HPLIP

C7280 scan fax via network?

Asked by Dow Hurst

I've been looking through all the Color Laser and Inkjet "All in Ones" or MFP devices since I want to purchase one with full Linux support. I've found that the C7280 seems to have all the hardware options I'm looking for, but it is hard to find the true functionality available under Linux. I'll be using OpenSuSE 10.3 for my wife's desktop. The printer will be networked via wifi or ethernet and not attached via USB. Finding out what the differences will be between what the HP advertising says on the web page about what the printer will do versus what the HPLIP software will allow it to do is what I'm interested in. Below are a few questions that would help me decide for or against this device.

1a. Will I be able to setup a scanning app to access and control scanning via the network since I'm not attaching via USB?

1b. Ditto for faxing?

2. Is batch scanning supported for this device?

3. Is duplex printing supported by the driver for the built-in duplex function in this printer?

4. Can we mount a CF card when inserted into the printer, from over the network? If not, does this mean that directly attached computer via USB can see the CF card?

5. How much control do I have available over the print quality when printing a photo? The hp specs say 4800x1200dpi optimized but that has to be software interpolated from the HP software provided for Windows or Mac, correct?

6. Do you know if the network configuration info is available through the HPLIP status software?

7. Is there a KDE taskbar icon available for the status software that would show status of this device?

8. I'm assuming that picking a tray, setting a paper size, or changing the orientation from portrait to landscape are basic stuff that is available. That is okay to assume, right?

Thanks for your help! Maybe others would benefit from this type information being included per device on the main HP web pages. The HPLIP project has provided a lot of backend support for much of HP's printers, but it isn't obvious what is exactly supported until you dive into the HPLIP website. That is found only through a devious path to get drivers for Linux. A direct Linux driver software link on each device's main page that led to the HPLIP project and had some basic info of what was supported and what wasn't supported under Linux would be a real service to the Linux community when we are trying to purchase a HP device.
Dow

Question information

Language:
English Edit question
Status:
Solved
For:
HPLIP Edit question
Assignee:
No assignee Edit question
Solved by:
Aaron Albright
Solved:
Last query:
Last reply:
Revision history for this message
Best Aaron Albright (albrigha-deactivatedaccount) said : 		#1

1a. Will I be able to setup a scanning app to access and control scanning via the network since I'm not attaching via USB?

Yes scanning is available over the network via the scanning app xsane.

1b. Ditto for faxing?

Faxing also works over the network.

2. Is batch scanning supported for this device?

Batch scanning is supported by xsane.

3. Is duplex printing supported by the driver for the built-in duplex function in this printer?

Duplex scanning is also support by xsane.

4. Can we mount a CF card when inserted into the printer, from over the network? If not, does this mean that directly attached computer via USB can see the CF card?

Yes, however the data rates can be rather slow, which we are working to correct at some point. If you intend to do this on a regular basis you may want to consider plugging the printer directly into the computer and mounting the usb drive and using the file system to transfer files.

5. How much control do I have available over the print quality when printing a photo? The hp specs say 4800x1200dpi optimized but that has to be software interpolated from the HP software provided for Windows or Mac, correct?

You can change the print quality settings and so forth using the hp-toolbox app.

6. Do you know if the network configuration info is available through the HPLIP status software?

Yes hp-setup will help you configure the printer over the network.

7. Is there a KDE taskbar icon available for the status software that would show status of this device?

You may be able to use the KDE queue software, in gnome when one prints the job appears in the gnome print manager queue, I'm sure it's the same with KDE.

8. I'm assuming that picking a tray, setting a paper size, or changing the orientation from portrait to landscape are basic stuff that is available. That is okay to assume, right?

Yes you can change all the settings and so forth using the hp-toolbox app.

It's important to note that xsane is not part of the HPLIP project, however is it's own project that we utilize for scanning functionality. For any questions about xsane please refer to the xsane docs, etc.

Hope this helps.

A

Revision history for this message
Aaron Albright (albrigha-deactivatedaccount) said : 		#2

Actually you may experience a problem with copying from the photo card, newer models aren't supported because of a change in the IO. Sorry about that.

Revision history for this message
Dow Hurst (dow-hurst) said : 		#3

I've purchased the printer and love it! The remote web based scanning function directly built into the printer is wonderful! The wifi setup worked like a dream. The linux based support for the hardware is excellent and as you described. Thanks for all the advice. :)

You definitely sold me the printer with your responses. The print quality with the 6 cartridges is much better than my old All In One dx125. By the way, since the CF card from my camera is browseable from the printer and the printer can directly print from the card, there is no great need to mount the card to the workstation over the network. I'd just plug the card into the workstation directly to move files anyway since it is faster.
Sincerely,
Dow

Revision history for this message
Dow Hurst (dow-hurst) said : 		#4

Thanks Aaron Albright, that solved my question.