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Printers & Multifunction Devices

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CompTIA A+ 220-1201 & 220-1202

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1 Introduction & Exam Overview

About the CompTIA A+ Certification Exam Domains & Study Strategy

2 Core 1 Domain 1: Mobile Devices (13%)

Laptop Hardware & Components Laptop Features & Display Types Mobile Device Connectivity & Accessories Mobile Operating System Features Mobile Device Synchronization & Data Transfer

3 Core 1 Domain 2: Networking (23%)

TCP/IP Fundamentals & the OSI Model Common Ports & Protocols Wireless Networking Standards Network Hardware & Devices Network Configuration & Internet Connections Network Types & Topologies

4 Core 1 Domain 3: Hardware (25%)

Cables & Connectors RAM Types & Storage Devices Motherboards, CPUs & Power Supplies Printers & Multifunction Devices Peripheral Devices & Expansion Cards Network Cable Tools & Testing

5 Core 1 Domain 4: Virtualization & Cloud Computing (11%)

Virtualization Concepts Cloud Computing Models & Services Client-Side Virtualization in Practice

6 Core 1 Domain 5: Hardware & Network Troubleshooting (28%)

CompTIA Troubleshooting Methodology Hardware Troubleshooting Network Troubleshooting Printer Troubleshooting Display & Mobile Device Troubleshooting

7 Core 2 Domain 1: Operating Systems (28%)

Windows Editions & Features Windows Administrative Tools & Utilities Windows Command Line & PowerShell macOS & Linux Basics Windows Networking & File Sharing Windows Installation & Upgrade Methods

8 Core 2 Domain 2: Security (28%)

Physical & Logical Security Measures Malware Types & Threat Mitigation Wireless & Network Security Encryption & Data Protection

9 Core 2 Domain 3: Software Troubleshooting (23%)

Windows OS Troubleshooting Mobile OS & Application Troubleshooting Browser & Application Troubleshooting

10 Core 2 Domain 4: Operational Procedures (21%)

Documentation & Change Management Backup & Recovery Methods Safety & Environmental Procedures Scripting & Remote Access Technologies Privacy, Licensing & Organizational Policies

Printers & Multifunction Devices

Key Takeaways Explain This Topic AI

Laser printers follow the 7-step imaging process — Processing, Charging, Exposing, Developing, Transferring, Fusing, Cleaning — and are best for high-volume text.

Inkjet printers spray liquid ink through nozzles; they excel at photos but cost more per page and clog if idle.

Thermal printers heat chemically treated paper and need no ink or toner — used for receipts, labels, and wristbands.

Impact (dot-matrix) printers are the ONLY type that can print multi-part carbon forms because they physically strike the page.

3D printers build objects additively using filament (FDM), liquid resin (SLA), or fused powder (SLS).

Last updated: October 2026

  • Printer Technologies
  • Laser Printer — the 7-Step Imaging Process

Laser printers use dry toner and electrostatic charge to produce sharp, low-cost-per-page text output. The V15 objectives list laser maintenance (replace toner, apply a maintenance kit, calibrate, and clean) under objective 3.8 rather than the imaging process itself, but knowing the seven stages helps you trace a print defect to the failing part.

  • Step Name What Happens
  • 1 Processing The printer rasterizes the page in memory (RIP) into a bitmap
  • 2 Charging A primary charge roller (or corona wire) applies a uniform ~−600V charge to the imaging drum
  • 3 Exposing The laser writes the image, neutralizing charge where toner should stick
  • 4 Developing Negatively charged toner is attracted to the exposed (neutralized) areas
  • 5 Transferring A positive transfer charge pulls toner from the drum onto the paper
  • 6 Fusing Heated rollers (~180–200°C / ~400°F) melt and bond toner permanently
  • 7 Cleaning A wiper blade clears residual toner; an erase lamp removes leftover charge

Memory Aid: " P eople C an E asily D etect T oner F luff C learly." Note the page is warm coming out because of the fuser — that is normal, not a fault.

Laser maintenance kit & symptoms:

  • Faded/light print → low toner; remove and gently rock the cartridge
  • Repeating ghost images/spots → worn drum (replace) at a fixed interval
  • Vertical white streaks → dirty corona wire or clog in the toner path
  • Toner smears/rubs off → failed fuser (replace fuser assembly)
  • Speckled background → worn drum or overfilled toner
  • Inkjet Printer
  • Feature Detail
  • Technology Thermal or piezoelectric spray of liquid ink through nozzles
  • Quality Excellent photo/color (up to 9600 x 2400 DPI)
  • Cost per page Higher than laser, especially color
  • Maintenance Head cleaning, cartridge replacement, calibration/alignment
  • Best for Home use, photos, low-volume color

Inkjet symptoms: lines/bands across prints → clogged nozzles (run cleaning cycle); misaligned colors → run print-head alignment ; smearing → wrong paper or handling wet pages; streaky output → dried ink from sitting idle.

Thermal Printer

  • Feature Detail
  • Technology Heated print head darkens chemically treated paper
  • Consumable Thermal paper only — NO ink, toner, or ribbon
  • Durability Prints fade with heat/light over time
  • Maintenance Clean the heating element; replace paper roll
  • Use cases Receipts, shipping/barcode labels, medical wristbands

Impact Printer (Dot Matrix)

  • Feature Detail
  • Technology A print head of pins strikes an inked ribbon against the paper
  • Quality / noise Low (draft text); very loud
  • Consumables Ribbon + tractor-feed continuous paper
  • Unique ability Prints multi-part carbon-copy forms in one pass
  • Use cases Invoices, packing slips, shipping manifests

Because impact is the only mechanism that physically presses through layered carbon forms, it survives in warehouses and auto shops. Symptoms: faded print → worn ribbon (replace); consistent missing dots/lines in characters → broken print-head pins (replace head).

3D Printer

  • Technology Method Material
  • FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) Extrudes heated filament layer by layer PLA, ABS, PETG
  • SLA (Stereolithography) UV laser cures liquid resin Photopolymer resin
  • SLS (Selective Laser Sintering) Laser fuses powder Nylon/polyamide powder

Filaments: PLA is biodegradable and low-warp (most popular); ABS is stronger and heat-resistant but needs a heated bed and ventilation; PETG is food-safe and chemical-resistant.

Printer Connectivity & Sharing

  • Method Description
  • USB Direct, one host (USB-B at printer, USB-A at PC)
  • Ethernet (RJ-45) Network printer shared by all devices
  • Wi-Fi / Wi-Fi Direct Wireless network or peer-to-peer (no AP)
  • Bluetooth Short-range mobile printing
  • Cloud / print server Centralized queue managed for the network

Sharing vs. networked: A shared printer is attached to one host PC that must be powered on; a networked printer has its own IP/NIC and is independent of any single PC. Print to a networked unit using its IP or hostname.

Installation & Configuration

Unbox, remove packing tape/locks; install toner/ink and load paper.

Connect by USB or network (assign a static IP or DHCP reservation for network units).

Install the correct driver (and the right PDL — PCL or PostScript) on each client or via a print server.

Set defaults: duplex, paper size/tray, color vs. grayscale, collation .

Configure security: secured/follow-me print, user authentication, and audit logging where required.

Print a test page and calibrate to verify.

Spooler tip: A stuck queue is a top help-desk call. Stop the Print Spooler service, delete the files in C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS , then restart the spooler.

Page Description Languages & Drivers

The PDL tells the printer how to render a page. PCL (Printer Command Language) is fast and common for office text; PostScript (PS) is preferred for graphics and exact color in design and print shops. Installing the wrong PDL driver produces garbage characters or pages of raw code, so match the driver to the printer model and the PDL it expects.

Security & Cost Controls

Secured / follow-me print: the job holds in a server queue until the user authenticates at the device with a badge or PIN, preventing sensitive documents from sitting in the output tray.

User authentication and audit logging: track who printed what for compliance.

Duplex and grayscale defaults: cut paper and toner cost on shared fleets.

Hard-drive sanitization: many multifunction devices store scanned and printed images on an internal disk, so wipe or remove that disk before disposal.