Brother HL-2140 / HL-2142 Questions & Answers

I am sorry. I do not know.

I am sorry, I have no experience in fixing a seemingly damaged USB connect point.

I suggest googling the printer model number or use ChatGPT to help you find further information or advice. Alternatively, look for a 'repair cafe' run by your local council. They often have gatherings where expert volunteers can assist in fixing basic problems. It sounds like you would need to remove and replace the USB point in the unit. It might involve some soldering and they would probably have the tools and expertise to teach you how to do it. Good luck!

Not sure if this would work. What about disconnecting the printer in your computer Settings and reconnecting it?

can this printer be networked

About 10 years ago, my HL 2140 did not have wireless capability.

No, this only prints on one side at a time. To print on both sides, the user will need to turn the pages manually by batch.

Sorry I do not know but I remember buying mine around 2011.

Thanks

yes, turn the power off and pull the jammed paper out of the hl-2142 laser so that the printer would function again.

I do not remember that. It was a long time ago when I had my printer. I just remember that there came a time when I had to replace the drum of my Brother HL-2142 and a new drum then cost A$300+. So I just bought a second hand Brother HL-2142 for A$20 and that worked well.

Replace the toner cartridge. You can get the Brother brand ones at Officeworks. They are expensive but if you don't mind cheap copy brands, you can get a very similar one much cheaper by shopping around online. Just do a search for the right model cartridge for the HL-2142 and copy cats come up. They also do two for one deals sometimes. In the meantime, if you take the toner cartridge out and give it a good shake, the toner might redistribute itself a bit and you could get a few more copies out of it when you put it back in - it's an old photocopier trick. Doesn't always work though, and you'll need a new one anyway. Good luck!

Yes, but not automatically as more advanced models do. This model requires you to follow instructions in the print dialog--flip the paper in a certain way to print double side. I used to easily print batches of 50 or 100 pages, first the odd-numbered pages and later the even-numbered pages.

You can increase print size if your software gives you the option, (i.e., input a number greater than 100 under "Scale"), otherwise you may not be able to.

I am now using Fuji DocuPrint P265 dw, bought for perhaps $70 from Officeworks more a year ago to replace our Brother HL 2142. This new model can print on two sides, wirelessly and the prints are finer than that of the Brother HL 2142 at a resolution of 2400 x 600 dpi. It is also economical and trouble-free, however it seems that Officeworks is no longer stocking it.

Instead, Officeworks now sells the Brother Mono Laser Printer HL-L2305W at A$98. This model can also print wirelessly at 2400 x 600 dpi, but nothing is stated about its ability to print automatically on two sides. Two-sided printing becomes an important feature if the printer is located away from the workstation, which is enabled by the wireless feature.

Try cleaning inside with a damp cloth (allow to dry before using). Try taking the drum out and shaking it to even out the toner inside the cartridge - this is only a temporary measure. You might need to replace toner but if the toner is newish, it might be that the drum is somehow wearing out. I don't know about drum repairs but you would be able to replace it as this is a fairly common model. Try cartridge world or appliances online or eBay with your model number or the drum model number - see Brother website for the model manual. If you are replacing the whole printer, I upgraded to a wired network Brother printer (HL-2250DN), which means it plugs into the router directly (with standard ethernet cable) and we can print from any device that connects to the router or wifi. I bought mine secondhand on Gumtree for about $80. The trend for new printers is wireless only (not "Network" - which is the N in the cabled printer model numbers). I prefer networked (as in a cable connection) because it is one less wireless device to have to maintain a connection with. For example, I recently changed my wifi name and password and hid the wifi name from view. This meant I had to update all the devices that connected to wifi but not the printer because it is connected physically. I recommend the following current models: Brother HL-L2305W (RRP$149) - the wireless type - and Brother HL-L5100DN (RRP$299) - the wired type. They will be cheaper in shops. They also have different ongoing costs and Choice magazine rates them differently for a range of features such as print speed, quality, was of use etc. I'd go to a big electronics store to ask someone who knows. Good luck!

Depends on the dimensions / thickness etc. Thin stuff that is no bigger than A4 should work. Otherwise, just print on paper and glue it to your cardboard. Please refer to the product manual which you can find by typing "Brother HL-2142 pdf" into Google. Good luck!

Usually not. But if the cardboard is thin and easily bent, the printer could still roll it out.

Sorry, I do not know the answer. I have replaced my toner with a genuine Brother cartridge maybe 3-4x already and the printer always functioned normally afterwards.

Check that you have installed the cartridge properly in the cartridge casing and that you have inserted the whole cartridge and casing into the printer properly. Try to find a diagram on the brother website for any of the HL-2 series printers. BTW, this is not a product support page. It's really only for questions to determine whether the product is good to buy or not. Try some other site like Whirlpool or on the actual company support page. That will always be better than asking on here. Good luck!

Hi Teresa, Thank you for your query but I don't think I'm qualified to answer this. Have you tried the troubleshooting page in your user manual? Or have you looked at the product support pages on the Brother website. Alternatively, just visit an Officeworks, Good Guys or JB Hi Fi. They might be able to help you. Good luck! Cheers, Andrew

HI Teresa, I am sorry I had been busy and read my mail only now. I do not know the answer but if this happened to me, I would suspect an error in the printer's microchip and then buy a new printer.

Just pop the top and pull the drum out. If you are still not sure, do a search on YouTube to see how they do it. Many of the Brother models are very similar so it doesn't have to be the same model. This would be the easiest way, rather than me trying to explain in words. Good luck!

I would refer to the user manual if you have a copy or just do a google search with the model number, brand and "paper jam" and you should be able to find some info for it or the closest model to it but in my experience, I would just take the paper tray out and gently but firmly pull any stuck pieces of paper out of the machine. If there are any pieces stuck coming out the top, do the same. That should do the trick! Try printing again.

Hi Margram, When you get a paper jam, you need to pull down the front on printer, then disassemble/ pull out the toner drum and cartridge, then open the back cover and only then if you need to pull on the paper to remove the jam. Don't pull on the paper as it might tear and the stuck part may jam the rollers. Try to use fresh new paper each time you use the printer, if it has been sitting unused for some time the paper picks up moisture from the environment and this can cause a paper jam. Try to keep a good flat dry supply of paper in a dry place. If you live in a damp environment/ area this may be a little difficult. NEVER PULL PAPER BACKWARDS OUT OF A PRINTER. Good luck Moreton.

As mentioned, turn it off, remove the toner cartridge and then you should be able to grab the jammed paper and pull it out slowly but firmly. I've never had it tear. I find the HL-2142 is prone to jamming if you send a print job to it before turning it on, so I always turn it on first - just 15 secs or so makes a difference.