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The HP 842c was introduced in 2000. Like most old printers, the cartridges are large and lasted for a long time, and were overengineered. However, it uses a tri-color cartridge which makes it so one color running out ends the entire cartridge.

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Does this have Bluetooth?

Will it connect wirelessly to my tablet?

Answer this question I have this problem too

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@nadinenorman no, it does not have bluetooth or wireless. The online I/O interface this printer has is a USB 2.0

Now, there may be some sort of external adapter you could use but that is only a guess. It would definitely not be plug-and-play :-)

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The only way to do it on these is to use a USB adapter that breaks out to Ethernet to "share" it, similar to how the JetDirect system works with external ones that HP used to sell for this unit. It looks like the HP P/N is J3265-69001 (Ex Plus 3) or the 500x; these will likely be very hard to find, or expensive IF they even work in modern OSes today; but it looks like the 500x is pretty common and cheap, but most sell the power adapter on its own. You can get 3rd party ones (sometimes even hook up the printer to a router over USB and "network" it that way) more readily today, but it's a crapshoot due to the drivers. Others make a nonstandard port that you use in place of USB_001 or other common ports like LPT. 3rd party print servers are quite frankly, easier to find compared to the original HP ones.

The issue with the driver is it expects a USB connection so the adapter will need to simulate USB which very often requires proprietary SW to kickstart; same for Bluetooth and AirPrint. If you have an old computer you don't mind running 24/7, you can setup a Windows or Mac network share. To share it you will need to disconnect it from one machine and move it as needed unless you can setup an IP address or use a Windows computer and connect to a Windows print share on Macs.

Now for the 3rd snafu: DRIVERS... MacOS does not include the driver natively in the newer releases (since 10.6? Rusty memory on this), you need to use a super old Mac or a 3rd party driver like Gutenprint. On Windows, it's available as an optional searchable driver, but it assumes USB_001; so more complex with networked printers with how much of a kludge this is. I've lost workhorse Epsons with cheap ink due to this too (and only somewhat recently, Epson made a "legacy" driver for the NX series which had cheap ink everywhere >__<) due to Apple being like this too.

The only time I have EVER seen this method work smoothly is when the router supports printer sharing, but the router OEMs will not support something this ancient so you're rolling the dice and praying it works. The reason it tends to be better is the printer gets an IP address so you can treat it as any other network printer (for example, my Lex C3326 and HP M401n use Ethernet and run on a network) so the translation is done at the router. ASUS isn't testing this model so you're SOL if it's a no-go due to the advanced age (15+ years) and try to get assistance; they train their reps with fantastic plastic junk which needs $20 ink that lasts 200 pages and USB lasers that aren't using butchered PCL/PS like some use such as the LJ 1012. ANYTHING ELSE is "as-is, you figure it out". Most people do not try, and if I was offered one again because of these routers I'd probably use it as a cheap document machine I do not need speed on (as well as vintage machines).

If you want a tank, get an older business class laser that meets your needs; having color is up to you. Plug it into the router, good to go. The day I consolidate or move on from the M401 series is the day I buy a Lex CS or a 4 series B/W single function with the high-yield drum.

*Lex is short for Lexmark. They're building what HP used to build before going to the M402 series and killing everything good about them.

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