1. Ensure the printer is placed near a power source, with enough space for air circulation.
2. Once the location of the printer has been determined, unpack the printer and check that all necessary components are present (e.g. toner cartridge, paper tray and user manual).
3. Connect the printer to the power source. If available, use a surge protector to prevent sudden electrical power fluctuations.
4. Install the printer drivers, which can be found on the accompanying disc or can be downloaded from the manufacturer’s website for the particular make and model of the printer.
5. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions in order to install the printer correctly.
6. When prompted by the installation software, plug the USB cable into the back of the printer and into the computer.
7. Test the printer. Print a test page from the file menu or driver setup. Check for any errors or incompatibility messages.
8. Place the paper tray into the printer. Load it with paper making sure that the size and type is compatible with the printer model, as stated in the user manual.
9. Install the toner cartridge. This should also be compatible with your printer and needs to be installed in accordance with the printer’s user manual.
10. Turn the printer on, this will usually be done via a switch on the back of the printer.
11. Make sure the printer is connected to your computer. This can usually be done via Wi-Fi or a USB cable.
12. Calibrate the printer. This will involve aligning the printer head, running a nozzle test and ensuring that the colours are printing properly.
13. Print a test page to make sure the printer is working to its optimum level.
14. Ensure the printer is connected to your network, so that other users can access it. This can be done using the feature built into most printers, allowing them to be shared over a LAN.
15. Identify and secure the printer. Establish a method for users to identify themselves when sending jobs to the printer, either through a PIN code or username. This will help protect the job from being tampered with from other users.
16. Use additional security measures such as antivirus software, firewalls and encryption if desired.
17. Keep the operating environment clean and dust free. Dust and debris can affect the performance and quality of prints.