I just got a Wireless-G PrintServer for USB 2.0 (Linksys WPS54GU2) and
I can't get the crazy thing to work. Linksys tech support tells me
that the PrintServer is incompatible with my printer (an HP OfficeJet
G85). What ticks me off is that they act like I should have known it
is incompatible...as if they publish a list somewhere. Anyway, my
question is...Is this PrintServer truly incompatible with my printer
and/or is there someway I can work around it so it can work?
Other System Components:
Sony VAIO laptop with a wireless network.
Linksys Wireless G router, cable modem, and notebook adapter.
Windows XP
Right now, when I print, my computer acts as if everything is working
fine. The printer icon comes up on my toolbar and it says it's
printing, but nothing comes out of my printer. If you need more info
about what I have tried and/or my system components, please let me
know.
If this PrintServer really isn't compatible, does anyone know of a
PrintServer I can use with my existing hardware to print wirelessly?
Thanks!! |
Request for Question Clarification by
aht-ga
on
26 Apr 2004 23:39 PDT
needsomeinfo-ga:
Can you please describe the steps you took in setting up the WPS54GU2?
For example, are you using TCP/IP as the protocol for transmitting
your print jobs to the server; how did you install the Windows XP
driver for the remote print server on your laptop; do you have the
Internet Connection Firewall active on your laptop.
The more detail you can provide, the higher the likelihood that I can
suggest things to try to get this working.
Regards,
aht-ga
Google Answers Researcher
|
Request for Question Clarification by
aht-ga
on
26 Apr 2004 23:46 PDT
Incidentally, I presume that you already know that the scanning
functions of the G85 can only work when the unit is directly connected
to your computer? The Wireless-G PrintServer cannot support
bi-directional communications, which is what is required in order for
the scanner to work.
Regards,
aht-ga
Google Answers Researcher
|
Clarification of Question by
needsomeinfo-ga
on
27 Apr 2004 10:53 PDT
I basically followed the instructions to set up the software with the
PrintServer. I changed the SSID name to my network, left the channel
as the default channel 6 and my network type as infastructure. For
Wireless Security Setting, I left it as disabled. This I wasn't
exactly sure if I did correctly because I think that I have WEP
activated on my network.
Then I installed the PrintServer's driver which was also on the CD
that came with the PrintServer. It pretty much did everything by
itself and said that the print server port was added successfully.
I'm not sure what you mean by a TCP/IP protocol or installing a
Windows XP driver for the remote print server. I don't know if that's
the same as the Print Server Driver or not. I do have a firewall. I
have both the firewall wiht my router activated and a Zone Alarm
firewall.
I do realize that I can't scan remotely and that's fine. I'd just
like to be able to print. Please let me know if you need any
additional clarification.
Thanks
|
Request for Question Clarification by
aht-ga
on
27 Apr 2004 15:55 PDT
Hi needsomeinfo-ga:
The instructions for setting up the PrintServer suggest doing the
set-up with the PrintServer connected with an Ethernet cable directly
to your router. While the PrintServer was/is connected with a cable to
your router, were/are you able to print? I ask this question to see if
the problem is with incompatibility of the printer, or a configuration
problem with the wireless settings.
Regards,
aht-ga
Google Answers Researcher
|
Clarification of Question by
needsomeinfo-ga
on
27 Apr 2004 16:38 PDT
The ethernet cable was connected from the ethernet port on my
PrintServer to #1 on my router. Then the printer was connected to the
PrintServer. When it was set up this way, I was unable to print.
Incidentally, when I tried to plug my printer back into the USB port
on my comptuer, I couldn't print at all. So I uninstalled all the
software relating to the PrintServer, and since it still didn't work
(even after restarting my computer), I deleted and then reinstalled my
print driver. Now it works again (i.e., with the printer directly
connected to my laptop.)
|
Request for Question Clarification by
aht-ga
on
27 Apr 2004 17:45 PDT
When you installed the PrinterServer software, it most likely used
your existing driver installation for that USB printer, and redirected
the port address, making it so that you could no longer plug the
printer in locally.
OK, to eliminate the wireless portion of this as the cause of the
problem, please do this following test while the PrintServer is NOT
wired to the router:
On your laptop, insert the PrintServer Setup CD into the CD-ROM drive
When prompted, you want to install the Bi-Admin Utility
After following the on-screen prompts to install the utility, run it
Choose the TCP/IP protocol, and let Bi-Admin search for the PrintServer
If the PrintServer is found, then the wireless is working
After selecting the found PrintServer, go to Main>Printer Status
If you can see valid printer status information for USB 1, then the
printer is connected to the PrintServer properly
Go back to the main page in Bi-Admin, and make a note of the IP
address of the PrintServer
Open Internet Explorer, and type that address into the Address field
to navigate there
After logging in, go to the Status Tab, and the Printer page, and
click on Print Test Page
If a test page is printed, then the PrintServer is working
At this point, the problem would be with the printer driver and the
possibility that the printer driver is expecting bi-directional
communications from the OfficeJet G85 (the PrintServer does not
support bi-directional communications through either the parallel port
or the USB port). One thing that you might be able to do is to use the
parallel port connection instead, as this can be configured (in the
driver) to disable bi-directional communications. To do this, you
would need to buy a parallel printer cable, connect the G85 to the
parallel port on your Vaio, install the printer driver for parallel
port printing, then move the G85 to the PrintServer's parallel port.
Then, install the PrintServer software driver again.
aht-ga
Google Answers Researcher
|
Clarification of Question by
needsomeinfo-ga
on
27 Apr 2004 19:54 PDT
I had to delete the Bi-Admin and Print Driver Setup that I had
previously installed when nothing would work. So I used the uninstall
icons to remove those two programs and then reinstalled my printer so
I could use it again. Now when I inserted the CD and tried to run the
Setup Wizard, it would not detect my PrintServer. I tied recycling
the power on my modem/router/computer and that didn't fix it. I also
tried to reinstall and run the Print Driver Setup and the Bi-Admin.
Both installed fine, but neither detected the PrintServer. So I
couldn't finish trying the Bi-Admin procedure you described. Any idea
what's going on? I know that this is an additional problem to what I
originally described, so I'd be willing to tip for this additional
assistance.
Thanks
|
Request for Question Clarification by
aht-ga
on
27 Apr 2004 23:51 PDT
If you are trying to do the detection while the PrintServer is wired
to the router, then it looks like the PrintServer is in need of a hard
reset. The instructions on how to do this are on page 3 of the user
manual; essentially, you unplug the power plug from the PrintServer,
then press and hold the Reset button on the back of it. With the Reset
button held, plug the PrintServer back in, and continue to hold the
Reset button for another 10 seconds (go for 15 just in case) to
restore it to the factory default settings.
If, on the other hand, you are trying to do the detection with the
PrintServer NOT wired to the router (ie. you are trying to communicate
to it wirelessly), then that'd be a pretty good indication that the
wireless configuration of the PrintServer does not match the
configuration for your network. It is most likely the WEP key if this
is the case.
Please repeat the detection process with the PrintServer wired to the
router, using the Reset routine I described above if necessary in
order to get the PrintServer to be recognized.
Regards,
aht-ga
Google Answers Researcher
|
