The past several printers I've had... I just had to open the add printer dialog (which is more of a pain than it should be) and it would just detect the printer.. this is from win7 through 10.
Now getting a new printer (new hardware) installed in Linux isn't usually so easy.. unless you're using a fairly mainstream HP Laser printer, which is actually what I recommend because it's so straight forward. Outside of that it's almost always a pain. My current printer is rigged up and connected to print from my phone from anywhere, I have it setup for remote printing via Chrome... which is kind of nice, ordering something, or paying a bill on a break at work and being able to print at home.
Unless you're using a really off brand, I haven't had trouble installing on windows via the add printer... it may take a while to download a full device list for printers, which aren't pre-installed, but that's time not difficulty.
I've an epson wifi printer and every time it gets a different ip windows can't find it anymore.
I used to have it on a dns reserved ip but damned new telco router doesn't have that option since I upgrades to fiber.
Every time the epson setup wants to restart the whole computer to start the detection and it is so annoying, I just let any other airprint device do the thing.
With linux I usually just plug it in then hit print in the application. Then it prints... I've never run into a consumer model that needed installing in any way. I may just have been lucky.
Now getting a new printer (new hardware) installed in Linux isn't usually so easy.. unless you're using a fairly mainstream HP Laser printer, which is actually what I recommend because it's so straight forward. Outside of that it's almost always a pain. My current printer is rigged up and connected to print from my phone from anywhere, I have it setup for remote printing via Chrome... which is kind of nice, ordering something, or paying a bill on a break at work and being able to print at home.
Unless you're using a really off brand, I haven't had trouble installing on windows via the add printer... it may take a while to download a full device list for printers, which aren't pre-installed, but that's time not difficulty.