HP 7612 printer problems

[sluggo]

I've had no real issues with the above printer until today. A template for a #10 envelope that I've had set up and used successfully for a couple of years has suddenly decided to start cutting off part of the left side of the return address. Not sure if this began after the most recent OS update or not.
I've Googled until I'm blue in the face. The common fix appeared to be to "reset the printer", essentially getting rid of the drivers and downloading new. Nope.
Try with borders. Nope. Try without borders. Nope. I've also run the alignment as a couple of the cartridges have been replaced within a close time frame. No luck.
I can't determine if this is an HP problem or a Pages problem. The envelope looks perfect in the preview pane but does not turn out that way when printed. Also, any changes that I make in the Format pane such as font size and spacing do not seem to hold, they revert back to something I don't want.
I hate to get rid of the printer because it's worked well for these past 2 years and I just spent $75 for new cartridges.

[sluggo]

The problem is about to go away very soon. Scrolling down the page I found Paddy's post about Brother's ink being so much more inexpensive.
I opted to by a new Brother. For an extra $10 it comes with the first year's supply of ink.
Time to uninstall the HP software and get it listed on FB and Craigslist. I don't deal with equipment frustration well!

[Xairbusdriver]

I don't deal with equipment frustration well!

But! But... it may not have anything to do with "equipment"! Usually this kind of problem requires nothing more than re-naming the current .plist file so it can be recreated afresh. Might be handy to keep the 'old' printer around even after buying a new one. At least you can confirm that it actually works and can ask a better (higher) price for it.

[sluggo]

I don't deal with equipment frustration well!

But! But... it may not have anything to do with "equipment"! Usually this kind of problem requires nothing more than re-naming the current .plist file so it can be recreated afresh. Might be handy to keep the 'old' printer around even after buying a new one. At least you can confirm that it actually works and can ask a better (higher) price for it.

Remember the old OS 8-9 days of just trashing the prefs? Good times!
I tried just printing out both the addressee and return address the old fashioned way on Avery stick on labels. No problem at all.
And there are dozens upon dozens of hp plist shown. I wouldn't even begin to know what to change.

[Xairbusdriver]

That confirms my theory that it's a .plist problem. I think the HPO has simply 'forgot' what size paper or the margins you are using. It just needs a bit of 'training' or perhaps some 'memory medicine'!

But I never recommend "trashing" a plist file. All you really need to do is tack on a bit of text such as "-old" between the name and the suffix (".plist"). That way, you can easily 're-install' the old plist should it be needed. If the new plist solves the problem, then, and only then, you delete the file. As I am too fond of saying, "Why would you want to take something out of the trash and use it again?! The trash is not for storage! It is for garbage."

[sluggo]

Well, the saga continues. After a couple of hours on the phone with Brother yesterday the new printer and Mojave will not communicate regularly. A search shows this to be an issue with several printer brands even though the Brother drivers are supposed to be 10.14 compatible.
The case was escalated and I'm supposed to receive a call from a Brother guru further up the chain this morning. If that doesn't work, back it goes.
I will certainly give credit to the support person, he was patient and we tried everything. Twice. The only thing that he didn't suggest and I tried on my own was getting into the Firewall settings to make sure the printer application could access the computer. Still no luck.
The printer and wireless router are set the same. This has been triple checked because I have a cable company Ubee router as well as my own TP Link and each has 2.4 and 5G settings, thus giving me 4 options. It's my understanding that the 5G is not to be used with most printers. Brother's website shows a known issue with the Ubee losing touch with the printer so I avoid that one. I have attempted to set up AirPrint but it fails every time. I can occasionally print a test page from the printers and scanners page. But to try a Pages document or to use Brother's iPrint & Scan app shows no printer available.
So for now all printer drivers and files for any printer that's ever been used are uninstalled and I await Brother's call to see if we can iron this out.

[sluggo]

Problem solved by Brother's tech support. They took over my computer and we went through everything again. Long story short, I often use a VPN. This was causing an issue where my router would drop communication after exactly one minute.
He explained that in the Windows world the communication is pretty much all done via TCP/IP but Macs have several other options like AirPrint, Bonjour, etc and will sometimes find another way around if I understood correctly.
Once we disconnected and then shut down the VPN app, normal communications appear to have been restored. I need to find my largest boot and kick myself in the backside for this self caused problem!

[Xairbusdriver]

Glad you got it sorted out! I've not had to use Brother Support often but they have always been successful and efficient. Good products, great support!

[sluggo]

Glad you got it sorted out! I've not had to use Brother Support often but they have always been successful and efficient. Good products, great support!

Speaking with Brother's people on both occasions was certainly a positive experience. Looking back the VPN may have been the problem all along, even with the HP predecessor to this Brother. But the Brother has a much smaller physical footprint that I like and it certainly appears that I'll have many more ink options instead of paying or in my opinion over paying for HP's cartridges. HP cartridges that incidentally seem to always have one of them in need of replacement even though the ink level indicators had very recently shown them to have plenty. And my printing is not prolific by any means.