Outdoor Enthusiast | Geek | Photographer
4.0 out of 5 stars
Sharp, fast, two-sided printing with business-class & security features. Pricey replacement toners
Reviewed in the United States on 29 July 2019
I have worked in the IT industry for over 17 years (and even longer as the "family computer guy") and have come across a multitude of printers: Canon, Lexmark, Epson, Brother, Konica, HP, Ricoh, and all have their Pros and Cons. One thing is common, however: HP is the most widely used in the business world and for good reasons!
So, how does this monochrome (black and white-only printing) HP LJ Pro M404dw fare? Pretty well!
IN A NUTSHELL
The latest addition to the LaserJet Pro line of printers produces sharp, fast, two-sided printing with business-class features and security. The cost of replacement toners is high but has the capacity to output a large number of pages. It is a well-made, compact, professional-looking printer that I have no hesitations to recommend for the home or small office.
PROS
- Crisp, sharp print quality for text and graphics
- Fast print speed (up to 40 ppm)
- Compact, sturdy, and professional looking
- Printing options: WiFi, WiFi Direct (device directly connected to printer), Ethernet wired network, USB cable printing, or email
--- M404dn model lacks the WiFi/WiFi Direct options
--- An email address is provided through the HP Smart app to which you can forward emails to for printing
- Can print directly from mobile devices (both Android and Apple iOS) either through the HP Smart app or from other apps that support mobile printing
- Easy WiFi configuration by downloading the HP Smart app (Apple iOS/Android/Windows 10)
--- HP Smart app effortlessly detected the printer, guiding you through configuration, usage, and provides statistical data
--- Windows 10 app through the Microsoft App Store works very well
- Email notification of events, such as out-of-paper or hack attempts
- Duplex printing (prints on both sides) for supported sizes (letter, legal, executive, etc)
- Advanced network and security configuration available (through the HP Smart app and a web browser interface)
--- See "Security" section below for more details
- Tray 1 opens on the front for checks/envelopes/manual feeding
- Tray 2 holds paper for 250-sheet feeding, and a Tray 3 can be purchased
- Works with HP 550-sheet feeder tray D9P29A
- Came with USB cable
- AirPrint: Apple Mac compatible
- Google Cloud Print compatible
--- To set up, the printer will waste 2 sheets: one with instructions and another to confirm setup was completed
- Extended replacement toner available for VERY high capacity printing
--- Included starter toner can print about 2,000 pages
- Quiet mode (prints more quietly at the expense of speed), though I did not find the normal mode to be noisy
- Configurable, automatic power on/off/sleep modes
--- Defaults: Sleep Mode of 1 minute, Shutdown of 4 hours
- Fairly light weight at 19 lbs
- Additional, advanced, business-class features include
--- SNMP, WINS, SLP, LPD, LLMNR, Syslog, NTP time sync
--- Usage and Job reports
--- Backup/Restore of settings and Firmware updates
CONS
- Replacement toners are EXPENSIVE (HP 58A 3,000-pg capacity and HP 58X 10,000-pg capacity)
- Did not include a network/Ethernet cable
TIPS
- The software to download for Windows and Mac OS is "HP Easy Start" which you can grab from HP's website
- The software to use on mobile devices (Apple iOS/Android) is "HP Smart"
- You can access the full, complete printer configuration by finding the IP address on the printer (or through the HP apps) and typing it into your web browser
- The HP Smart app includes a free trial to Mobile Fax
--- Allows you to fax print jobs from the app
--- Requires you to have a valid fax number (per regulation), but does not need a phone landline
--- I did not check what the service's cost is after the 1 month trial
SECURITY
In today's environment, information security has become more important than ever. I thoroughly appreciate HP's inclusion of features and settings to help protect one's network. Here are some of them.
- Removal of Web Services
--- Although the printer conveniently allows you to print from the web or via email, any route a hacker can enter from presents a vulnerability.
--- The HP Smart app allows you to turn off those web services to minimize the attack footprint
--- The default admin password should be changed for additional security
- Network Connectivity Options
--- The printer allows you to turn on/off any unused printing options, including: wired ethernet, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth, AirPrint, Google Cloud Print, and the Internet Printing Protocol (IPP, IPPS)
------ The IPP/ IPPS methods allow you to assign user access for printing from mobile devices
- Certificates
--- This topic is a BIG one on its own, and to many, a very confusing one
------ In short, Certificates are like passports issued by an authority both parties trust. They help secure communication between the printer and the sender
--- The HP M404dw uses a self-signed, pre-installed certificate and supports CA-signed ones that are PEM/Base64 encoded
- Email Alerts
--- You can be notified when a specific threshold is met (default: 1 minute)
------ Cartridge missing, empty, or low
------ Door open, media mismatch, paper jam, out of paper
------ Job storage memory problems, such as USB device disconnected and out of memory
- Firewall Rules
--- Built-in firewall, complete with configuration of rule priority, address and service templates, service list
--- Failsafe option where HTTPS remains accessible even if it is blocked by a firewall policy (so an admin doesn't accidentally get locked out)
- Secure Communication
--- Cipher suites, SSL/TLS protocols, and HTTPS redirection can be enabled/disabled
- SNMP options include v1/v2 and v3
- ACL: An IPv4-only access control list is available to control access to the printer
- 802.1x Authentication: PEAP, EAP-TLS protocols are supported
- Cartridge Protection to lock a toner to a specific printer to prevent theft
--- Using a protected cartridge on another printer will not work
--- The lock cannot be undone on that cartridge. It is permanent
Overall, as with most HP printers, this is a quality, business-class product with the speed and sharpness the LaserJet Pro series is known for. The security features are a welcome sight! I do prefer the HP M404dw (WiFi) model (which costs $50 - $100 more) over the HP M404dn (USB/wired network) for its versatility of not having to be wired to the network, but the HP M404dn (USB/wired network) model is still a good purchase, especially at the current $219 price.
If you found this review helpful, please click the "Helpful" button below to encourage me to write more. Thank you!
410 people found this helpful
