Instructor: In this lesson,
we're going to talk about unboxing
and setting up a printer or MFD,
known as a multi-function device.
Now, at its core, a printer is a type of device
that's going to allow you to make images
on a piece of paper.
So if I've typed up a document
and I want to be able to take it home with me
in a physical format,
I can print it out on a piece of paper,
and then I can have that physical
hard copy of something
instead of just having the digital version
that exists on my computer.
Now, I think most of us are pretty familiar
with what a printer is
because we've probably used one before,
either at home, in school or in the office.
But what I really want to focus on in this lesson
is how you properly unbox
and set up that printer.
Now, before you can unbox your printer,
you need to move it to the location
that you want to install that printer in.
Now, if you're in an office environment,
printers can be really, really big.
This isn't the standard little Inkjet printer
that you have at home that weighs 20 pounds.
Instead, some of these printers can be 100,
200, or even 500 pounds.
Some of them look like giant copy machines,
and these are multi-function devices
that'll provide copying, scanning,
and printing capability.
If you're dealing with one of these larger units,
you're going to need to use a two-person lift
or some sort of a mechanical dolly
to help you move that device into the location
of where you're going to install it.
Once you get there, it's not going to be as easy
as just opening up the top of the box
and picking the printer out, because again,
if you're dealing with a printer
that is several hundred pounds,
you can't simply lift it up
out the top of the box.
So with these type of devices,
you do want to check your manufacturer's instructions
on how to unbox that printer
before you begin your setup process.
When you're dealing with some of these larger
and heavier printers,
they tend to be put in boxes
that you can cut along the bottom
and then lift the box up,
leaving the printer sitting there on the floor.
Then, conducting a two-person lift,
you and a friend can pick up that printer
and place it into the location
that you're going to install it in.
When you're unboxing your printer,
also look in the box for any extra pieces,
cables, documentations, or driver discs.
A lot of times, the manufacturers
will place all of these things
in the styrofoam that is surrounding the printer
to save space during shipping.
Once you've identified that you've gotten
everything out of the box,
you want to take all of the excess paper and packing
and put it back in the box
and take it down to your disposal facility.
Now, in addition to taking the printer
out of the box and getting rid of the box,
we also need to remove packing strips
from the printer itself.
Inside of a printer,
there are lots of moving parts,
including a print head
if we're dealing with an Inkjet model
or the drum and toner cartridges
if you're dealing with a laser printer.
Either of these cases,
the manufacturer will use packing strips
or strong pieces of tape
to hold those components in place
so they won't shift
and move around during shipment.
Once you get that printer out,
normally, there will be a piece of paper in there
that will give you the location
of every single one of these packing strips
so you can locate them and pull them off,
and that way, you can release
all of those different components inside the printer
and get it ready for proper operations.
Now, one more side note that I want to make
when it comes to a printer.
If the box with your printer
has been sitting outside
or in a warehouse that doesn't have air conditioning,
and now now you bring it into your office building,
that box will actually be quite hot.
Now, I'm not warning you about this
because it's going to bring your hands,
it's not that kind of heat,
but because it is a hot temperature,
when you bring it into the air condition,
this can actually cause condensation
and moisture to occur inside or on the printer.
So once you unbox the printer,
you should leave it out
inside the office environment
in that air conditioning
for about one to two hours so it can acclimate
and be able to reach the regular temperature
without having all that sweating
and condensation happening.
This is safer for the printer
and prevent any kind of issues from happening.
Once that device has been properly acclimated,
you can then start to do the process of installing
and connecting that printer to your network.
Similarly, if you have a device
that's been sitting in a very cold area
and you now bring it into a regular
room-temperature area,
this can actually cause condensation as well.
So once again,
you'll want to let the device
acclimate to that environment
before you connect it to a wall outlet
and provide power to that device.
So once you have finished unboxing the device
and letting it acclimate, it's time to set it up.
When it comes to setting up your printer,
you need to make sure you choose
the proper location.
The print device needs to be
where you're going to have power,
and if it's going to be a network-based printer,
it needs to be close enough to a network jack
so you can plug it in.
You don't want to install it in a place
where you're going to have to run long cable runs
from a network jack or a power cord to that printer
because these cables can become a trip hazard.
Additionally, when you're setting up the printer,
you need to determine where it's going to sit.
If it's a really large unit,
it may sit on the floor
because it has its own stand built in.
Or if it is something that is about 100 pounds,
you may put it on top of a desk,
but you need to ensure that desk is stable
and can support the weight
of the device you're trying to put on it.
Not all desks and filing cabinets
can be used to support the weight of a printer
when a printer weighs a 100 or 200 pounds.
Also, when selecting a location for your printer,
you want to make sure it's in an area
that is well-ventilated
because your printer does have chemicals
inside of it when it's printing
using ink or toner.
So you want to make sure
you're in a well-ventilated area
so that those chemicals and fumes that are produced
can be taken out of the air
and not breathed in by you and your coworkers.
Additionally, you want to make sure the printer
is in a place that is convenient for everybody.
Especially if you're in an office
where you're using one large printer
to serve the entire office,
you need to make sure it is centrally located.
For example, one of the previous organizations
I worked in had one printer for each office.
Now, each office held about 50 to 100 people in it,
so we put those in the center of the room
and that way, everyone had easy access
to pick up their print jobs from that printer.
If you're going to be using a device like this
in a central location,
it's also good to have some sort of print queuing system
and print authentication system
so your print jobs will go to the printer
and sit there, waiting to be printed
until you swipe a badge or enter a pin number
so the device knows you're there
and ready to receive your printout.
This is something you need to think about
from a security perspective,
because if you're printing out documents
that contain confidential information,
you don't want anyone just grabbing those
and walking away with it.
Another thing to consider when deciding
the proper location for your printer
is to make sure it's not going to be in the way
of your entry and exit points to your office.
Generally, printers tend to be an area
that employees tend to congregate around
as they're waiting for their printouts
or they're mingling with their coworkers.
This can become a big problem
if your printer is located right near the entrance
or exit to your office
because this can block your doorways
and make it hard for people to get in
or out of the office.
So as you're determining the proper location
for your printer,
remember, you want someplace that's central,
but it's not in the way of the flow
of normal traffic.
Try to keep all these things in mind
when it comes to unboxing your printer
and finding the right location
for your new device.