A basic computer/printer question (if I may put upon you kind souls :) )

[Dave7]

I have a decent laptop and a modern Canon wireless printer.........(set up by someone who knew what they were doing ie not me). For whatever reason they have stopped speaking and it refuses to print anything from the laptop.
Can I simply buy a cable and connect them, thereby eliminating the wireless problem?

Long term I will find someone to re-connect it but I need a quick short term fix.
Thanks

 

[Deleted member 26715]

Logical answer is 'Yes' as long as the printer has a port, probably a USB one

 

[alicat]

Yes, I would give it a go - there is nothing to lose. Do you have a cable lying around from an earlier printer?

However my first reaction would be to google the make and model and say something like Canon xx model not receiving print commands. Or look at the settings on the laptop and see if something has got unchecked. The shops don't open for an hour or more so you have time to play around and educate yourself.

Or else tell us more specifically what is happening? What exactly happens when you try to print?

 

[Deleted member 26715]

Also the usual first step is to switch everything off & then back on again, so laptop off, printer off, router off, then switch on router wait 5 minutes for it to allow it to sync up, then laptop on, then printer on, wait another 5 minutes & try again

 

[Sharky]

Yes - if any printer can, canon can

If you go into "system" and find the printer settings, is it off line?
Have you tried switching the router off/on, then the pc and printer?


edit - bit late on the advice - already given above
cheers

 

[fossyant]

Switch off and on. Our printer will occasionally drop the wifi connection. Just double check the socket on the printer. Its likely to be a chunky socket, squareish rather than rectangular. Thats an A to B usb cable

 

[Dave7]

Logical answer is 'Yes' as long as the printer has a port, probably a USB one

I will check that out, thanks.

 

[Dave7]

Yes, I would give it a go - there is nothing to lose. Do you have a cable lying around from an earlier printer?

However my first reaction would be to google the make and model and say something like Canon xx model not receiving print commands. Or look at the settings on the laptop and see if something has got unchecked. The shops don't open for an hour or more so you have time to play around and educate yourself.

Or else tell us more specifically what is happening? What exactly happens when you try to print?

I gave my old printer and cable away so sadly don't have a spare one.
When I click on the print thingy for the label it simply tell me it has been sent to my document folder............and sure enough it is there.
So, I tried to print just any old thing and absolutely nothing happens. Its as though the printer is just unaware of the laptop.
Re' the idea of looking to see if anything has become "unchecked" I am afraid you are talking to the original dinosaur and I have no idea how/where to do that.

 

[PaulSB]

This happens to us ocassionaly and I would follow all the swivh on/off advice above.

From my work day memories Canon are very good printers. If you go on the Canon website you should find a bit of software which can be downloaded and then used to diagnose the issue. It's possible the same software will be able to remake the connection.

The cable plan could work as many wireless printers need a cable at initial set up to be added to the orinter.

 

[Dave7]

Also the usual first step is to switch everything off & then back on again, so laptop off, printer off, router off, then switch on router wait 5 minutes for it to allow it to sync up, then laptop on, then printer on, wait another 5 minutes & try again

Sorry, when you say "router", which router would that be? The only router that I know of is the Virgin one for the TV.
I have switched laptop and printer off but get exactly the same (negative) response.

 

[alicat]

Somewhere you have a router to get the 'tinternet in the house.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

Are you on Virgin Cable? Never had anything to do with cable, but somewhere there has to be a box on the end of the fibre cable, you may also be able to access it from a web browser, if you bought a new laptop how would you get it onto the WiFi?

 

[vickster]

Do canon have a troubleshooter app that you can download (HP do and it’s very handy)

You have a Virgin router if that’s who provides your broadband
One of these https://www.virginmedia.com/help/virgin-media-what-do-the-lights-on-your-hub-mean

 

[Cycleops]

I think rather than getting Dave to jump through hoops trying to find the problem which is undoubtedly a to do with the connectivity of the printer the simplest option for him would be simply to get a new cable to connect. It will surely work then. Looks like this, from my Cannon printer.

 

[User6179]

I gave my old printer and cable away so sadly don't have a spare one

You can print from a memory stick if you have one.