Printer Basics: Parts, Ports and Terms Every Beginner Should Know

1What this lesson covers

These printer basics give you the vocabulary you need for every other lesson. You’ll walk around your printer to find the parts you will actually use, learn what the ports on the back are for, and get short, plain meanings for terms like DPI, duplex, page yield and print queue. It’s written for complete beginners and takes about ten minutes with the printer in front of you.

2Before you start

Switch the printer on so the control panel lights up. Keep your hands on the outside and on the paper trays and doors described below; you won’t need to open anything else. Exact layouts differ between models and brands, so if a part described here isn’t where you expect, your manual’s “printer parts” diagram will show its position.

3A guided tour of your printer

Do this tour in order, starting at the front.

1. Find the control panel. This is the screen or row of buttons on the front or top. It may be a touchscreen, a small text display or just a few buttons with lights. You should see: a power button and usually a Wi-Fi or network symbol.
2. Find the input tray. This is where blank paper goes. It’s usually a drawer at the bottom (common on laser printers) or a tray at the back that slants upward (common on inkjets). Some printers also have a single-sheet slot for envelopes or card, called a manual feed or rear feed.
3. Find the output tray. Printed pages come out here, often onto a tray above the paper drawer. Many printers have a small fold-out paper stop to catch pages.
4. Find the supply door. On inkjets this opens to show the cartridges or the ink tank caps; on laser printers it opens to the toner cartridge. Don’t reach in yet. The ink and toner lessons cover that.
5. Check for a scanner. Lift the lid gently. Glass underneath means the printer can scan and copy. A tray on top of the lid is the automatic document feeder (ADF), which pulls a stack of pages through by itself.
6. Look at the back. You should see: the power socket and one or more ports, described in the next section.

4Ports and connections

The back or side of most printers has some of these:

• USB port. A square-ish socket (USB-B) for a cable to one computer. Newer models may use a different USB shape; the manual says which cable fits.
• Ethernet port. Looks like a slightly wide phone socket. A network cable from here to your router puts the printer on your home or office network without Wi-Fi.
• Phone line port. Only on fax-capable models, often labeled “Line”.
• USB flash drive slot or memory card slot. On some models, at the front, for printing photos or saving scans without a computer.

Wi-Fi has no port: it’s built in. A Wi-Fi symbol on the control panel tells you the printer supports wireless connections.

5Terms you will see, in plain English

• Resolution and DPI. DPI means “dots per inch”: how many tiny dots of ink or toner the printer can place in an inch. Higher numbers allow finer detail, but the default quality setting is right for most documents.
• Duplex. Printing on both sides of the paper. “Automatic duplex” means the printer flips the page itself; otherwise you turn the stack over by hand.
• Page yield. The approximate number of pages a cartridge or toner is expected to print under standard test conditions. Real results vary with what you print.
• Print queue. The waiting list of documents sent to the printer. If one job gets stuck, everything behind it waits.
• Driver. The software that lets your computer talk to your printer. Many are built into Windows and macOS; manufacturers offer fuller versions.
• Network printing. Printing over your Wi-Fi or wired network instead of a cable, so several devices can share one printer.
• AirPrint and Mopria. Standards that let phones, tablets and computers print to compatible printers without installing extra software.
• Drum unit and fuser. Laser printer parts. The drum transfers toner to the page; the fuser heats it so it sticks. The fuser gets hot during use.
• Printhead. The inkjet part with tiny nozzles that place the ink.
• Borderless printing. Printing right to the edges of the paper, mainly for photos, on models that support it.

6Check that it worked

You’ve completed this lesson if you can point to the input tray, output tray, supply door and control panel, say whether your printer has a scanner and an ADF, and name the ports on the back. Try explaining “duplex” and “print queue” in your own words. Next, put this knowledge to work in print settings explained.

7Troubleshooting

• There’s no input tray at the bottom. Your printer probably feeds from the rear. Look for a slanted tray behind the lid, sometimes with a fold-up extension.
• You can’t tell which USB cable fits. The manual’s specifications page lists the cable type. Not every printer ships with one.
• The control panel is blank. Check the power cable at both ends, then press the power button once and wait. Some printers take a minute to wake up.
• Your printer has no screen. Small models use button lights instead. The manual explains what each light means for your model.

8When to get more help

If a part looks cracked, a tray won’t close, or a door seems stuck, don’t force it. Check the manufacturer’s support site for your model’s parts diagram, and contact the manufacturer if something appears broken, especially while the printer is under warranty. A burning smell or a damaged power cord means switch it off, unplug it and stop using it.

9FAQ

Is a higher DPI always better?

Not for everyday pages. Text and simple documents look fine at the standard setting. Higher quality modes are useful for photos, but they print more slowly and use more ink.

What’s the difference between the ADF and the scanner glass?

The glass scans one page at a time and suits books, photos and delicate pages. The automatic document feeder pulls a stack of loose sheets through on its own, which is quicker for multi-page documents.

Does every printer have Wi-Fi?

No. Many do, but some basic models connect only by USB. A Wi-Fi symbol on the panel or “wireless” in the model description tells you it does.

What does “network printing” mean at home?

It means the printer is connected to your home router by Wi-Fi or a cable, so any computer or phone on the same network can print to it.