"printer offline" ?

[Buddy]

Hi all,
I have a customer that has many computers that print to an MX3501 I installed. It's been working great, but all of a sudden there are two computers that show "printer offline" in their printer windows and they can't print. (All of the other printers in the office print just fine.)

I tried rebooting the computers and the copier - No luck. Tried reinstalling the driver which worked, but all I could do was print the test page and within a couple of minutes, it went back to "printer offline." Tried manually taking the printer offline and it showed: printer offline - offline. Then when I put it back online, it still showed the printer offline.

Any ideas? Thanks

[Synaux]

Re: "printer offline" ?

Are you sure this is not a network issue (I assume there is a router/switch being used)?

If DHCP is enabled it could be causing IP conflictions.

Also, it may be useful to note what operating systems the computers that cannot connect are using. And if those computers are using a different operating system than the computers that are working correctly.


I have never installed a MX3501, but if there is a PCL and a PS driver version, have you tried both?

[Buddy]

Re: "printer offline" ?

Thanks Synaux, but these machines have been working fine for several months and there are others in the office that don't have this problem, so I wouldn't think it would be operating system issues, or networking issues.

[Synaux]

Re: "printer offline" ?

Thanks Synaux, but these machines have been working fine for several months and there are others in the office that don't have this problem, so I wouldn't think it would be operating system issues, or networking issues.

Buddy, often thinking gets in the way . Many times I find myself with a solution that was unfathomable prior to the discovery of the cause.

MY logic dictates that this is most certainly a network issue (or a permissions issue). The more unlikely scenario is that the computers in question have a virus/something malicious or a driver/hardware issue. (In fact, I almost want to insist on the above options...but...I have been known to be wrong)

A power outage (however slight) + a crappy router can cause DHCP issues. Consider a static setup for all devices.

You might want to switch one of the non-connecting computers to a ethernet cable of one of the computers that can print to your MX3501. It is entirely possible you have infidelity in the ethernet line (e.g., bad fitting, rats/mice, etc). AND do this visa versa--this will entirely eliminate any line concerns (but remember, network issues are no solved at this point).

It its still useful to note the operating systems being used (e.g., Microsoft, Macintosh, Linux, UNIX, et cetera)

As far as using different drivers--that could be a possible solution/workaround (but you did not reply on this...and Sharp's website keeps timing-out on me....).

[DINGO]

Re: "printer offline" ?

it seems a IP Conflit.

[divad2k1]

Re: "printer offline" ?

Disable SNMP in your driver ( driver property - port tab- configure port - uncheck SNMP)

Also make sure you dont have any maintenance message on your copier.

[Tonerbomb]

Re: "printer offline" ?

Are you sure that use printer off line is NOT checked in the print que ???

[Buddy]

Re: "printer offline" ?

Divad2k1 may have won the boobie prize. There is in fact a maintenance message on the display. (I'm waiting on a fuser web.) I'll let you know when I go back out.

[Dark Helmet]

Re: "printer offline" ?

Divad is right.

Sim 55-3 SW 9 B5=1

That will shut down the SNMP on the copier sending the M required notification shutting down the print spooler on that computer.

[Synaux]

Re: "printer offline" ?

Disable SNMP in your driver ( driver property - port tab- configure port - uncheck SNMP)

Also make sure you dont have any maintenance message on your copier.

This doesn't make sense to me (although I don't doubt it).
Can you explain this, or is it just one of those unexplainable truisms?

**edit** just read Lawrence's comment, sorry.

[Buddy]

Re: "printer offline" ?

Thank Lawrence. I'm heading out there tomorrow. I'll report back.

[DINGO]

Re: "printer offline" ?

already cheked cables, switchs, and so ( change the cables and ports)? firewal rules?
so, I suggest that you connect the printer directly to the pc and see the result.
good luck.

[Dark Helmet]

Re: "printer offline" ?

This doesn't make sense to me (although I don't doubt it).
Can you explain this, or is it just one of those unexplainable truisms?

**edit** just read Lawrence's comment, sorry.

In the Ports Tab you can configure the port. There is a checkbox for SNMP notifications. If you uncheck that the print driver will ignore any messages sent from the copier about it's status.

[hammer]

Re: "printer offline" ?

Hi Buddy, whenever we have a network printer issue we would always isolate the printer first. Connect your laptop directly to the printer via a crossover and see how that goes. Print out a NIC page from the unit to ensure no "zero-config" error - an indicator of an IP address conflict. After that, set up direct IP printing form a few pc's, preferrably on a pc that has presented the issue. Has anything changed around the server? - we had an IT crowd upgrade a server to 2008 on one of our sites. Since that install, we had numerous issues with sporadic "off-line" etc. We are looking at a complete re-install. Let us knowhow you get on.

[Buddy]

Re: "printer offline" ?

Thanks everyone. Turning off the SNMP did the trick!

NOW, the only problem I'm having is the FK3 maintenance will not turn off. I went into SP24 and tried resetting ALL of the counters, since the fuser web counters didn't didn't get rid of it.