Printer Woes

talktidy

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Aug 14, 2014
Messages
896
Reaction score
86
Location
Fabulous Sweyn's Eye
I have a Samsung mono printer, which is driving me up the wall.

The device is showing as offline and no matter what I do, I cannot bring it back online. It is not printing from my Mac now, either.

I am no computer whizz, but I think there may be something other than a setting out of whack going on. I paid around £120 for it six, maybe seven, years ago, so I hardly think a repair -- if a repair is even feasible -- is cost effective. Not that I can take the device into my local repair shop. The corona virus has shut down every business near me that does not sell food.

This would bloody happen now, when I need to print off forms and write correspondence in relation to my late mother's estate.

Arghh!

Okay, I have got that off my chest and I will stop the moaning.
 

Bacchus

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Aug 23, 2016
Messages
614
Reaction score
150
Co-incidentally I have a wireless Samsung Mono (laser -- M2020, I think), bought around the same time in the same price bracket (actually I think mine was under a hundred quid); it has been great up until about three weeks ago when it did exactly the same - showing as offline to the PC however many times I restarted everything

I don't have an answer as such, but my workaround was simply to plug the thing in to the USB socket and it worked fine. Kinda defeats the object of having a wireless printer, but it kept me going
 

stephenf

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 29, 2008
Messages
1,199
Reaction score
335
I have had problems with wireless things , so I now just plug them all in . I don't have a Samsung printer , I have HP Printers . All the ones I have a socket for a lead .
 

talktidy

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Aug 14, 2014
Messages
896
Reaction score
86
Location
Fabulous Sweyn's Eye
Thank you, everyone for pitching in with advice.

I have tried the direct connection via USB, Bacchus, but my laptop is dying. It is now literally parting at the seams. The USB ports have not been working for some time.

The laptop must be over ten years old, so I had finally geed myself up to make a decision on a replacement -- which model, and from which outlet, when the corona virus hit.

Helix, updating the drivers would seem to be the first, logical call, and I have tried doing so. Whether I did it right is another matter. For some reason my Mac is also affected. It is showing offline on that device, too. The fact that the printer is showing offline on two very different devices makes me suspicious it is the printer that is the issue.

As I said earlier, arghh!

- - - Updated - - -
 
Last edited:

RBEmerson

Believes own press releases
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Apr 23, 2020
Messages
174
Reaction score
30
Location
SE PA US
If your USB ports are dead, and your laptop is physically failing, printer failures are certainly possible. Play the lottery, break into childrens' (own & others) piggy banks, rob from the rich (not you) and give to the poor (you), but replace it, if at all possible. Trying to get by with your present machine... therein lies heartbreak and madness. Remember, if "all" you're doing is browsing and writing, Win7 on an older (but sound) laptop is going to be just fine.

All of that said, there is one not infrequent way access to any WiFi/WLAN-connected device fails. The device, usually due to reset or extended power-down time, changes its WiFi address. The laptop tries to access the printer, etc. via the address associated, on the laptop, with the printer. The remote device looks at the laptop saying "Who has address 192.168.1.5", says to itself "not me, I'm 192.168.1.4" and will not reply. Ironically, at the same time, ".4" says "I'm .4 - anybody got anything for me?" The laptop says "nice to hear from you .4, nothing for you". This is, long way round, routine traffic on any network most of us, and our devices, will ever use.

Is there a way for the laptop to connect to now .4? Yes, and "not so fast".

The "yes" - simply re-install your printer software as if from day zero. Except, if you called the printer "Samsung 123XY" when the printer was first installed, under Windows (I leave Macs & Linuxes for others), the attempt to use that name will be refused with "name in use" or equivalent. The only work-around is to call it "Samsung 123XY Mk2" - anything but "Samsung 123XY". The strategy "I'll delete it and re-install it" doesn't work. Windows keeps a list of device names its seen before.

Plan B is to retain the initial printer information. But not so fast. The fix is to dig into the properties part of the printer definition. This is open to users and, strictly speaking, not hard to do. It is, I suspect, well out of the scope of this area. Maybe not. Let the mods decide.
 
Last edited:

talktidy

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Aug 14, 2014
Messages
896
Reaction score
86
Location
Fabulous Sweyn's Eye
Hey, RBEmerson, well the inevitable happened. The laptop died. It won't be replaced until next month, but I am grateful for the input on possible wi-fi address changes. It is something to look at then. I have a different router and I think I shall wrestle with my computer once the new kit arrives.

I still think there is something wrong with my old printer, as it had been driving me nuts for a while. I won't be buying Samsung product in the future.
 

RBEmerson

Believes own press releases
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Apr 23, 2020
Messages
174
Reaction score
30
Location
SE PA US
The, to use its correct name, IP address issue is one of those things that hinges on various factors. There is a strategy (OS's choice, mostly) that almost eliminates the choice, but in some settings a "static IP address" has value (user picks it and is in charge of keeping it straight - recommend using a nine-year old versed in Minecraft for technical advice). There is, aside from a wired connection, no 100% sure way of avoiding wireless woes (now where's the surprise in that?). IMHO, unless you must share the printer, where WiFi/WLAN is essential, "when in doubt, wire it".

Since you're in the UK(?), my laptop suggestion probably won't help but, for anyone with access to Walmart, their house brand laptops consistently score well for at least their price point (some reviews suggest they score above their PP). As ever, "speed costs money, how fast do you want to go", however, there are a range of options. None will ever be gamers' delights, but for or under $500 USD, these machines are worth looking at.

It's my experience that most printers likely to be of interest to AW WC users are a pound of butter. Walk in, pick one up if the price is right, and spread it on your desk. They are like hand razors, the handle's or printer's almost free. It's the expendables that cost money. And there's not a lot of wiggle room to be had. From direct experience, 3rd party ink cartridges don't even reach "worth what you paid for it" - avoid! Toner cartridges are closer to break even, but don't forget this is "value for money" and less money - not recommended but it's your printer and paper.

Color v. B&W. Color is very nice. Many printers claim to print wonderful snapshots of Cousin Eddy pulling on the dog's tongue. Uh... perhaps if you're not too picky and/or are blind in one eye and can't see out of the other. Color logos, etc. are usually OK. Any inkjet demands at least four carts. Or, four x expensive. It's your wallet. Yes, inkjets do B&W but not recommended. One way inkjets fail is the nozzles clog from little or no use. Print a couple of color pages regularly to avoid clogging. Welcome back to four x expensive. Yes, there are color laser printers. They aren't inexpensive and don't do well with printing good photos, etc. Not recommended, but it's your money.

B&W-only invariably means laser printer. They come in varying sizes, prices, throughput speeds, and features. Do your (Google) research, watch the prices, and go pick up your pound of (printer) butter.

All-in-one's am de debil. Very much "jack of all trades, master of none". Unless you're an attorney or medical person, who even uses FAX??? The scanners are, I suppose, better than a poke in the eye. Ditto for the printer. And you pay for bundling the three things, no matter which of the three you use. There are nice little scanners that are a bit longer than two 1/4 lb sticks of butter end to end and work very nicely for the price. I have one for travel.

That's all for today, students. Don't forget, your papers on binary sorting algorithms are due tomorrow. Yes, Mr. Turing, that includes you.
 

RBEmerson

Believes own press releases
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Apr 23, 2020
Messages
174
Reaction score
30
Location
SE PA US
Re: previous post - I'm basically printer and laptop agnostic.

Except if it has a bitten Apple on it. Then NFW!! As a s/w developer, Apple basically threw a major water treatment project done the drain with a major OS change with no support for the previous rev. series. The client literally had to scavenge up, as spares In Case Of Disaster, all the existent Macs used in the system. Color developer/sub-contractor (me), and primary contractor, red from embarrassment and anger. I recommend Macs to those on my enemies list. Yes, it's a very old grudge. Yes, I should drop it. Don't count on it happening soon.

No, Mr. Turing, no extension on delivering that paper!