If you are sick of waiting for your output to inch
slowly out of the printer, one easy solution is to change your printer?s output
settings. Methods will vary slightly by model, but basically go to the ?Print?
application in any program, and then look for properties. Select the
appropriate tab such as ?Paper/Output? or ?Main?, and choose the ?Draft? mode.
You can set this permanently through the ?Printers and Faxes? box in Windows XP
by following the same steps.
If you can stand the smaller output, you can reduce the
printing time in half by printing two pages on a single sheet of paper (both on
the same side, not duplexed). This method might also vary by model, but try
under the ?Layout? tab, if available.
With inkjet printers, you may or may not have a
choice other than USB 2.0, which is the fastest USB technology to date.
However, if you have a network-ready printer (Some inkjet AIOs will be) you can
connect it either wirelessly or via Ethernet cable. Of the two, Ethernet will
be faster because of the dedicated link. Distance can have an effect on your
printing speeds with Wi-Fi connections because the speed will change with the
proximity to your computer. Try keeping it close for the fastest times.
Simple text will always print faster than graphics, and
the more complex the graphics are, the slower they will print. If you don?t
need to see the pictures from a website, then you can set your browser to load
the pages without them. The site may offer a ?printer-friendly? format, so look
for that first. Otherwise, here are a couple of ways to change settings
manually. In Internet Exporer: select Tools and then Internet Options under the
Advanced tab, go to the Multimedia section and uncheck the box for ?Show
Pictures?. In Firefox: go under Tools, then Options, click the Content tab, and
uncheck the box by ?Load images automatically?. Once you have printed, you can
always set them back.
Just as in your PC, adding RAM to your printer gives it
the ability to do things more quickly. This is not an option you will find in
inkjet printers, however with a good number of laser printers, you will be able
to add on. It is not necessarily as cheap an option as it is with PCs. Check your
printer?s owners manual or manufacturer website to see if in fact your printer
is expandable.
