My printer is due to be retired and I plan to replace it with a wireless printer which I want to share, at present, between two computers.
I'm running a very small home network comprised of a dual boot Desktop containing two HDDs one for Windows XP Professional and the other currently Ubuntu 11.10 and a Netbook which also runs with Ubuntu 11.10 OS.
The Desktop is hard wired to an 802.11n compatible BT Home Hub by LAN cable. The Netbook has an 802.11n built in capability.
The current printer is an HP Photosmart 7450. This cannot be accessed by the Netbook as HP do not have a compatible driver for that particular printer.
Please can anybody help me to avoid the trap of buying a printer which will not recognise both OS's? It seems that all printer makers do not include Linux OSs in their system requirements, presumably because there is such a wide disparity of distos. If I choose a wireless printer that is Windows, Mac and network compatible, will that be safe?
Most HP printers, particularly network ones, ought to understand generic PCL.
Situation update: Networking problems solved with existing printer.
However, I am now seriously considering purchasing a Epson Stylus Photo 1500W printer, but cannot find any drivers either on the Epson site, or on Google searching the www.
Any helpful suggestions much appreciated please. I have tried searching Ubuntu home site. No luck.
Thanks in advance
The openprinting compatibility list has many stylus photo's, but not the 1500w.
Of course, since the manufacturer seldom bothers making linux drivers themselves, almost no brand-new printers are going to have linux compatibility no matter where you go. Someone else has to reverse-engineer how to use it after the fact before linux can use it.