If you just got a Brother HL-L2370DW and need it on Wi-Fi, here's the answer: don't use WPS. Download Brother iPrint&Scan, connect the printer to your PC with a USB cable temporarily, run the wireless setup wizard, and select your 2.4 GHz network. That takes about 10 minutes and it actually works the first time. In a small office, this Brother printer is also a stronger value than a comparable HP laser—but only if you're willing to spend those 10 minutes setting it up.

The most expensive printer problem isn't hardware. It's a network setting that makes a perfectly good printer look broken.

I've managed print fleets for eight years—first at a marketing agency, then at a 40-person nonprofit. In 2017, I spent four hours trying to connect an HL-L2370DW to Wi-Fi using WPS. It paired with an access point, but not the right one. The printer showed connected; the computer couldn't see it. I only learned later that WPS had dropped it onto the guest SSID. Since then, I've set up 40+ Brother printers and I keep a written checklist because the same three mistakes keep showing up.

How to connect Brother HL-L2370DW printer to Wi-Fi (the reliable way)

Here's the procedure I use for every HL-L2370DW in our building:

  1. Download the full driver package or Brother iPrint&Scan from Brother's support site. Skip the CD.
  2. Connect the printer to your computer with a USB cable temporarily.
  3. Open the installer and choose Wireless Network Connection rather than USB.
  4. The utility scans for wireless networks. Choose your 2.4 GHz network name. If your router broadcasts separate names for 2.4 and 5 GHz, pick the 2.4 GHz one. The HL-L2370DW is a 2.4 GHz-only device. Enter the Wi-Fi password.
  5. When the software tells you, unplug the USB cable.
  6. Print a network configuration page from the printer's menu (usually Menu > Print Reports > Network Config). Find the IP address, type it into a browser, and you'll have a web dashboard where you can set a static IP.

Why not WPS? I do not recommend it for this model. The WPS button on a router often pairs the printer to whatever network is active at that moment—which sounds fine until active is the guest network or a neighboring access point. I've seen it happen. The USB-based setup is slower in theory, but faster in practice because it doesn't leave you guessing what network the printer joined.

One more network catch: if you have a mesh router, temporarily disable band steering during setup. I had a printer refuse to join a mesh node in 2024 because the node went to sleep. The printer wasn't broken. The network just didn't want to let it in. (This is the part of printer installation that makes everyone hate printers.)

HP vs Brother laser printer: what 8 years of managing both taught me

I've managed HP LaserJets and Brother lasers side by side. The honest answer: both print well. The difference is in the long-term details.

Brother separates the toner cartridge and the drum unit. When toner runs out, you replace only the toner. With many HP models, the toner and drum are one unit. Over three years, that difference shows up on the budget as a lower cost per page for Brother. That's not a claim about cheapest printers—it's just how the supplies are designed.

HP's strength is software and enterprise integration. Their universal print driver is everywhere. If you're in a 200-person company with a managed IT department, HP may be the safer choice because IT already has the driver deployment workflow built. In a 5-person office, that advantage doesn't matter.

I don't have hard data on national failure rates for either brand. I can only tell you that in our building, Brother needed fewer service calls over the first three years, while HP played nicer with our document management software. Both brands are fine. Anyone who tells you one is universally bad is selling a shortcut.

So which one? If you're a small office replacing a printer and just want it to work, choose Brother. If your IT person says we have an HP standard, listen to them. That's an infrastructure decision, not a printer decision.

A4 paper, Letter paper, and the APUSH score calculator problem

Let's talk paper. The Brother HL-L2370DW handles A4 and US Letter, but it doesn't know which one you loaded—you have to tell it. The paper size mismatch error happens when the driver expects one size and the tray sensor sees another.

A4 is 210 × 297 mm. US Letter is 8.5 × 11 inches (215.9 × 279.4 mm). They look similar, but they are not interchangeable. If a document is set to Letter and you print on A4, the extra length at the bottom creates a blank band or shifts the layout. If it's set to A4 and you print on Letter, the bottom edge gets cut off.

The APUSH score calculator is a perfect example. Students use it to estimate AP U.S. History scores, and they often print the table for a study group. The page is usually built for US Letter. If you set the printer to A4 but the page layout assumes Letter, the table can run off the right edge. I made this exact mistake for a coworker's daughter. She asked for paper, and I assumed A4 because we usually buy A4. The printed table looked like the designer forgot the last column.

Paper thickness matters, too. Standard copy paper is 20 lb bond (75 gsm). Premium letterhead is usually 24 lb bond (90 gsm). When I compared the same proposal printed on both, side by side, I finally understood why people call 24 lb business feel. It's not about luxury; it's about not having the text show through the other side. For client-facing documents, that difference affects how your brand is perceived. I don't have a client survey that proves it, but I've never seen a client complain about paper that's too sturdy.

How does a 3D printer work? (the short version)

Since this is a printer-focused article, here's the quick answer to one more common search: how does a 3d printer work? It's not a paper printer with extra steps. A 3D printer takes a digital 3D model, slices it into thin horizontal layers, and builds the object layer by layer. FDM printers melt plastic filament and extrude it through a nozzle. SLA printers use a light source to cure liquid resin into solid plastic. Both create physical objects, but the entire workflow—slicing, supports, calibration—is like running a micro-factory. If you're comparing a Brother laser printer to a 3D printer, you're comparing a photocopier to a CNC machine.

Where this advice stops working

This recommendation is for small offices. If you have 200 employees, let IT make the call. If you need color laser printing, this exact model is wrong for you. If you need photo printing, don't buy any laser printer, regardless of brand.

I also want to be honest about the limits of my experience. I've set up 40 Brother printers in one building, not 4,000 across 100 companies. I do not have hard data on every Brother vs HP comparison. What I know from watching people make mistakes for eight years is this: most printer problems are not hardware failures. They're Wi-Fi settings, paper settings, and assumptions. Fix those first and you'll save yourself most of the pain.