I thought it was out of ink, but it turned out that the inkjet I had used for over 5 years was on its way to the grave. Printers don’t last forever, and newer and better models are always coming to market, so it’s only natural that you eventually want to get rid of your old printer.
However, many printers are now wireless and must be connected to a Wi-Fi network to work properly.
This means that information such as passwords, network type, and assigned IP address are stored on the printer, and that information is not simply erased if the printer is disposed of or sold.
That’s why Canon warns home, office, or anyone with a large format inkjet printer to follow these steps before disposing of the printer. The first things to do are:
Canon warns customers about data retention issues for wireless printers
Canon is particularly focused on its wireless printers, and if hackers get hold of an old Canon wireless printer that hasn’t had the previous owner’s information wiped, they can steal that data and use it for their own benefit. I warned my customers that they might use it.
Some of the Canon printer models already affected by this unfortunate situation include: E, G, GX, iB, iP, MB, MG, MX, PRO, TR, TS, and XK series. Canon has also published its own document listing all models that have encountered data retention issues, so customers can easily check if their model is affected.
What should I do before disposing of my old printer?
If you want to get rid of a particularly old Canon printer, Canon has also announced a process for wiping all data from your printer, depending on your model. Here are the instructions provided by the company:
How to reset a Canon printer
go to reset settings
click reset all
To enable Wireless LAN
How to make the cheapest printer ink and cartridges last longer
A woman working at a Canon printer. (Canon)
reset all settings once again
How to reset a Canon printer without using the reset all feature
in the Canon printer’s settings menu.[すべてリセット]If you don’t have the functionality, you can do the following:
reset LAN settings
To enable Wireless LAN
Reset LAN settingsonce again
If you find that your Canon printer does not have these settings, we recommend that you refer to your printer’s owner’s manual to see the process for your specific model.
Best Printers of 2023
You can read more about my picks for the best printers on the market this year here.
What if I don’t have a Canon printer?
If you have another type of non-Canon wireless printer, you’ll still need to follow the steps to reset your printer’s settings before you throw it away. Your printer should have come with a manual on how to do that, so make sure you know the instructions before throwing your old printer away.
If you have a printer that you don’t want to throw away, then you should at least make sure your Wi-Fi network is secure so that your printer can’t be hacked while you’re using it.
How to turn your phone into a portable scanner and go paperless
Using a Canon printer. (Cyber Guy.com)
Cart key points
Having your information stolen can be a big nightmare, especially if you can prevent it by taking a few extra steps. Before you throw away or sell your printer, make sure you know how to reset your printer settings so you don’t become the next victim of malicious hackers.
With technology advancing so fast and everything going paperless, do you think printers are a thing of the past? Cyberguy.com/contact
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