Amazon.com Review
The network-ready HP 2100TN prints up to 10 pages per minute and offers true 1,200 x 1,200 dpi, an IrDA port, and the exclusive HP UltraPrecise toner cartridge for sharp text and beautiful grayscales.
To set up the 2100TN, we removed the protective shipping tape and padding, unpacked and inserted the included toner cartridge, and connected the AC power. We inserted the CD-ROM and followed the HP setup program. Except for a hidden port covering the parallel connection, the process was straightforward and intuitive.
To test the 2100TN, we printed text in a variety of fonts and sizes. All our samples were as laser-perfect as we would expect in a 1,200-dpi printer. We also printed graphics and artwork. The printer's monochrome interpretation of the originals' color was warm and smooth with little evidence of dotted halftoning or pixelation.
The printer is rated at 10 pages per minute and, in our tests, it performed at just under nine pages per minute for both Best Quality and Fast Printing modes, indicating (as expected) that the paper path, not the print quality, limits the printer's maximum speed. However, the printer's built-in 66-MHz processor prevented processing delays and drains on our desktop PC's system resources.
An especially handy feature is the Cancel Job button, which allows you to cancel the current printing job without having to open the Print Manager on your PC. The printer has a fast 4 Mbps IrDA port, allowing you to print from your laptop, or even your Windows CE-based PDA, without a cable. (HP's Web site offers free software you can download to your PDA for this purpose.) The 2100TN is also preinstalled with network hardware--HP JetDirect 600N (EIO) Internal Print Server--that's easy to set up and maintain with HP JetAdmin software.
With its sturdy construction, straightforward setup, fast printing, networking abilities, and beautifully sharp output, the 2100xi impressed us as a fine laser printer.
Pros: - Fast printing
- Sturdy construction
- IrDA port
- Cancel Job button
Cons: - Printer cable not included
Customer Reviews
Average Customer Review
(10 customer reviews) 10 of 11 people found the following review helpful
HP Laserjet 2100TN,
November 27, 1999 Mark Stein (New York, NY) - See all my reviews
This review is from: HP LaserJet 2100TN Printer (Office Product)
The autoselect feature does not work and it's a major problem for a network printer with 3 paper input trays. Push the wrong button in your word processor and it will reprogram the driver to work in manual mode only with no instructions in how to undo this. The 2100 is a great home printer, the 2100TN is a lousy office printer.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Don't expect the HP of yore,
July 2, 2000 By A Customer
This review is from: HP LaserJet 2100TN Printer (Office Product)
I bought this product to replace an old workhorse printer, the HPII, and was quite disappointed. Print quality is not so stellar--inadequate adjustments for print density via Windows software; buttons on the machine's front are confusing and counterintuitive, and worse, the machine is surprisingly noisy--motor gear-up and -down from printing a page is a veritable clatter. Speed (8 ppm) seems inadequate for a machine in this price range, when other, less expensive laserjets can now do 10 or 12. And papertray, though large enough, has flimsy guides. All in all, I miss my old HP!
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Nice Printer - Good Value - A Few Quirks,
August 27, 2000 Jeff Szczepanski "Entrepreneur" (New York) - See all my reviews
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: HP LaserJet 2100TN Printer (Office Product)
Overall this is another nice printer from HP. We bought the TN networked version including PostScript capability for our Home Office where both my wife and I print from our respective computers and/or laptops. The setup and install of the network configuration drivers is a snap. Our network has a DHCP/Firewall device to share the cable modem and this printer works great in this "floating IP address" configuration. The print speed is good and the 1200 DPI resolution/print quality is notably better than our other HP-6P printer we still use as well.I have only two compaints about the printer. First, in this day and age the Ethernet should be 10/100-BaseT capable. We knew it didn't have the support when we bought it, but it doesn't seem worth the extra money to buy the more expensive print server that supports it. Again, I think this an expected network feature nowadays. The second complaint is the sound level of the printer. It is definately noisier than the...Read more