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

HP M404dw + D9P29A feeder tray, 58X toner

• 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
  • HP 58A (3,000-pg capacity)
  • HP 58X (10,000-pg capacity)
• 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

Mobile Printing /HP

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
• 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
• 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
• 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
  • HP M404dw (WiFi)
  • HP M404dn (USB/wired network)
• Toner Cartridges
  • HP 58A (3,000-pg capacity) / HP 58X (10,000-pg capacity)
• HP 550-sheet Feeder Tray (#D9P29A)

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