leopard doesn't print in airport Express

T

tommibarda

Registered
Hi all.

I have a mac book pro with MacOSX 10.5.1, leopard and my problem il regarding a printing issue.
this is the situation:

-I have a R360 Epson printer attached to my air port express but it prints only when it's connected directly to the USB in the Mac.

-Leopard sees the printer trough the Airport correctly. through the airport setup program I can configure and see the printer with zero problems.

-the airport actually joins an existing network in my house, that is a wireless router NETGEAR. I set it up through the wizard and it worked perfectly; I didn't received any error messages, and I should add that I can use the remote speakers with I tunes perfectly.

-I made two printer queques - one when the printer is via USB, one via wireless link. the first works perfectly the second not:
.. I receive a "comunication error" when I try to print from every program (aperture, preview, safari, camino... all of them) wirelessly!
.. I get a 1008 error message if I try to use the epson utility to manage prints (<- this actually happened both via usb an WIFI)


ok this is all I guess.
I didn't put any IP adress number or any specification because I work with computer assistance from quite a long time and everything else is working perfectly, so I assume that that part is configured correctly; but ask me everything you want to know and I'll tell you in no time. I'd like to fix this problem because is driving me crazy.
-oh yes! one thing. With both tiger and panther it was working as lightining

ovviously I checked also the Espon site for updates on drivers, known issues etc etc but no results.

please tell me something... even if it's "sorry is a known bug - no solutino right now" :D
thanks in advance

Tommi
 
Greetings.

So far, I too have had no luck printing wirelessly on OS X 10.5.2, Airport Express, and an Epson Sylus Photo R200 printer. It appears on the network, but when it comes time to print a communication error is generated. Airtunes and the wireless Internet are working, but the printer is a no go on Airport Express.

I checked the plugs, looked at the Apple support page on Airport Express Network printing troubleshooting and no luck on all possibilities to fix so far. I had even updated and checked for the latest drivers. The printer works when connected directly to the laptop Powerbook G4, but without luck when it is on the network.

I have already spent a couple of hours on it and am frustrated. I want to print wirelessly. I am so glad to know I'm not the only one and it may not be me, but a software related fix possibly or something else.
 
I have the same problem, with a Samsung Laser printer, OS X 10.5.2. An Intel MacBookPro, prints fine through USB, Configures fine through Airport Express. I installed an Airport Extreme at the same time that I upgraded to 10.5, and updated the airport firmware at the same time. When I try to print, I get a message in the print manager that says the printer is busy. The printer worked fine before the upgrade, but now doesn't work via airport extreme. I'm going to continue playing with it to see if I can find anything that works, but I suspect a firmware problem.

From what I see here, it smells like a Leopard / Airport Extreme issue.
 
Hi - just seen this thread and I have a v similar problem: Since I installed Leopard I cannot print via the USB connection from my Airport Extreme. I can print only if the printer is connected directly to my MacBook. Spent hours with Applecare, and Epson refuse to help on the grounds that routers aren't supported, or something. The printer appears to be recognised by the Extreme but when I print, the job does not appear in the print box which just says "printer ready" . Did any of you get anywhere with this problem - it sounds much the same as mine....?


Steve W
 
same problem here with an EPSON Stylus D120 printer. I don't get any error message though; the print job simply doesnt appear in the queue, though I do get a message telling me the printer is ready.
EPSON's helpdesk isnt helping me out so far. :-(
 
Hi Perankan

I have not been able to solve this problem. Epson refuse to help, saying that they do not support connection via any kind of wireless system, and Apple have not been able to help so far either. I cannot even find out if Airport Express would work with a different model of all-in-one printer. Do let me know if you get any solutions!
 
I have got the same problem. "comunication error" thats what a have. Epson C62? Any help guys? PLease let me know. Thanks
 
This is my first post here, so I hope to start with the right foot!

This problem seems to be caused by incomplete device addresses in Zeroconf (aka Bonjour) created queues in Mac OS Leopard. It's not a driver issue, so it's no use trying different driver versions.

Since all printers in Mac OS X are managed under the hood by a piece of software called CUPS, I thought maybe I could use CUPS to try and fix printers connected to my Airport base stations...

Here is how I fixed my problems with both an Epson Stylus D120 and an Epson Stylus Office T33 (both of these are essentially the same printer as the Epson Stylus C120 sold in the US or the C110 sold elsewhere).

STEPS:

1) Connect the printer to one of your Mac's local USB ports.
2) Open System Preferences/Print and Fax to make sure the printer is recognized.
3) Print a test page to make sure the printer is addressable.
4) Open CUPS printers page at http://localhost:631/printers
5) Notice that the Device URI: line ends up in something like "serial=hexadecimal number", where hexadecimal number is the needed information for the following steps to work. This is number is unique for each printer that has an USB port. It's generated with the printer's serial number by EPSON's initialization program, which is ran at the factory. In my case it was "serial=4B4D544B3030323597"
6) Carefully take note of all hexadecimal digits after the equal sign.
7) Connect your printer to your Airport base station.
8) In System Preferences/Print and Fax, add the printer again in case you deleted the non-working queue out of frustration.
9) Refresh CUPS printer page in Safari.
10) Notice the Device URI: line ends up with a period. For example, Zeroconf created my queue to read as ---> mdns://EPSON%20Stylus%20Office%20T33._riousbprint._tcp.local. <--- THIS IS INCORRECT SYNTAX because such addresses never end in periods. That's how I found something was wrong.
11) Click Modify Printer.
12) Click Continue button. Take note of the printer's Description as it will be needed ahead.
13) Press the Continue button until you reach the Device URI page.
13) Complete the device URI with the correct syntax. In the above mentioned example, I changed it to read : ---> mdns://EPSON%20Stylus%20Office%20T33._riousbprint._tcp.local./EPSON%20Stylus%20Office%20T33%204B4D544B3030323597
14) Click Continue two more times.
15) Finally click Modify Printer to save the changes.

Note that in the above example there are a lot of %20's. This is how you add spaces in web pages. Just use %20 whenever a space is needed, as you would probably find spaces in the printer's description.

Also note that you need to add a forward slash to the end of the Device URI generated by Zeroconf, just after the period. Follow that by the printer's Description you noted in step 12, followed by a space (%20) and finally by the device hexadecimal serial number you noted in step 6.

I hope this helps with other people's problems with Airport connected printers. Unfortunately, I do not know if it works with all EPSON printers, nor printer's from other manufacturers. It just worked with two different EPSON printers I have that would not print if connected to either my Time Capsule, nor my Airport Express with 802.11n, when trying to print from either my iMac or my Macbook.

What are you waiting for? go fix your Airport connected printer!
 
Last edited:
Hi Cesarvog,

Thanks very much for your post. Well, if I manage to follow those steps I'll be expecting an honourary doctorate in computing, and I'll owe you a large drink. I'll let you know.
Steve
 
Cesarvog said:
In that case, let's hope it works! :)
Click to expand...
Hi Cesarvog

I'm sad to report that your fix doesn't seem to work for my Epson DX4400. Given the logic of the fix, I'm surprised (not to mention disappointed). Oddly the first time I tried it, the printer box showed it was 'paused' . I re-entered all the steps and re-entered the new syntax and the problem reverted to the usual scenario, with no job shown in the print queue at all. There's just one thing maybe worth mentioning: when I connect the printer direct to my Macbook, it shows up as a separate printer to when it is connected via airport extreme. I haven't deleted the direct-connected version, just used the Airport-connected one. That couldn't be the problem, could it?

That or any other suggestions for things to check/test would be very gratefully received.

Much thanks Cesarvog.

Steve W
 
Cesarvog said:
This is my first post here, so I hope to start with the right foot!

This problem seems to be caused by incomplete device addresses in Zeroconf (aka Bonjour) created queues in Mac OS Leopard. It's not a driver issue, so it's no use trying different driver versions.

Since all printers in Mac OS X are managed under the hood by a piece of software called CUPS, I thought maybe I could use CUPS to try and fix printers connected to my Airport base stations...

Here is how I fixed my problems with both an Epson Stylus D120 and an Epson Stylus Office T33 (both of these are essentially the same printer as the Epson Stylus C120 sold in the US or the C110 sold elsewhere).

STEPS:

1) Connect the printer to one of your Mac's local USB ports.
2) Open System Preferences/Print and Fax to make sure the printer is recognized.
3) Print a test page to make sure the printer is addressable.
4) Open CUPS printers page at http://localhost:631/printers
5) Notice that the Device URI: line ends up in something like "serial=hexadecimal number", where hexadecimal number is the needed information for the following steps to work. This is number is unique for each printer that has an USB port. It's generated with the printer's serial number by EPSON's initialization program, which is ran at the factory. In my case it was "serial=4B4D544B3030323597"
6) Carefully take note of all hexadecimal digits after the equal sign.
7) Connect your printer to your Airport base station.
8) In System Preferences/Print and Fax, add the printer again in case you deleted the non-working queue out of frustration.
9) Refresh CUPS printer page in Safari.
10) Notice the Device URI: line ends up with a period. For example, Zeroconf created my queue to read as ---> mdns://EPSON%20Stylus%20Office%20T33._riousbprint._tcp.local. <--- THIS IS INCORRECT SYNTAX because such addresses never end in periods. That's how I found something was wrong.
11) Click Modify Printer.
12) Click Continue button. Take note of the printer's Description as it will be needed ahead.
13) Press the Continue button until you reach the Device URI page.
13) Complete the device URI with the correct syntax. In the above mentioned example, I changed it to read : ---> mdns://EPSON%20Stylus%20Office%20T33._riousbprint._tcp.local./EPSON%20Stylus%20Office%20T33%204B4D544B3030323597
14) Click Continue two more times.
15) Finally click Modify Printer to save the changes.

Note that in the above example there are a lot of %20's. This is how you add spaces in web pages. Just use %20 whenever a space is needed, as you would probably find spaces in the printer's description.

Also note that you need to add a forward slash to the end of the Device URI generated by Zeroconf, just after the period. Follow that by the printer's Description you noted in step 12, followed by a space (%20) and finally by the device hexadecimal serial number you noted in step 6.

I hope this helps with other people's problems with Airport connected printers. Unfortunately, I do not know if it works with all EPSON printers, nor printer's from other manufacturers. It just worked with two different EPSON printers I have that would not print if connected to either my Time Capsule, nor my Airport Express with 802.11n, when trying to print from either my iMac or my Macbook.

What are you waiting for? go fix your Airport connected printer!
Click to expand...
Dear Cesarvog:

I have a similar problem with OS 10.5.6 as I could not find my Epson CX9300f printer wirelessly thru the Airport Express where it has worked flawlessly with my old iBook OS 10.4.11. I tried your method but it didn't work.

After that, I called Apple service n spent 40mins on the phone where I had to turn off n unplug both printer n laptop. Then I was asked to delete an add back the printer in system preferences. Guess what, now both laptops can't even detect the printer at all even if connected directly to the printer after having reinstalled from the original Epson CD.

So now I have an Epson printer that can't be connected to any computer in any way! :((
 
Dear Cesarvog,

I tried your method but it did not work for my Epson CX9300F all-in-one. I even installed Gutenprint v5.2.3 but still no wireless printing. Curious thing though, the job menu shows "printing" for 2 seconds and then it shows "completed" but nothing has been printed!

I think Leopard and Epson just don't see eye to eye.. Any suggestions?
 
Just to say that I followed Cesarvog's kindly donated instructions trying to print to a D120 through airport express and it didn't work. As previous posts I seemed to get some reaction initially. It does seem that printing in macs has always been a weakpoint.... before and after osx.
 
I, initially, experienced the same problem with samsung laser printer connected to airport extreme (not express). The only way I can print was by connecting it direct to my imac. However, a friend came to the house one day and solved the problem.

Using Airport Utility to connect to the AE, he ticked "Share printers over WAN" box in Printers Tab and, viola, I can print wirelessly. Never had any problem since.

Printer: Samsung ML-2240
Mac: iMac G4 and MBP
 
Try downgrading the firmware of your ApE to 6.1.1.
Open Airport Utility (/Applications/Utilities): click Upload Firmware in Base Station (menu bar right on top of your screen) and select 6.1.1.
Did the trick for me!
More info on ifelix.
 
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