morber104

Q: usb printers go offline and won't print

Have several usb printers on system. One is an older HP that uses GutenPrint (latest installed). Those are on my iMac and want to print via network to them.

When I go to install that printer, the utility automatically creates a printer with the wrong driver. I can add another printer with the correct driver as #2. The printer utility shows them both online and idle. When I select one to print to, it spools up just fine and then the printer goes to offline and can't get it back on. Turning printer off and back on again does not fix the problem. Once I did printer to #1 (wrong driver) and it printed garbled so know that driver won't work. Have tried removing the printer with the wrong driver and it deletes just fine and a few minutes later, shows up again.

 

What the heck is going on and how do I fix it?

 

Thanks

MacBook Pro (15-inch Early 2011), OS X El Capitan (10.11)

Posted on Oct 15, 2015 10:38 AM

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Q: usb printers go offline and won't print

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  • by brenden dv,

    brenden dv brenden dv Oct 15, 2015 1:47 PM in response to morber104
    Community Specialists
    Oct 15, 2015 1:47 PM in response to morber104

    Hi morber104,

     

    Welcome to the Apple Support Communities! I'm sorry to hear you are having these issues with your printer, but we should be able to help you out, or at least get you pointed in the right direction. Given the nature of your issue, though, it may help to get a bit more detailed and specific info about your particular configuration:

     

    1. What is the exact configuration you are currently using (how many computers, how many printers, how the printers are connected to the computers, are they direct connected or via a hub, what kind of network is set up between the computers, operating system versions, etc)?

     

    2. Are you having the same issue when you try to add and print directly from the iMac that the HP printer is directly connected to, or is the issue only occurring when you try to print via the network?

     

    3. Has this configuration worked in the past and only recently stopped working, or has it never worked. If it has worked previously, what if anything has changed recently?

  • by morber104,

    morber104 morber104 Oct 15, 2015 4:01 PM in response to brenden dv
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Desktops
    Oct 15, 2015 4:01 PM in response to brenden dv

    config - iMac with 3 serial printers attached. A label printer, a HL-5240 and a Laserjet 5P.

    Since sharing of printer on network only works over wireless, not only is the iMac wired but also is wireless.

    Airporter wireless router for wireless, and a main router that also has 3 cameras, 1 network printer, eMac and MacBook Pro.

    The MacBook is the main computer used at the office - and it is also connected wired and wireless. The label printer is used only from the iMac.

    The router is setup correctly and use manual dhcp for addrs.

     

    As I understand it, the ONLY way to share printers with mac's is to do it wireless. I spend days trying to get printer sharing to work wired and the shared printers on the iMac would not show up on the MacBook Pro. Finally got a tip that printer sharing only worked via wireless, so dug out Airporter and set it up. As soon as I turned wireless on both mac's - the printers showed up. I was able to setup the HL-5240 and print to it.  I was also able to use Guten-print cups driver for the HP and it worked.

     

    Then I went and messed everything up and updated both systems to El Capitan and now I can't use shared printers. I have removed the printers from the iMac and the laptop - numerous reboots. When adding a printer on the iMac, if a serial printer that is found does not have a config, the system automatically creates a printer config. For the HL-5240 it is the right driver and shows online and ready. The HP uses the wrong driver (5PM - which I did try). If I delete it, while printer add tool open, it simply adds it back. I can manually add the HP with the correct driver and it shows up as ready to use. Then if I delete the one with the wrong driver, it gets deleted and as soon as do "add a printer" it's back with the wrong driver as another printer.

     

    So, it worked using wireless before updating to El Capitan, and now it doesn't.

    I still can't keep network totally secure because I have to use wireless to be able to see the shared printers. Not sure why shared printers don't work wired, but seems to be that way for a while. I would love to go back to just wired devices.

     

    What else do you need to know?

  • by brenden dv,

    brenden dv brenden dv Oct 20, 2015 7:20 AM in response to morber104
    Community Specialists
    Oct 20, 2015 7:20 AM in response to morber104

    Hi morber104,

     

    Thank you for using the Apple Support Community. Given the nature of the issues you are describing and your current configuration, you may be better served by reaching out to one of Apple's other available resources for more direct assistance - https://getsupport.apple.com/GetproductgroupList.action

     

    Regards

  • by morber104,

    morber104 morber104 Oct 20, 2015 9:25 AM in response to brenden dv
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Desktops
    Oct 20, 2015 9:25 AM in response to brenden dv

    The problems with being able to printer over the network and being forced to use wireless and hope that works is not new to El Capitan. A quick search shows hundreds of similar reports in the last few years.

     

    Have taken the network down to the basic components (iMac with printers, ethernet to router, MacBook Pro ethernet to router and router to internet. Set up printers on iMac and shared them. Can print from them locally. Go to MacBook and try to setup printers - not found.

     

    Next step, disconnect wired, add airporter and turn wireless on both systems. Can still print just fine from iMac. Go to MacBook and try to setup printers and can set them up just fine. They show up as available and idle. Open an app, pick one of the printers and it spools and the printer reports as being offline.

     

    This is a core problem with apple (no pun intended) and not my setup. El Capitan simply helps show how messed up it is. With unix or windows - printing over a network to shared printers is simply and has been for years. Using wireless for printing so it maybe works is not the answer nor is "get a new printer that is network ready or can be used wireless" the correct answer.

     

    This is an Apple issue and I'm not paying for someone to confirm it. Already tried the basics with them and got above answers OR pay for support to troubleshoot - and no guarantee that it would be fixed. Paying a reasonable fee is fine as long as the results are there - but paying without that guarantee is just stupid - especially when it's a known issue for years.

  • by DavJam,

    DavJam DavJam Nov 25, 2015 3:00 AM in response to morber104
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Nov 25, 2015 3:00 AM in response to morber104

    I have very similar problems which I have in the past posted with Apple Community - but without any response.

     

    I have two printers: an old (but very cheap and reliable) HP LaserJet  4L and a much newer HP Photosmart 6510.

     

    The Photosmart was originally installed wirelessly and after a fairly short while kept going offline.  Apple Community suggested that it was the ISP setting so I gave it a permanent setting to avoid the problem - no improvement.  After a lot of messing around I finally plugged it into a USB and this cured the problem.  This is not a good solution as iMac's don't have a lot of USB ports to spare.

     

    The LazerJet 4L used to be connected to a windows PC with a parallel cable (no alternative) and worked for umptine years without complaint.  When the iMac arrived and the PC was binned I decided to connect the 4L via a converter cable to yet another USB port.  This worked perfectly in Mountain Lion, Mavericks and Yosemite but when El Capitan came along it immediately started going off line.  I get one print and then I have to reboot.  I have a choice of two drivers - the generic one that Apple provides and one downloaded from Gutenprint (version 5.2.11).  The Apple driver doesn't work at all - jibberish is printed and the Gutenprint works once and then goes offline.  HP no longer supports this printer and therefore doesn't offer any help with drivers.

     

    I am wondering if this is nothing to do with network settings, drivers etc but something to do with the iMac's USB ports - could I be right?

     

    As a postscript - I still have a Laptop with Windows Vista (yes - it's that old!).  I can print to the HP Photosmart wirelessly without any issues at all!  This does suggest it's the Apple OS that's at fault and I shall register feedback to this effect.

  • by DavJam,

    DavJam DavJam Dec 6, 2015 7:46 AM in response to DavJam
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Dec 6, 2015 7:46 AM in response to DavJam

    As an update to this post...

     

    I find that if I turn off the printer, count 10 and then turn it back on I get further prints - not exactly a 21st Century solution!  What is interesting is that the system still believes the printer is disconnected - see below...

     

    Screen Shot 2015-12-06 at 15.35.53.png

     

    This clearly shows the print progressing but the headline is "The printer is not connected".  After this print it of course would not accept another.

     

    Whatever the settings in preferences may or may not be this is clearly sloppy programming on Apples part.  Perhaps Apple might like to comment on this.  I know they do read these community postings - how else would they moderate them?  :-)

     

    I am posting a bug notice on the feedback form.

  • by bettercallsaul,

    bettercallsaul bettercallsaul Jul 14, 2016 8:36 AM in response to DavJam
    Level 1 (13 points)
    Desktops
    Jul 14, 2016 8:36 AM in response to DavJam

    I have the EXACT same situation with an old but great HP Laserjet 6MP. Parallel cable w/USB adapter + El Capitan and now I have to reboot the computer (not just the printer) to print a second document. Restarting the printer doesn't fix it. There is no alternative driver. I have "reset printers", installed and uninstalled this printer 20 times. Nothing works except rebooting the computer.

     

    Sometimes printer queue messages say varying things like Printing ... 28% or Printing .... 78%, but never finish. Sometimes it's Printing ... Finished Page 1, but nothing happens. Sometimes it's "Printer is in use" or "Printer is offline." Sometimes it's "Waiting for Printer." Truly exasperating.

  • by DavJam,

    DavJam DavJam Jul 14, 2016 10:29 AM in response to morber104
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Jul 14, 2016 10:29 AM in response to morber104

    I think this proves conclusively that El Capitan does not support old printers hooked up in this way to a USB socket.  Therefore no solution except to buy a Windows based machine - probably not an economic approach, but hey the alternative is to fill landfill with old printers.  Not an environmentally friendly thing to do.

     

    I ditched the printer and bought a new one which will probably be made redundant by the next OSX update.  This is called built in obsolescence and is good for business.  Say no more!