Problem connecting wireless Epson Stylus DX9400F printer

J

Jane2008

Registered
Hi everyone

I have a brand new week-old iMac (my first ever mac, and I love it) and whilst I had no problems connecting wirelessly to the internet via an Orange Livebox, and have also managed to install the wireless mouse and keyboard in a few seconds, I am losing the will to live in trying to install my (equally new) Epson Stylus DX9400F printer/scanner/fax/copier.

As I understand things, before trying to get it to work wirelessly, I first need to install the printer and scanner drivers etc. Although I've been following the installation disc to the letter, the mac can't seem to recognise the printer, and is telling me that there is no printer connected (even though at this stage of proceedings the mac and the printer are physically connected through a usb cable).

I come to a screen where there are several choices (default/fax/IP/Windows/Bluetooth/Appletalk/More) but there is
a)nothing under default

b) bluetooth under fax

c) Under IP I have a choice of either Line Printer Daemon or Internet Printing Protocol, but when I type the mac's IP address into the appropriate box and try to choose the driver, my Epson is not available in the drop down line (although there about 50 different Epson choices....I think mine is just about the only letter combination that ISN'T there!!!) and it is prompting me to choose "Generic postscript printer".

d)Windows there is nothing there

e) Bluetooth I have a choice of either Epson Firewire (which is won't allow me to select) or Epson TCP/IP

f) Under Appletalk there is nothing

g) Under more there is nothing....

So now I'm totally stuck! All the drivers seemed to install correctly, but the printer just won't appear on any list!

Does anyone have any idea which option I should be choosing?

I'm ready to throw the d*mn printer out of the window!!

Thanks in advance, Jane xoxox
 
Epson printers often struggle with the initial setup.
Make sure your printer software is up-to-date from this web page:
http://esupport.epson-europe.com/Pr...f8ZV9HDZBEU002FgGsikfLA8bIMuaLD6ROEU003D&tc=6

If you have those updated drivers already installed - then shut your Mac off. Switch the printer off, then back on. Make sure that your wireless card is on, by looking at the network setup on the printer. Leave the USB cable attached to both the printer and your iMac.

Restart your iMac. Then go to your System Preferences/Print & Fax pane.
Do you see your printer in the list? If not wait for a couple of minutes to see if it appears. You may see 2 (or more) listings for your printer if you are patient for a couple of minutes.
Does your printer show up at all? If so, try to print.
Does your iMac have OS X 10.5 (Leopard)? Or 10.4.x (Tiger)?
 
I don't have Leopard. Isn't there a More Printers button somewhere in the Add Printer dialog? Click that, and then select the proprietary protocol Epson USB. That is how you select the driver provided by Epson.

The driver provided by Epson isn't capable of printing via network (except Mac-to-Mac sharing). If you want to do that, you will need to find a CUPS driver for your printer.
 
I too am having problems trying to connect my Epson RX680 to my MacBook Air. I have successfully loaded the driver and it appears on the dropdown as I attempt to connect via Internet Protocol.

The computer verifies the IP address, but when I try to print I get the error "not communicating".

I have tried everything I know (or can find on the tech sites). The printer is connected to a PC via D-Link router and works fine with my PC laptop.

Thank you for your help
 
What do you mean "connected to a PC via a D-Link router"? Is the printer connected to the router or is it connected to the PC and how is it connected? If the printer is connected to the PC, then it must be shared by the PC. If it is connected to the router, then it is a network printer. If connected to the PC, then you must use Apple PostScript driver to print to the printer as a generic PostScript printer. If a network printer, then you must use a CUPS driver rather than the manufacturer's driver.
 
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Thank you for your input.

The Epson printer is connected directly to my desktop PC (which is connected to the router). So I am not to use the Epson driver and connect using the Internet Protocol of the "printer and fax" section?
 
Tried using the generic postscript driver. Will not communicate.

When the printer install asks for the the IP number, is it asking for the IP of the router, or is there a specific IP for the printer?
 
When I download utilities for the printer and they are displayed on my desktop, how do I get them where they should go? Do I "drag and drop" into the "printer/fax" icon of system preferences?
 
John,
You have a USB printer, not a network printer. You are trying to share that printer over the network. The printer doesn't/can't have its own IP address. It is hosted at the IP address of the Windows computer.
You will not be able to use the Epson-provided driver to print to the Windows-shared printer. Epson provides USB-only drivers for its USB-only printers. You will need to use a Gutenprint driver. Apple has included Gutenprint drivers in OS X for this very reason.

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=Mac/10.5/en/8671.html
http://macs.about.com/od/macwindows/ss/sharewinprinter_4.htm
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht3049

For Gutenprint updates:
http://gimp-print.sourceforge.net/MacOSX.php
 
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