Need New Printer For Mac 10.6.8

hmb


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My iMac 10.6.8 works well & suits my needs. However, my printer died. New printers require a newer OS. If I update my OS, I will have to purchase new programs (e.g. Parallels & Word) as they, too, are old. Can anyone suggest a monochrome laser printer that will work with my current computer? Thank you.
 
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Not all new printer printers require upgrading or changing your OS X version. Lots of new printers are OS X 10.6.8 supported, but you mat just need to do a bit of checking which is easy and quick enough to do.

i.e.: we just replaced out old HP AIO that just up and died a month or so ago, and got a Canon MG5620 AIO that was released late 2014, and it works well with our OS X 10.6.8 iMac (and 10.9.5 iMac), even with wireless via our Airport Express network.

I've always found Brother Laser monochrome printers work well, reasonably priced and have excellent Mac support, including older OS X versions as well as the latest.
 

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Can anyone suggest a monochrome laser printer that will work with my current computer? Thank you.

I have a Brother HL-2280dw monochrome laser printer…scanner…copier. It is also wireless and prints duplex (both sides of a sheet of paper). I've had mine for probably 4-5 years. It works great…easy to setup…I think that I paid around $100 when I bought it.

It also has Mac OS compatibility all the way back to OS 10.4. So no problems with OS 10.6.8.:)

Brother HL-2280DW | Laser Printer with Wireless Networking & Duplex

- Nick
 

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OS 10.6.8 and Brother HL-L2380DW printer

I have a Brother HL-2280dw monochrome laser printer…scanner…copier. It is also wireless and prints duplex (both sides of a sheet of paper). I've had mine for probably 4-5 years. It works great…easy to setup…I think that I paid around $100 when I bought it.

It also has Mac OS compatibility all the way back to OS 10.4. So no problems with OS 10.6.8.:)

Brother HL-2280DW | Laser Printer with Wireless Networking & Duplex

- Nick

Dear Nick --

Just bought same printed based on your post. Only OS supported is 10.7 and higher. Can you help? Do you have a driver that works with 10.6.8?

LGP
 
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As time marches on believe more and more OS X.6 users will find problems getting drivers etc. Brother have that model marked as 'obsolete' which, by Apple'sdefinition, is not good.
 

chscag

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Brother may have it marked as obsolete but it's still being sold in some of our larger chain stores like "Staples" and "Office Depot". It was (and I still believe) on sale for around $100.00. Nick is still using his with El Capitan, so drivers do exist somewhere. BTW, that particular model is great for the desktop because it's small, compact, and wireless.
 

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Just bought same printed based on your post. Only OS supported is 10.7 and higher. Can you help? Do you have a driver that works with 10.6.8?

If you check the link…OS compatibility with this printer is all the way back to OS 10.4…so OS 10.6.8 should work. I've had this printer for probably 3-4 years…and I'm 100% positive I've used it with OS 10.6.8.

Unless something has changed with these printers being sold recently. Also realize that you are responding to a thread that's 9 months old…so who knows (things change). But again…I'm 100% positive that I've used this printer with 10.6.8.:)

Can you please tell us where it says that this printer is only compatible with 10.7 & higher?

- Nick
 

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Just bought same printed based on your post. Only OS supported is 10.7 and higher. Can you help? Do you have a driver that works with 10.6.8?

By the way. I should also mention that the printer being discussed in this thread is a Brother HL-2280dw. The printer model listed in your post title says Brother HL-L2380dw. See the small differences?:)

- Nick

p.s. If the specs for a Brother HL-L2380dw are looked up…the specs do indeed say OS 10.7.5 and up. But for a Brother HL-2280dw printer (being discussed in this thread)…it does work with OS 10.6.8.

Brother HL-L2380dw specs:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16828113935
 
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chas_m

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Good luck. My brother found one (he can't really move on beyond Lion) in the back room of a local dealer sitting in a corner with cobwebs, still new in box. You're not going to find a wide selection, let's put it that way.

Take this as a sign. If you can update your OS, do so. If you can't, it's time to start looking for a newer machine. I understand the machine works fine for your light usage, but it is an increasing security risk, and being obsolete will continue to be unable to connect to newer software and accessories.
 

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To repeat. Member "LGP" is a bit confused. The printer that was being discussed in this thread is a Brother HL-2280dw. Member "LPG" has a Brother HL-L2380dw. The HL-L2380dw is a newer model printer (probably 2 years old or less). And probably came out right around the time/before Yosemite.

My guess is that the HL-L2380dw is compatible with both Yosemite & El Capitan. Thus compatible from OS 10.7.5 thru 10.11.:)

- Nick
 
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chas_m

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My guess is that the HL-L2380dw is compatible with both Yosemite & El Capitan. Thus compatible from OS 10.7.5 thru 10.11.:)

But the OP indicated he didn't want to upgrade (though perhaps now with the additional info we've provided, he'll do the smart thing and reconsider), and possibly may be unable to run 10.7.x due to losing PPC software he wants to keep. So the question here really is "are there new printers still compatible with 10.6.8?" to which the answer is "possibly, but good luck finding them."
 

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But the OP indicated he didn't want to upgrade (though perhaps now with the additional info we've provided, he'll do the smart thing and reconsider), and possibly may be unable to run 10.7.x due to losing PPC software he wants to keep.

If we are referring to member "LGP" (post #4)…then "LGP" isn't the OP…but a new member who tagged onto a 9 month old thread.

Member "LGP" (according to their post)…seems to indicate that they thought they purchased the Brother HL-2280dw (the printer I suggested 9 months ago)…which is/was compatible with 10.6.8 (actually is compatible back to OS 10.4).

But in reality…member "LGP" actually purchased a newer/different printer the Brother HL-L2380dw (this is where member confusion comes in). This printer is not compatible with 10.6.8.

Long story short.
Member "LGP" purchased the wrong printer if they wanted to continue using OS 10.6.8.

So the question here really is "are there new printers still compatible with 10.6.8?" to which the answer is "possibly, but good luck finding them."

I would agree. Probably fewer & fewer.

If the Brother HL-2280dw can still be found/purchased. Then no problems with 10.6.8 for member LGP.:)

- Nick
 
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I've found there is still a decent selection of printers and AIOs, and scanners, that will work with OS X 10.6.8 Snow Leopard for those that need them. Unfortunately it takes a bit of time and checking for compatibility.

Heck, there are many going through the hassles of even getting El Cap'n support even with a recently purchased printer. No thanks to Apple nor some manufacturer's lack of making it easier for many consumer and user.
 

chscag

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The sad part of that saga is that the same printer manufacturers go out of their way to support Windows as soon as MS announces a new version. Apple it seems is still the step child. :[
 

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10.6.8

As time marches on believe more and more OS X.6 users will find problems getting drivers etc. Brother have that model marked as 'obsolete' which, by Apple'sdefinition, is not good.

Well you are right, but I somehow don't like being forced to upgrade perfectly good machine(s) before their time — especially when Apple no longer offers a 17-inch screens or DVD drives. (I have lots of great video on dvd that I use to supplement lectures and I like the screen as it is super easy to read).

If you go to the recommended link on the Brother website, the earliest option for drivers is 10.7. it also says so on the box. However, I was able to find an earlier driver under the "discontinued" model, so all is well. Sorry for the angst, but it has been three printers and a long struggle to find a one that would work with 10.6.8. It looks like this one will be fine (thanks Nick).

Once I found the "legacy" driver, the rest was a piece of cake. It works via USB and wireless with no burps. The whole thing sort of reminds me of when Adobe went from sending you a set of disks to charging you a monthly rental fee. Can we say "planned obsolescence with a passion?"

LGP
 

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Once I found the "legacy" driver, the rest was a piece of cake. It works via USB and wireless with no burps.

Sounds great LGP!:) The Brother printer I have (HL-2280dw) is the best I've ever owned.

- Nick
 
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LGP, you didn't mention which MBP you have, but you did say 17" in your last post. Even older hardware can run more recent versions of OS X than 10.6.8. You really should consider moving to one of those more recent versions, particularly as you aren't getting any security updates for that system anymore. I have a 17" 8,3 (early-2011) running El Capitan very nicely. The side benefit of not having to worry about antique peripherals is that printers, etc, all work well. The one downside to moving from 10.6.8 to anything else is the loss of Rosetta and the inability to run the old apps that relied on it. But if that is not a burden for you, you really, really ought to consider moving on to get the most out of that hardware.
 

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Another issue with 10.6.8 (Snow Leopard). Being an older OS (and no longer receiving security updates)…it is increasingly more & more at risk when doing financial transactions on the internet & personal data security.

- Nick
 
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chas_m

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Well you are right, but I somehow don't like being forced to upgrade perfectly good machine(s) before their time

Well this is the part you missed -- that machine is PAST its time. Well past it, in fact. The fact that it is still working is great, don't get me wrong ... but it's much better to replace a machine while it is still working well than it is to wait until the day the hard drive dies or you're looking at an expensive repair to decide that you need a replacement machine, and RIGHT NOW.

Having an aging but working machine means you have some luxury of deciding when and what to replace it with, but as a rule of thumb: if your machine is so old it cannot support support the latest version of OS X, you should be replacing it within the next three years. Your machine hit that point in mid-2012, when Mountain Lion came out, so it should have been replaced sometime last year. This is little to do with planned obsolescence, and much more to do with changing Internet technology, increasing software and hardware capabilities, and most importantly SECURITY.

The whole thing sort of reminds me of when Adobe went from sending you a set of disks to charging you a monthly rental fee.

I was *super* resistant to the idea of subscription software at first, but you know what? I don't miss the days of shelling out $1,500 or more every other year for a new Adobe suite -- I'm kind of retired from graphic design work, but if I was running my own little shop I think $75 a month for only the months I needed it to have the ENTIRE (and much larger these days) latest Adobe CC suite is a very fair price (it's actually just $50/month on a yearly basis). Right now I'm just paying for Photoshop ($10/month) ... which previously sold for $700+. If you do the math, I'll have paid for a complete copy in just seven years ... and had the latest version and full support of the product during that entire time ... just sayin'.
 

pigoo3

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...but I somehow don't like being forced to upgrade perfectly good machine(s) before their time — especially when Apple no longer offers a 17-inch screens or DVD drives.

You didn't exactly tell us what exact model computer you have so that we can fairly comment on the "perfectly good machine before their time" statement. But the last 17" laptop/notebook Apple offered was "Late 2011" (or an earlier version). And the last time Apple offered a 17" display in a desktop was a 2006 iMac.

The main problems with running an older OS version (like OS 10.6.8) is:

- No more security updates from Apple. Thus you are more at risk of your personal information & financial information getting stolen…than if the computer was running a newer OS version.
- You can run into hardware compatibility issues (which is EXACTLY what you ran into with this printer). At least initially.
- You can run into software compatibility issues. Can't run newer software apps. And the older installed apps sometimes cannot be updated to remain compatible in a 2016 world.

* Nick
 

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