Time Capsule - Printer - Windows problem

Question

Time Capsule - Printer - Windows problem

I have an Epson NX400 printer that works fine connected directly to a Windows XP machine but does not work when I try to use it as a shared USB printer from my Time Capsule. All the Macs on the network can print to it as a shared printer just fine. The Windows machine uses the Time Capsule for internet access, it can use the hard drive, and Bonjour on the Windows machine finds the printer and seems to set everything up. Unfortunately, when I try to print to it from the Windows machine all I get is an error about a connection problem. When I called Epson support they tried some stuff (different port configurations and such) and told me the problem was with the Time Capsule (I am not sure I believe them). Does anyone know if the NX400 can be used by a Windows machine when it is attached to a Time Capsule?

I have always used Macs and I know almost nothing about Windows. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.4.11)

Posted on Aug 20, 2008 2:23 PM

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Answer 1

emmabugg

Level 1

0 points

Aug 20, 2008 4:04 PM in response to JeffInMontana

i had a problem like this with my canon printer. what i did was i uninstalled bonjour and downloaded it off apple's site and reinstalled it and so far no problems.

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Answer 2

Aug 21, 2008 9:59 PM in response to JeffInMontana

I had the same problem. My MacBook Pro was printing fine to a Canon printer attached to the Time Capsule, but my Windows XP laptop didn't work (even though the printer showed up and said it was Ready).

The Add Printer Wizard on the the XP machine did the trick. The PC now prints wirelessly with no problems.

This link gives step by step instructions:
http://tech.ifelix.net/1004.html

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Answer 3

BanditoB

Level 1

82 points

Aug 23, 2008 4:09 PM in response to JeffInMontana

When moving a printer that has been directly connected to a computer, either PC or Mac, you must reconfigure the printer's interface connection or it won't communicate. You have several choices as to how to do this, the easiest of which is to simply add the printer again and make sure that it is pointing to the Time Capsule. You'll have two printers in your setup, but you will also be able to move the USB cable back to the computer and print directly as well, without having to reconfigure anything.

If you change the interface connection directly, then you'd have to change it back if you wanted to connect it directly to the computer again.

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Answer 4

Aug 25, 2008 7:01 AM in response to Melinda S.

Thanks for the suggestion and the link ... unfortunately, it didn't solve the problem. I have tried reinstalling drivers and bonjour, adding printers with the print wizard and bonjour, and occasionally cursing Window, Microsoft, and Epson, all to no avail. The frustrating part is that in setting up the printer in Windows everything seems to work, I can find the printer, driver, and get dialog boxes telling me everything went fine, but when I try to print nothing happens. Does anyone know if the Epson NX400 works as a network printer (Epson was slightly less than helpful on this point) or, given my lack of knowledge about Windows, is there some simple permission or firewall tweak that might be keeping me from printing?

Jeff

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Answer 5

Dec 28, 2008 3:00 PM in response to Melinda S.

Thanks for the link, it worked well for me.

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Answer 6

Jan 2, 2009 1:09 PM in response to Melinda S.

Your instructions worked great for me! My Vista PC connected fine, but I was having problems connecting my XP Laptops. This did the trick. Thanks!

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Answer 7

klaussch

Level 1

4 points

Jan 4, 2009 1:20 PM in response to JeffInMontana

Use your time capsule disk to install Bonjour for Windows on your PC. Then run the Bonjour Printer Wizard. It worked for me right away after weeks of frustration.

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