Brother 2170W "printer offline" error?

Hi all,

I too have this problem and have tried the above suggestion to no avail (thanks nonetheless!). I used to be quite impressed at how OS X.5 could just pick up my new Brother laser 2170W just by plugging it in via USB. Now the OS refuses to co-operate with it completely. I've also tried to run diagnostics, re-ran the utility, and even had the printer print out self-eval sheets detailing the amount of toner, drum life etc...left in the machine. All levels that are printed are bars full 3/4 of the way, but it refuses to print due to the "offline error."

Brother and Apple are famous companies for releasing products that "just work" for the end user. It is of utmost importance that we get a fix ASAP- both for the companies' brand credibility as well as...well, some of us have important printing needs to function in our daily lives!

Please fix this apple, esp. if its an easy fix like a corrupt driver library file!!

It's not only USB connection. It's printing from indesign to anything. I have color copy machines, Laser printers and HQ rips and they are all having the same issues. I'm not sure how someone was able to get an answer saying that there will be a fix within 1-2 days because apple never says anything about an update or a fix.

I'm going to do an archive and install which will take me back to the system that came with my computer which was 10.5.2.

Next time I will stay with Xerox. Last 5 years, haven't had one issue with them after any and all upgrades.

This fix was on another thread, and it worked for me:

-open safari,type 'http://localhost:631/printers'
-select the printer and press modify printer button.
-click 'continue' until you se the device dropdownlist.
-select 'unknown USB' and apply the changes.

This fix was also in this thread - three posts above.

Message was edited by: John Blanchard1

I am also having printer issues after installing the 10.5.5 update, but with a slightly different twist. I have a Brother HL-2070N, hooked up to my network via ethernet. I get no response from the printer, not even using the Utility - I get an error telling me that it is unable to connect to the device. Trying to print just hangs at a certain percentage ("Printing Page 1, 16% completed...". I tried the above suggestions, but with no results.

Any additional ideas? Or do I have to wait for the next update until I can print again?

The 'http://localhost:631/printers'fix worked for me. I first deleted all printers and added them back and followed the fix as suggested by liz17 and John Blanchard1.

This was driving me crazy and never should have happened. I will think twice about downloading the next update.

oops--sorry, i missed that it was already on here! thanks for your help.

The 'http://localhost:631/printers' fix also worked for me. I got around to trying it after I'd reset the printing system and reinstalled the printer.

Gentlemen,

I just used the above mentioned 'Safari' fix and it worked beautifully........ Although I surely didn't feel like I knew what I was doing in the process. Using tabs in Safari made it easy for a fellow that had to refer back and forth several times.

But I'm still very encouraged. This current Mac is my 20'th home computer since 1981 and this is the first major problem I've had with a Mac since I got one in 1996.

Hey, the fix was actually built into the OS......... And it not only took just a very few seconds to fix, it worked perfectly the first time I applied the fix, and I didn't lose any of my queued printing jobs in the process

Man, I -do- like that in a Computer!

So it's been one annoying problem in 12 years, over some 6 or so Macs. You don't want to know about all the problems I had with my companion Windows systems........

I'm still very happy with my Mac experience....... even if two of them now have Windows as well. [ I'll never buy another separate Windows system again, nor need to! ]

Related question -- in trying the 'http://localhost:631/printers' fix, I am asked for a username and password. (it specifically says, "To view this page, you need to log in to area “CUPS” on localhost:631.")

I have tried several different combinations to no avail. does anyone know which username/pw it wants, or how to bypass it? (have tried just clicking OK, but that isn't it!)

your admin log in for your computer should work.

What is the password and username that it demands before implementing?

Here's a tip:

I took an ethernet cable and attached it to my printer and computer.

I then created a new printer with a different name.

I was then able to print using an ethernet connection.

won't help if you must make a usb connection but it is a temporary work around for me.

I still don't know how to get past the username and password of the web based solution