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Wireless printer not working

Dave39
Newbie
Posts: 1
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎02-04-2016

Wireless printer not working

I have moved from BT to Plusnet. Since switching i cannot connect to my wireless printer. The printer and devices are connected to the router - i have logged onto router to check all connected and active. I have connected to neighbours sky router with printer and device and then prints ok. The problem seems to be something with plusnet router. Has anyone successfully solved a similar problem?
13 REPLIES 13
Mustrum
Community Veteran
Posts: 3,554
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Registered: ‎13-08-2015

Re: Wireless printer not working

Which router are you using, and which did you have with BT?
bustermissy1961
Grafter
Posts: 204
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Registered: ‎04-09-2014

Re: Wireless printer not working

ive just bought a Epson ET-2500 wireless printer but i cant get the wireless part to work with this Sagemcom 2704N Router can someone please give me some guidance as ive not got a clue what to do.

SpendLessTime
Hero
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Registered: ‎21-09-2009

Re: Wireless printer not working

Hi @bustermissy1961

 

This part is from the ET-2500 pdf

Using WPS to Connect to a Network

1. To connect to a WPS-enabled router, press the WPS button on your router or access point.
2. Press and hold down the Wi-Fi button on your product for 3 seconds. The left side of the WiFi light turns green to indicate a successful connection. Note: Be sure to press and hold the Wi-Fi button on your product within 2 minutes of pressing the WPS button on your router or access point.

Source: https://files.support.epson.com/docid/cpd4/cpd42912.pdf

 

On the 2704n, you need to enable WPS. According to http://www.plus.net/support/broadband/hardware/plusnet-2704n-wireless.shtml the WPS is enabled

WPS enabled (tick box) Switch Wi-Fi on or off note, this setting can also be controlled via the Wi-Fi button on the side of your router.

 

 

Ex - Plusnet Customer (2009 - 2023) now with BT
bustermissy1961
Grafter
Posts: 204
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎04-09-2014

Re: Wireless printer not working

thanks for the info but ive followed it and i still cant get it to work. ive turned on the WI-FI via my router and pressed the printers WI-FI for 3 seconds as it says but nothing happens. ive got Epson iPrint on my phone and it searches for printers but all that comes up is cannot find printer.

ReedRichards
Seasoned Pro
Posts: 4,927
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Registered: ‎14-07-2009

Re: Wireless printer not working

Bustermissy1961, your description of what you are doing makes me think you are doing it wrong.  You are trying to use WPS (Wireless Protected Set-up) to get your router to communicate with your printer and join it to your wireless network.  To do this you need to activate WPS on the printer then quickly press the WPS button on the router.  Most printers do not have a button for WPS, the activation process is via the network settings.  Merely turning the WiFi on (which is what you say you did) is not sufficient to establish a connection.

 

With regards to Epson iPrint, Epson say:

Need to print to an Epson printer that's
right next to you? Just log your device
onto the same Wi-Fi network to print.

which seems to indicate that it does not use a direct connection between your iPhone and your printer but relies on them both being connected via your router.

bustermissy1961
Grafter
Posts: 204
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎04-09-2014

Re: Wireless printer not working

You are most probably right mate but how do i do this "Most printers do not have a button for WPS, the activation process is via the network settings" ive managed to print an Epson status sheet but it doesn't have the printers IP Address. as you can tell im not technical but surely it should be easier than this even for technophobes like me.

ReedRichards
Seasoned Pro
Posts: 4,927
Thanks: 145
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Registered: ‎14-07-2009

Re: Wireless printer not working

No, the printer does not get an IP address until you manage to make a wireless connection to your router (or unless you set one manually).  RTFM.  If all else fails, Read The Flippin' Manual.

 

I don't know about your particular printer model but normally it's something like:

Settings - Network Settings - Wireless - WPS - Okay

on the printer then press the WPS button on the router. 

Casey
Rising Star
Posts: 77
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Registered: ‎12-05-2016

Re: Wireless printer not working

Did you get it worked out?

I had the same/similar issue with my Epson and the PNet hub

Tried all sorts of things, complete driver removal and reinstall, disable firewall, use DMZ, etc - nothing

I eventually got it working by setting the wireless up (which doesn't stay after a reboot) but then immediately (while the computer still sees the printer)
Setting a new port, using the static (set in hub) IP number for the printer, named the same as the number (192.167.1.64 for me).

This auto-deleted or disabled the virtual port for windows print services.

Since then it's been "ready" within a few moments of each boot.

No problems at all, now.
bustermissy1961
Grafter
Posts: 204
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎04-09-2014

Re: Wireless printer not working

no i didnt get it working Casey ive got another router somewhere i got from plusnet that has a few more settings than the one im currently using i will give that a go.

Casey
Rising Star
Posts: 77
Thanks: 10
Registered: ‎12-05-2016

Re: Wireless printer not working

There's still some issues:

I got mine working with the dedicated port trick above, the direct 1.64 link.:

But it still shows as "offline" until I access the web status via a browser - I go to 192.168.1.64 and the ink levels show in the browser - then it becomes "ready" in everything else.:

There's something in this router that's stopping the printer from waking up and becoming ready until it's manually "forced" to wake -- just printing to it won't do it becasue the printer spool system thinks it's offline.:

It's a little irritating, but I can at least print now - pity it has to go like this, it worked perfectly on the BT hub3.:

(( I really HATE this forum and the stupid thing where it won't register an [enter] press and add carriage returns or P or BR.... and you have to go back and damn well manually copy and past the BR BR in!! DUMB! ))
VileReynard
Hero
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Registered: ‎01-09-2007

Re: Wireless printer not working

Have you tried the following command?

ping 192.168.1.64

In place of the web access?
It may not work - but its worth a try.

"In The Beginning Was The Word, And The Word Was Aardvark."

Casey
Rising Star
Posts: 77
Thanks: 10
Registered: ‎12-05-2016

Re: Wireless printer not working

Now there is some lateral thinking

first was req time out then it was 1 to 2 ms reply.

and the printer went from "offline" to "ready"

weird - you can see the sleep function activate.

If I ping three times in quick succession it goes



Pinging 192.168.1.64 with 32 bytes of data:
Request timed out.
Reply from 192.168.1.64: bytes=32 time=3ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.64: bytes=32 time=2ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.64: bytes=32 time=2ms TTL=64

the next ones are full:

Pinging 192.168.1.64 with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 192.168.1.64: bytes=32 time=2ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.64: bytes=32 time=3ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.64: bytes=32 time=2ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.64: bytes=32 time=25ms TTL=64

If i wait a minute or so it goes back to the initial req time-out..

(I wish they'd fix this forum so I didn't have to keep copy-pasting the BR BR!)

Odd... why does it need a forced connection? What's in the router that's not doing that itself? Surely it must talk to the printer? doesn't it "ping" it every so often to see if the device is still connected?

Why doesn't windows talk to it when it first starts and collates all the devices? How come the BTHub 3 worked perfectly and the PNet One doesn't..

It's just ODD! So many questions..

*grin*

That's a decent ides -- I confess that it's a little simpler going the browser route, I nearly always have a browser window open anyway, if the printer slips back into "offline" (when it goes back to sleepies) I can always go to that bookmark. and re-activate it.
VileReynard
Hero
Posts: 12,616
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Registered: ‎01-09-2007

Re: Wireless printer not working

Why not set-up your PC to run a background job which sends a single ping every 60 seconds.

I presume you don't leave your printer switched on for long periods.

It will do no harm if the printer is switched off or actively printing something.

"In The Beginning Was The Word, And The Word Was Aardvark."