coney61

Q: Why isn't my Mac picking up my WiFi printer?

i have a Kodak ESP5210 AIO printer, it's connected to the router via WiFi and it's showing on my Mac as the default printer, but for some reason when I try to print the Mac cannot find it, I've tried uninstalling and reinstalling it, I've followed all the troubleshooting tips but with no success, any advice or solution would be greatly appreciated as I really don't know what to do now. The MacBook Pro is currently running OSX Mountain Lion, recently upgraded. I've tried deleting the printer from my system preferences but cannot seem to add it back in. HELP!

MacBook Pro, Other OS, OS X Mountain Lion 10.8

Posted on Aug 1, 2012 7:11 AM

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Q: Why isn't my Mac picking up my WiFi printer?

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  • by coney61,

    coney61 coney61 Aug 1, 2012 9:18 AM in response to coney61
    Level 1 (1 points)
    Aug 1, 2012 9:18 AM in response to coney61

    Right, still nothing...but I have two printers showing in my finder under 'shared' one is for a PC (goodness knows how that's happened) and one for Mac, I can connect to the PC one but the connection keeps failing for the Mac, so how do I get rid of the one for the PC? It's saying

     

    "this file server will not allow any additional users to log on. Try to connect again later."

     

    so what's happened? any input from you great people will be great

  • by Shootist007,

    Shootist007 Shootist007 Aug 1, 2012 9:21 AM in response to coney61
    Level 6 (16,660 points)
    Aug 1, 2012 9:21 AM in response to coney61

    On the PC you have to Un-Share the printer. When setting up a printer in Windows it will sometime auto check Share This Printer. Just turn that option off and it should disappear for the Shared list

  • by coney61,

    coney61 coney61 Aug 1, 2012 9:36 AM in response to Shootist007
    Level 1 (1 points)
    Aug 1, 2012 9:36 AM in response to Shootist007

    I don't have a PC it's a MAC, this PC one has just appeared, so how do I do it on the Mac

  • by Shootist007,

    Shootist007 Shootist007 Aug 1, 2012 9:42 AM in response to coney61
    Level 6 (16,660 points)
    Aug 1, 2012 9:42 AM in response to coney61

    Another perplexing twist to the problem. No PC with No Printer attached or shared but yet it shows in the devices section in Finder.

     

    Could be your own Printer you have installed on your Mac. There is an option in Print & Scan to Share the installed printer on the network. Make sure that is unchecked.

  • by Michael Black,

    Michael Black Michael Black Aug 1, 2012 9:50 AM in response to coney61
    Level 7 (24,457 points)
    Aug 1, 2012 9:50 AM in response to coney61

    Your wifi is secured, isn't it (WPA2 password)?  If not, and your wifi is open and unsecured, then a neighbor may be connecting their PC to your wifi router and using your internet connection.

  • by coney61,

    coney61 coney61 Aug 1, 2012 10:18 AM in response to Shootist007
    Level 1 (1 points)
    Aug 1, 2012 10:18 AM in response to Shootist007

    Right unchecked it for sharing - now what?

     

    yes the connection is secure and p/w protected

  • by coney61,

    coney61 coney61 Aug 1, 2012 10:20 AM in response to Shootist007
    Level 1 (1 points)
    Aug 1, 2012 10:20 AM in response to Shootist007

    still unable to locate printer though and the wifi blue light has gone off on my printer!

  • by Michael Black,

    Michael Black Michael Black Aug 1, 2012 10:31 AM in response to coney61
    Level 7 (24,457 points)
    Aug 1, 2012 10:31 AM in response to coney61

    On the printer itself you can check its connection though (does it not have an LCD with menus for that?).  Or there is a way to print out it's current settings, including IP and connection status (should be in the manual).

     

    Some time back when I did a firmware update on my Kodak 7250, I noticed that the wifi blue light is now only on when it is actively connected.  When it drops into power save mode, the light goes out, but it still immediately wakes up whenever one of the computers queries it via bonjour to start a print or scan operation.

  • by coney61,

    coney61 coney61 Aug 2, 2012 7:09 AM in response to Michael Black
    Level 1 (1 points)
    Aug 2, 2012 7:09 AM in response to Michael Black

    i think i know what the problem is....I've uninstalled it completely but the MAC has picked up the Wifi connection and the printer is showing in the Finder as shared  .....  with me so far?

     

    But if i click on it and open it ..... the configuration is for a PC and NOT a MacBook.

     

    So the conundrum is....how do I get rid of the PC configuration (that's been picked up remotely but still hasn't been found by the Mac which is now understandable) and install it for a Mac?

     

    answers on a postcard please!

     

    if no one can help then I'll turn to Apple!

     

    thanks

  • by coney61,

    coney61 coney61 Aug 2, 2012 9:47 AM in response to coney61
    Level 1 (1 points)
    Aug 2, 2012 9:47 AM in response to coney61

    Just to let you guys know i've sorted it out at last! it's actually working now and i have the test page to prove it! thank goodness for that! thanks for all the advice, it's appreciated.

  • by wjosten,

    wjosten wjosten Aug 2, 2012 9:49 AM in response to coney61
    Level 10 (94,603 points)
    iPhone
    Aug 2, 2012 9:49 AM in response to coney61

    coney61 wrote:

    Just to let you guys know i've sorted it out at last!

     

    Care to share?

  • by coney61,

    coney61 coney61 Aug 2, 2012 10:34 AM in response to wjosten
    Level 1 (1 points)
    Aug 2, 2012 10:34 AM in response to wjosten

    the version downloaded from the t'internet was for some reason for a PC, therefore, the Mac wouldn't detect it. So I installed it from the disc instead and when it said 'updates are available, do you want to install' i clicked 'no'.

     

    after it was installed, i went to print & scan and there it was - hallelujah.

     

    Clicked on it as default and locked the changes and it's okay now.

     

    Only problem is that on the shared thingy in the Finder the PC version is still there, I can't find it anywhere to delete it, but as long as it gives me no trouble I'll leave it there i guess, unless you know how i can get shut of it to save confusion at some later date maybe.

     

    once again thanks for your help.

  • by albabin,

    albabin albabin Mar 16, 2016 9:46 AM in response to coney61
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 16, 2016 9:46 AM in response to coney61

    I know it has been 3.5 years since posting this question and since there was no answer to removing the Shared item in Finder issue, I continued my Google search and came across the following solution on another forum (MacRumors).  So, I figured I'd reply with it here also.. just in case someone else decided to read this thread for help (like I did) when Googling so they can see an answer here instead of being left hanging and forced to continue their Google search.

     

    The original poster's issue was:

    I renamed one of my computers at home. Now both instances of it show up in the Shared section of the finder sidebar and I can't remove the old one. When I do a Get Info, it shows as a PC Server, but I can't actually access anything on it. Is there any way to keep this from showing up?

    The issue isn't EXACTLY the same, but it is very similar and the original poster of that thread did reply and say that the following solution worked for them in fixing the Shared item issue:

    1.  Open System Preferences

    2.  Click Users & Groups

    3.  (if necessary) Click the lock (bottom left) to Unlock and make changes & type in password (if applicable)

    4.  If the offending server/printer is listed, select it & click the minus sign at the bottom to remove it

    5.  (if necessary) Click the lock (bottom left) to Re-lock and prevent further changes.

    OR

    1.  Open System Preferences

    2.  Click Users & Groups

    3.  (if necessary) Click the lock (bottom left) to Unlock and make changes & type in password (if applicable)

    4.  Click Guest User

    5.  Uncheck the bottom box "Allow guests to connect to shared folders"

    6.  (if necessary) Click the lock (bottom left) to Re-lock and prevent further changes.


    Now the server/printer should never return.

    Hope this helps anyone in the future.  If not, let me know for sure so we can get the correct information posted!

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