cropr
Level 1 (1 points)

Q: OSX loses connection to network printer after going to sleep

I recently bought a network Brother color laser printer/scanner and I am having issues with my Macbook and my MacMini keeping the connection with the printer.

When the printer is switched on, OSX detects the printer (via bonjour) and scanning/printing works fine. However when a Mac goes to sleep and wakes up again, I can no longer print.  The printer is suddenly invisible for bonjour (checked via Safari bookmarks).  I can still connect to the printer via its IP address, but no longer print.  Powering off and on the printer solves the issue.  The printer becomes again visible for bonjour and I can print

Adding the printer via its IP address (iso bonjour) solves the issue partially.  It always prints, but the scan functionality is not detected when adding the printer

The issue is OSX only: my 2 windows PCs and my Linux PC can print/scan without any issues

Mac mini (Late 2012), OS X Yosemite (10.10.5)

Posted on Sep 17, 2015 1:51 AM

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cropr

Q: OSX loses connection to network printer after going to sleep

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  • Helpful answers

  • by Eric Root,

    Eric Root Eric Root Sep 17, 2015 9:25 AM in response to cropr
    Level 9 (69,640 points)
    iTunes
    Sep 17, 2015 9:25 AM in response to cropr

    Have you tried Applications/Image Capture or VueScan?


    VueScan

     

    VueScan FAQ

  • by cropr,

    cropr cropr Sep 29, 2015 7:37 AM in response to Eric Root
    Level 1 (1 points)
    Sep 29, 2015 7:37 AM in response to Eric Root

    This is a nice suggestion but it does not solve the fundamental network issue. 

    Once my Mac went to sleep, my Mac no longer recognise the printer. Pinging to the printers name does not work anymore, pinging to its IP address works fine.  I don't know if this is an Apple issue or a Brother issue, but having no issues at all with connecting Windows and Linux boxes to the printer/scanner, I tend to believe it is an Apple issue.

    I don't want to spend the money to buy VueScan as long as I don't understand how VueScan could solve my network issue.

  • by Eric Root,

    Eric Root Eric Root Sep 29, 2015 4:27 PM in response to cropr
    Level 9 (69,640 points)
    iTunes
    Sep 29, 2015 4:27 PM in response to cropr

    If you haven't done so already, try resetting the printing system.

     

     

    OS X Mavericks: Reset the printing system  also Yosemite


     

  • by jpstaub,

    jpstaub jpstaub Oct 9, 2015 7:00 PM in response to cropr
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 9, 2015 7:00 PM in response to cropr

    I am experiencing the same problem with the following hardware:

     

    1. iMac (27-inch, Late 2009, 10.10.5)

    2. Brother HL-L2380DW

         A. Printer utility version: 3.18.0

         B. Scanner app version : 2.6.6

    3. Wifi router: Belkin F7D4301 v1.

     

    I've been monitoring Bonjour with Bonjour Browser in an attempt to tease out what's going on with printer/scanner network connectivity. Suffice it to say, the connection via Bonjour is unreliable. At times the printer shows up in Bonjour but the connection does not persist. I too can set up the printer using its IP address but have had no success gaining access to scan functionality. A reset of the printing system yielded the same unreliable Bonjour behavior. The Brother driver has been removed and reinstalled several times with no luck.

     

    As an aside, there's a Network Attached Storage device on the network that maintains a solid connection according to Bonjour Browser. And of course I have no trouble browsing to the printer's home page via its IP address. So, the network and associated hardware items seem sound.

     

    What I really want is access to scanner functionality when the printer is set up using its IP address. I could care less about the Bonjour abstraction that's completely unnecessary for my purposes. Any one out there have luck using the scanner when setting up the printer with an IP address rather than Bonjour?

     

    GIGO,

    Jake

  • by jpstaub,

    jpstaub jpstaub Oct 9, 2015 8:15 PM in response to cropr
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 9, 2015 8:15 PM in response to cropr

    Out of curiosity I sifted through the printer web pages to see if I could change a network setting to get the printer to work reliably with Bonjour. While doing so I noticed that the firmware of the printer was out of date. If you'd like to check your firmware status (I'm guessing the Brother printer menus are generic) go to the printer home page, log onto the printer, go to the "Administrator" tab, and on the right menu click "Firmware Update." Update the firmware if out of date.

     

    It may be a coincidence but immediately after the printer firmware was updated Bonjour Browser showed a solid connection with the printer. I'll monitor the printer connection over the next few days and report back regarding stability.

     

    Time and tide wait for no man,

    Jake

  • by jpstaub,

    jpstaub jpstaub Oct 10, 2015 4:21 AM in response to jpstaub
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 10, 2015 4:21 AM in response to jpstaub

    Morning 1: Solid connection with printer according to Bonjour Browser. All Bonjour related printer functionality good to go.

     

    I know I said I'd monitor over the next few days, but I'm calling it "case closed" in the interest of my time and effort. If for some reason the printer network connectivity craps out again I'll report back.

     

    So, it appears upgrading the Brother HL-L2380DW printer's firmware was a critical item to ensure functionality. Be sure to check firmware currency especially given the frequency of software and operating system releases (ostensibly done to make life on the planet better).

     

    Security through obscurity,

    Jake

  • by frankntom,

    frankntom frankntom Nov 24, 2015 9:40 PM in response to jpstaub
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 24, 2015 9:40 PM in response to jpstaub

    I had high hopes for the firmware update solving this problem as Jake suggested...but no such luck.

    I had a successful firmware update, printed a page, waited 15 minutes, tried to print another page, only see that old familiar message: "The printer is not connected." "Looking for printer."

  • by dwr130,

    dwr130 dwr130 Jan 18, 2016 5:14 AM in response to frankntom
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 18, 2016 5:14 AM in response to frankntom

    Hello,

     

    I am wondering if there was any resolution to this thread. It describes my problem perfectly with a brother MFC-L2740DW

  • by longhairhippie,

    longhairhippie longhairhippie Jan 29, 2016 12:17 PM in response to dwr130
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 29, 2016 12:17 PM in response to dwr130

    Other threads discuss enabling IPV6 on the Printer.

     

    Another method would be to check your router and verify it works as a Dual band Router. Make sure both the 2.5 and 5 are broadcasted with 2 different names. Connected the Brother and MAC to the 2.4 and try again.

  • by mammonist,

    mammonist mammonist Mar 26, 2016 2:21 PM in response to longhairhippie
    Level 1 (18 points)
    Mac OS X
    Mar 26, 2016 2:21 PM in response to longhairhippie

    I still have this problem (with the HL-2170W). Same problem with other Brother printers in our other place. Anybody definitively solved this? Thanks.

  • by MacToeKnee,

    MacToeKnee MacToeKnee Apr 27, 2016 9:57 AM in response to mammonist
    Level 2 (169 points)
    Apr 27, 2016 9:57 AM in response to mammonist

    I have had this problem with a Brother HL-L2360D in our office whenever I set a static IP on the printer itself. Reverting to DHCP, then Bonjour is more reliable. Wondering if others who have seen that issue are using a static IP?

    Reserving IP addresses in the DHCP server is not an option for me right now, and this is the only case where I'd really need it anyway.

     

    T

  • by macrog23,

    macrog23 macrog23 Aug 4, 2016 4:06 PM in response to cropr
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 4, 2016 4:06 PM in response to cropr

    I have the same problem with 2 of the printers on our network. My network has about 15 macs, and 1 PC, with 4 HP Laserjets, all on internal static ip on ethernet, not wireless. 2 of the printers get renamed by Bonjour, and then when someone tries to print, it fails with "The printer is not connected". Deleting and re-adding the printer makes it able to print again. The PC has no printing issues.

     

    Anyone find a solution?