Apologies for the off-topic post; I don't see any more suitable
newsgroup.

My trusty old HL-L2380DW is getting near to replacement. I see some
new (unused) ones, but in the $350-$400 range. The current model
seems to be HL-L2390DW, at about $190, or 2395 at about $220.

But the 2390 and 2395 have a "Brother Refresh" toner subscription,
which of course is a bad deal for the consumer. Two questions:

1. Can you run a 2390 or 2395 successfully on a Brother toner
cartridge without getting the subscription?

2. Can you run a 2390 or 2395 successfully using third-party toner,
or does the printer sense a non-Brother cartridge and not allow it?

--
Stan Brown, Tehachapi, California, USA https://BrownMath.com/
Shikata ga nai...

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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On Mon, 3 Apr 2023 13:48:14 -0700, Stan Brown
<the_stan_brown@fastmail.fm> wrote:

Apologies for the off-topic post; I don't see any more suitable
newsgroup.

My trusty old HL-L2380DW is getting near to replacement. I see some
new (unused) ones, but in the $350-$400 range. The current model
seems to be HL-L2390DW, at about $190, or 2395 at about $220.

But the 2390 and 2395 have a "Brother Refresh" toner subscription,
which of course is a bad deal for the consumer. Two questions:

1. Can you run a 2390 or 2395 successfully on a Brother toner
cartridge without getting the subscription?

I don't know.

2. Can you run a 2390 or 2395 successfully using third-party toner,
or does the printer sense a non-Brother cartridge and not allow it?

I have the Brother MFC-L3770CDW, so my experience may not apply to you
and your printer. Every few weeks/months, my printer prompts me to
upgrade its firmware. This will become important later in this story.

I use 3rd party toner (EZInk toner from Amazon) and recently encountered
a problem when I installed a new toner cartridge. With a brand new
cartridge installed, the printer reported "No toner installed." Google suggested that the printer needed professional service, so I took it in.

Short story, one of the firmware updates had rendered the 3rd party
toner incompatible, so the printer was rejecting it. The service
technician showed me how to work around the issue by accessing and
manipulating the normally hidden service menu, while telling me that
Brother didn't want him to do so. He also suggested that I should stop installing future firmware updates unless I had a very good reason to do
so.

Lastly, I talked to Support at EZInk and they said the problem is very
easy to work around by simply removing the identification chip from a
Brother toner cartridge of the appropriate color and installing that
chip into the EZInk toner cartridge. Unfortunately, I had tossed the
Brother (starter) cartridges, so I didn't have a Brother chip to use.
Swapping the chips is easy and only takes a couple of seconds, but I
didn't have one to swap in. Fortunately, the service menu has me back up
and running and I've stopped upgrading the firmware.

EZInk support also said that as soon as they are aware of new Brother
firmware that renders their cartridges incompatible, they make
appropriate updates to the chip on their products, so I can also work
around the problem by purchasing a new EZInk cartridge and harvesting
its upgraded chip in order to use the current cartridge, then migrating
that chip to the new cartridge when the time comes.

Maybe you'll have a similar experience, but the subscription model
throws a wrench into things. I don't have to worry about that.

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Stan Brown <the_stan_brown@fastmail.fm> wrote in news:MPG.3e94db69e63da0d9900ba@news.individual.net:

Apologies for the off-topic post; I don't see any more suitable
newsgroup.

My trusty old HL-L2380DW is getting near to replacement. I see some
new (unused) ones, but in the $350-$400 range. The current model
seems to be HL-L2390DW, at about $190, or 2395 at about $220.

But the 2390 and 2395 have a "Brother Refresh" toner subscription,
which of course is a bad deal for the consumer. Two questions:

1. Can you run a 2390 or 2395 successfully on a Brother toner
cartridge without getting the subscription?

2. Can you run a 2390 or 2395 successfully using third-party toner,
or does the printer sense a non-Brother cartridge and not allow it?

I have an HL-L2370DW installed years ago. I don't remember it requiring subscription ink, but now that I look it up online, it shows it is
'refresh subscription eligible'. If I look up the HL-L2390DW, it is also 'refresh subscription eligible'. That sort of suggests that a
subscription is not required.

Subscription or not, Char has a good point about non-brother toner.

I've not applied firmware updates, but have always used Brother toner.
Replaced drum once.

I also have an 11 year old HL-2270DW working fine. No subscription was
offered with this model.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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On Mon, 3 Apr 2023 13:48:14 -0700, Stan Brown
<the_stan_brown@fastmail.fm> wrote:

Apologies for the off-topic post; I don't see any more suitable
newsgroup.

My trusty old HL-L2380DW is getting near to replacement. I see some
new (unused) ones, but in the $350-$400 range. The current model
seems to be HL-L2390DW, at about $190, or 2395 at about $220.

I have a HL-L2300D, which I've have for almost four years. I'm very
happy with it, but unlike yours, mine isn't wireless. Being wireless
isn't important to me, and mine is much less expensive--$120 on
Amazon.

But the 2390 and 2395 have a "Brother Refresh" toner subscription,
which of course is a bad deal for the consumer. Two questions:

1. Can you run a 2390 or 2395 successfully on a Brother toner
cartridge without getting the subscription?

I'm not sure, but I'd be surprised if you couldn't.

2. Can you run a 2390 or 2395 successfully using third-party toner,

I'm not sure, but I'd be surprised if you couldn't.

or does the printer sense a non-Brother cartridge and not allow it?

I'm not sure, but I'd be surprised if it did. I use nothing but
third-party cartridges on mine.

So, it's up to you but you might want to consider saving some money
and buying a HL-L2300D.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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Thanks to Char, Boris, and Ken for responding. (Others may have, but
those haven't reached me yet.)

Char, that firmware update story is certainly a cautionary tale! How
do you stop the firmware from updating, since the printer uses Wifi?
Or do you not have it connected to Wifi?

Customer Q&A in Amazon were a mixed bag. Brother claimed, in answer
to questions, that when the sensor says "low toner" if the quality is
actually okay you can continue using the cartridge, but a number of
users said that was not their experience, and some said even putting
in a new Brother cartridge didn't make "low toner" go away.

Ken, I really do want the Wifi, because I may be in another room
working on my laptop and want to print something. But if giving up
Wifi is what it takes to avoid this issue, I guess I could live
without it, and as you say it would save money.


On Mon, 3 Apr 2023 13:48:14 -0700, Stan Brown wrote:

Apologies for the off-topic post; I don't see any more suitable
newsgroup.

My trusty old HL-L2380DW is getting near to replacement. I see some
new (unused) ones, but in the $350-$400 range. The current model
seems to be HL-L2390DW, at about $190, or 2395 at about $220.

But the 2390 and 2395 have a "Brother Refresh" toner subscription,
which of course is a bad deal for the consumer. Two questions:

1. Can you run a 2390 or 2395 successfully on a Brother toner
cartridge without getting the subscription?

2. Can you run a 2390 or 2395 successfully using third-party toner,
or does the printer sense a non-Brother cartridge and not allow it?

--
Stan Brown, Tehachapi, California, USA https://BrownMath.com/
Shikata ga nai...

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On Mon, 3 Apr 2023 17:33:37 -0700, Stan Brown
<the_stan_brown@fastmail.fm> wrote:

Thanks to Char, Boris, and Ken for responding. (Others may have, but
those haven't reached me yet.)

Char, that firmware update story is certainly a cautionary tale! How
do you stop the firmware from updating, since the printer uses Wifi?
Or do you not have it connected to Wifi?

The way it happens is that the Brother software throws up a notification telling me that a firmware update is available, and it's up to me to
click Update or to click Cancel. It never updates by itself. I know I
should always hit Cancel, and I've asked my wife to do the same on her
PC.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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On 04/04/2023 01:33, Stan Brown wrote:

Thanks to Char, Boris, and Ken for responding. (Others may have, but
those haven't reached me yet.)

Char, that firmware update story is certainly a cautionary tale! How
do you stop the firmware from updating, since the printer uses Wifi?
Or do you not have it connected to Wifi?

Customer Q&A in Amazon were a mixed bag. Brother claimed, in answer
to questions, that when the sensor says "low toner" if the quality is actually okay you can continue using the cartridge, but a number of
users said that was not their experience, and some said even putting
in a new Brother cartridge didn't make "low toner" go away.

Ken, I really do want the Wifi, because I may be in another room
working on my laptop and want to print something. But if giving up
Wifi is what it takes to avoid this issue, I guess I could live
without it, and as you say it would save money.

On Mon, 3 Apr 2023 13:48:14 -0700, Stan Brown wrote:

Apologies for the off-topic post; I don't see any more suitable
newsgroup.

My trusty old HL-L2380DW is getting near to replacement. I see some
new (unused) ones, but in the $350-$400 range. The current model
seems to be HL-L2390DW, at about $190, or 2395 at about $220.

But the 2390 and 2395 have a "Brother Refresh" toner subscription,
which of course is a bad deal for the consumer. Two questions:

1. Can you run a 2390 or 2395 successfully on a Brother toner
cartridge without getting the subscription?

2. Can you run a 2390 or 2395 successfully using third-party toner,
or does the printer sense a non-Brother cartridge and not allow it?

I believe that the HL-L2395 (but not the 2390) has an ethernet port.
If you connect the printer to your router using ethernet every device on
your local network should then be able to see & use it.
If you can give the printer a static IP address rather than letting it
be assigned by the router, even better.

Regards
wasbit

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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On Tue, 4 Apr 2023 10:06:35 +0100, wasbit wrote:

I believe that the HL-L2395 (but not the 2390) has an ethernet port.
If you connect the printer to your router using ethernet every device on
your local network should then be able to see & use it.
If you can give the printer a static IP address rather than letting it
be assigned by the router, even better.

It does, according to the specs, and your suggestion is a reasonable
one.

But the router is in the dining room, at one end of the house (I had
no choice about that) and the office is at the other end of the
house. I'd really rather not have a printer in the dining room.



--
Stan Brown, Tehachapi, California, USA https://BrownMath.com/
Shikata ga nai...

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

Stan Brown wrote on 4/4/2023 6:38 AM:

On Tue, 4 Apr 2023 10:06:35 +0100, wasbit wrote:

I believe that the HL-L2395 (but not the 2390) has an ethernet port.
If you connect the printer to your router using ethernet every device on
your local network should then be able to see & use it.
If you can give the printer a static IP address rather than letting it
be assigned by the router, even better.

It does, according to the specs, and your suggestion is a reasonable
one.

But the router is in the dining room, at one end of the house (I had
no choice about that) and the office is at the other end of the
house. I'd really rather not have a printer in the dining room.

You might also be able to connect the printer to the router via wifi,
assign the printer its own unique address. All devices that connect lan
or wifi to the router should be able to print to it.

Some users use wifi direct to the printer, others don't only using the printer's wifi to connect to the router(print through the router/router
wifi to printer) to the printer rather than direct from a device to
printer wifi.
- i.e.If wifi direct is present in the printer settings, disable the 'Wireless direct' feature, the wifi capability still intact(but not
direct) for printing from any device connected to the router(to the printer)
Note: When setting up this method, it may or may not prompt to install
the driver. If supported by Windows the driver install may occur
automatically without the need to insert media or use an install file





--
...w¡ñ§±¤ñ

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On Mon, 3 Apr 2023 17:33:37 -0700, Stan Brown
<the_stan_brown@fastmail.fm> wrote:

Thanks to Char, Boris, and Ken for responding. (Others may have, but
those haven't reached me yet.)

Char, that firmware update story is certainly a cautionary tale! How
do you stop the firmware from updating, since the printer uses Wifi?
Or do you not have it connected to Wifi?

Customer Q&A in Amazon were a mixed bag. Brother claimed, in answer
to questions, that when the sensor says "low toner" if the quality is >actually okay you can continue using the cartridge, but a number of
users said that was not their experience, and some said even putting
in a new Brother cartridge didn't make "low toner" go away.

Ken, I really do want the Wifi, because I may be in another room
working on my laptop and want to print something.

Get a long cable. <G>

Do you also have a desktop that could print it? Couldn't you send it
from your laptop to your desktop and print it later?

But OK, if wifi is that important to you, I understand.

But if giving up
Wifi is what it takes to avoid this issue, I guess I could live
without it, and as you say it would save money.

On Mon, 3 Apr 2023 13:48:14 -0700, Stan Brown wrote:

Apologies for the off-topic post; I don't see any more suitable
newsgroup.

My trusty old HL-L2380DW is getting near to replacement. I see some
new (unused) ones, but in the $350-$400 range. The current model
seems to be HL-L2390DW, at about $190, or 2395 at about $220.

But the 2390 and 2395 have a "Brother Refresh" toner subscription,
which of course is a bad deal for the consumer. Two questions:

1. Can you run a 2390 or 2395 successfully on a Brother toner
cartridge without getting the subscription?

2. Can you run a 2390 or 2395 successfully using third-party toner,
or does the printer sense a non-Brother cartridge and not allow it?

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On 04/04/2023 14:38, Stan Brown wrote:

On Tue, 4 Apr 2023 10:06:35 +0100, wasbit wrote:

I believe that the HL-L2395 (but not the 2390) has an ethernet port.
If you connect the printer to your router using ethernet every device on
your local network should then be able to see & use it.
If you can give the printer a static IP address rather than letting it
be assigned by the router, even better.

It does, according to the specs, and your suggestion is a reasonable
one.

But the router is in the dining room, at one end of the house (I had
no choice about that) and the office is at the other end of the
house. I'd really rather not have a printer in the dining room.

Understood.
A Wifi connection is also available & would make printing much more
convenient.
One solution if the signal is too weak, is to set up the printer in the
same room as the router then move it to its new location.
Then use a wifi plugin booster/extender.

--
Regards
wasbit

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On 4/3/2023 4:48 PM, Stan Brown wrote:

Apologies for the off-topic post; I don't see any more suitable
newsgroup.

My trusty old HL-L2380DW is getting near to replacement. I see some
new (unused) ones, but in the $350-$400 range. The current model
seems to be HL-L2390DW, at about $190, or 2395 at about $220.

But the 2390 and 2395 have a "Brother Refresh" toner subscription,
which of course is a bad deal for the consumer. Two questions:

1. Can you run a 2390 or 2395 successfully on a Brother toner
cartridge without getting the subscription?

2. Can you run a 2390 or 2395 successfully using third-party toner,
or does the printer sense a non-Brother cartridge and not allow it?

TN-730 compatible works fine https://www.aliexpress.com/w/wholesale-brother-toner-cartridge-tn730.html?catId=0&initiative_id=SB_20230405035627&SearchText=brother+toner+cartridge+tn730&spm=a2g0o.productlist.1000002.0

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On 2023-04-03 22:48, Stan Brown wrote:

Apologies for the off-topic post; I don't see any more suitable
newsgroup.

My trusty old HL-L2380DW is getting near to replacement. I see some
new (unused) ones, but in the $350-$400 range. The current model
seems to be HL-L2390DW, at about $190, or 2395 at about $220.

But the 2390 and 2395 have a "Brother Refresh" toner subscription,
which of course is a bad deal for the consumer. Two questions:

1. Can you run a 2390 or 2395 successfully on a Brother toner
cartridge without getting the subscription?

2. Can you run a 2390 or 2395 successfully using third-party toner,
or does the printer sense a non-Brother cartridge and not allow it?

I have a related experience, but with HP (M209dwe).

When I searched, I could see the same model with a toner subscription
included for a few months, and without. Funny thing, with the plan it
was cheaper. I tried to find out if the hardware was different, but as
far as I could see, it wasn't. Then I candidly asked a shop if when
buying that printer they had on show (with the plan) I was obligated to
fulfill the plan. They said "no", so I went ahead and bought it (but one
that was refurbished, so cheaper).

Maybe the same happens with Brother printers.




--
Cheers, Carlos.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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Thanks to all who responded to this thread.

Instead of buying a new printer, I decided to try what some had
advised and replace the drum on my existing HL-L2380DW
printer/scanner. (I had never done that since buying the printer in
early 2017, but I don't do a lot of printing.) That way I knew for
certain that I would not have to mess about with subscriptions or
printer complaints about third-party supplies.

The new drum seems to have solved the most obvious printing problem,
a horizontal smudge about 2 inches from the top, all the way across odd-numbered pages, but only when printing in duplex.

The print quality in general is not great, but I ran a test page
(generated within the printer) and it looked just fine. Maybe there's
an issue with the toner cartridge, maybe it's an issue with the IPP
driver supplied by Windows 10. I'll pursue both those avenues and
will report anything interesting.

--
Stan Brown, Tehachapi, California, USA https://BrownMath.com/
Shikata ga nai...

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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