be wired to the network, but the HP M404dn (USB/wired network) model is still a good purchase, especially at the current $219 price. Add the 550-sheet feeder tray (#D9P29A), and we got ourselves an 800-page, clean, and professional-looking laser printer.
Where To Buy
- Laser Printers
- Toner Cartridges
- HP 550-sheet Feeder Tray (#D9P29A)
Related Reviews
- HP Neverstop 1202w MFP AIO Laser Printer