Label Printer Recommendations (or Dymo 550 Help)

We have been using a Dymo LabelWriter 400 printer (over the LAN network) with the Dymo Label v.8 software to print address mailing labels for a very long time. Unfortunately, our Dymo printer died. So we ordered a new one - the Dymo LabelWriter 550 Turbo printer.

The new printer comes with new software, Dymo Connect, that you are required to install in order to use the new printer. We don't need new software, we just need a new printer, but OK, fine.

So we install the new Dymo Connect software. The interface is completely different than their prior Dymo Label v.8 software. It opens with a screen that looks like it wants me to design a label. No. Thank you. I just want to print basic mailing address labels with the mailing bar code thing. I don't need to design anything. Just show me where to go to print mailing labels.

For the life of me, I cannot figure out where to go in this software. I do some Google reading and see others complaining about this new layout. I also find out that we cannot import our address books from v.8. The software will only use addresses stored in Outlook. What?

I am giving up on the new Dymo Connect software. I don't have time to learn how to design labels and this software is useless to me if I have to store my addresses in Outlook.

I think, that's fine, I will just continue using my old v.8 software and connect that to the new printer. I messed with this for nearly two hours now and cannot connect the old software to the new printer. I do some more Google reading and realize the new printer does not work with the old software. SMH!

I guess Dymo has moved into some other customer market and no longer designs products for basic mailing-address-users like me. I am sending it back and buying something else.

Does anybody have a recommendation for a basic address mailing label printer that can be installed on a network or wireless?

Have you looked for your old printer as a refurbished model on Amazon, ebay or Google?

I purchased my HP Laserjet as a refurbished unit and it's worked great.

I use Avery label products and designed my labels in Word, so I can't help you there.

Here is a used - very good condition one on Amazon for $150

https://www.amazon.com/DYMO-LabelWriter ... 137&sr=1-1

This site has usb, cat5, and wifi refurbished models, each with increasing costs.

https://www.thermalprinteroutlet.com/pr ... l-printer/

Thank you for the advice. I feel like an idiot for not thinking of that on my own. I just purchased a used Dymo 400 printer and got my fingers crossed.

You are very welcome - that's why we're all here.
I can't even count how many times I've received responses on this board that were very helpful to help me see something I overlooked.
I hope you get a good replacement.

What value does a dedicated label printer provide vs a laser printer with branded labels and their proprietary word templates?

Good question. Are you talking about a dedicated laser printer with the 3 x 10 label sheet, such as Avery, in the tray?

Can you explain how that would work on a network when User A prints a single mailing address label at 8 separate times per day and User B prints a single mailing address label 1 time per day?

After each print do they need to reload the 3 x 10 label sheet back into the printer tray? How does the system know which labels on the sheet have already been used so the next print job shifts down to the next available label?

Having a dedicated label printer seemed silly until I got one. Many years ago I bought a Brother QL-500 and a box of labels - terrific purchase.

Good question. Are you talking about a dedicated laser printer with the 3 x 10 label sheet, such as Avery, in the tray?

Can you explain how that would work on a network when User A prints a single mailing address label at 8 separate times per day and User B prints a single mailing address label 1 time per day?

After each print do they need to reload the 3 x 10 label sheet back into the printer tray? How does the system know which labels on the sheet have already been used so the next print job shifts down to the next available label?

If you're printing that many labels I agree a dedicated label printer is more efficient and the cost is probably justified. I use the Avery products with proprietary word templates like Recked, combined with my Brother print/scan/copy machine and that currently works for me. I just need a label here or there. More around the deadlines, less in the offseason. Then print labels for client holiday cards at the end of the year which I can batch process pretty easily.

As to your original question: Does anybody have a recommendation for a basic address mailing label printer that can be installed on a network or wireless? Brother seems to offer fair products, and I can attest to Brother's reliability over the long-term. You may want to look into their thermal/label printers.

It just needs to be assigned a static IP address on your network. Then connect to it with your computer and install their proprietary label printing software.