“Help, my wireless printer won’t print!” Fastech Solutions IT experts hear this quite frequently from clients.
Possible Solutions If Your Wireless Printer Won’t Print
Is your Wi-Fi enabled and connected to the right network?
If your wireless printer isn’t printing, be sure to check your settings. Make sure your Wi-Fi is enabled, and then check to be sure you’re connected to the correct Wi-Fi network. You can often check your connectivity by printing a network configuration sheet by selecting this option from the printer’s display menu.
Check your anti-virus program
Antivirus programs are great, but sometimes they end up causing problems. Security software sometimes blocks the connection between your computer and your printer. A quick way to check if this is your problem is to temporarily disable your anti-virus or other security program to see if you are able to print. If this is your problem, you can add your printer’s info to the security program settings.
Check your printer’s IP address
Your computer and printer generally have the same IP address, but sometimes your printer’s IP address will change. This is a pretty quick fix, as all you need to do is to change the printer’s IP address from your computer.
Check your printer driver
The driver and software from your printer may need to be updated. It’s also possible that your driver has become corrupted. In either case, just visit the webpage of the printer’s manufacturer to download the latest version.
Is your router up for the job?
Make sure your router supports 802.11n and offers both the 5GHz and the 2GHz bands. Also check to be sure your router’s firmware is up to date. Finally, make sure your router is in the best location. If your printer and your router are too far away, it will significantly slow down how long it takes to print. If moving the router closer to the printer isn’t an option, try a wireless extender.
Try restarting or troubleshooting
“Have you tried turning it off and on again?”
It’s a popular phrase for a reason! Sometimes the simplest way to fix your wireless printer problem is to restart your computer, your printer, and your router. This is often the quickest and easiest fix. When everything is back online, often the problem is gone! If this doesn’t help, be sure to try the troubleshooting option that usually comes with the printer software. Check the manufacturer’s website for tips on troubleshooting.
If none of these suggestions fix the problem, you can always contact Fastech Solutions. Our IT experts will have your wireless printer printing again before you know it.
