Connecting Canon Pixma MP980 to Macbook with OSX 10.4.11 wireless

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Level 1

5 points

Connecting Canon Pixma MP980 to Macbook with OSX 10.4.11 wireless

Hiya, just wondering if someone can help. I've gone through all the steps to set up the wireless connection. I'm stuck on the last set of steps where you add your printer through the Printer Utility.

In the instructions it says that if you click "More Printers" it should show up in the list under "Canon IJ Network" but mine doesn't. Nothing shows up in the list. I've downloaded the latest driver from the Canon site, but that did nothing. The printer said its IP address was 10.1.1.4, so I tried to ping that, but it doesn't complete.

Has anyone had any success with connecting them? Thanks.

Macbook Intel Core 2 Duo, Mac OS X (10.4.11)

Posted on Dec 3, 2008 5:40 AM

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Answer 1

BDAqua

Level 10

239,177 points

Dec 3, 2008 2:49 PM in response to g.Kerryn

Is the IP of your computer 10.1.1.x, where x isn't 4?

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Answer 2

PAHU

Level 6

16,705 points

Dec 3, 2008 3:35 PM in response to g.Kerryn

Hi there,

I have the previous model, the MP970, and have it connected via wireless to my Airport Extreme, so I think you will find it will work once you have it setup correctly.

I agree with BDAqua's response, in that the IP address of the printer is probably set to a different IP subnet to your Mac. If you are using an Airport Extreme or Express, they typically have an IP subnet 10.0.1.x, where x would be a different value for each device on the network. If your network is 10.0.1.x but you have manually set the IP address in the MP980 to 10.1.1.x, then you would not be able to ping the device.

I would suggest you reconnect the printer via USB and open the Canon IJ Network Utility (located in ./Library/Printers/Canon/BJPrinter/Utilities) and check the setup again. If your other devices are using DHCP, I would also set the printer to use DHCP, as this would stop the chance of another device getting the same address.

PaHu

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Answer 3

g.Kerryn Author

Level 1

5 points

Dec 4, 2008 6:11 AM in response to PAHU

Thanks for the suggestion. This is a stupid question, but is it supposed to be connected to the same network you use for the internet? I use a wireless router to connect to the internet, so I just used that same network information to connect the printer. Was wondering if that's the thing to do. I re-ran the network utility. It says:

Wireless LAN
Network Type: Airport Network (Infra)
Network (SSID): [my internet network name]
Encryption method: Use Password (WEP)

TCP/IP Setting: Get IP address automatically
IP Address: 10.1.1.3
Subnet Mask: 255.0.0.0
Router: 10.1.1.1

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Answer 4

BDAqua

Level 10

239,177 points

Dec 4, 2008 11:42 AM in response to g.Kerryn

Yes, it should be on the same Network... starting with 10.1.1.something, so that part is OK.

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Answer 5

PAHU

Level 6

16,705 points

Dec 4, 2008 12:59 PM in response to g.Kerryn

The subnet mask could be causing the problem. With it set to 255.0.0.0, it is basically saying the PC has a subnet of 10.x.x.x. If the printer has a subnet mask of 255.255.255.0, then its subnet is 10.1.1, which is different to 10.x.x.x. So check the settings in the printer and if the subnet mask is different, then change it to the same subnet mask as the computer.

PaHu

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Answer 6

g.Kerryn Author

Level 1

5 points

Dec 10, 2008 5:41 AM in response to g.Kerryn

Thanks, nothing seems to be working. I did setup again from the start and ran into the same problem. The printer did have the same subnet mask as my macbook before I ran the setup again, but now it's blank in the settings.

I have tried to ring Canon support but they're a bit useless. I will try and ring them again tomorrow.

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Answer 7

g.Kerryn Author

Level 1

5 points

Dec 11, 2008 4:43 PM in response to g.Kerryn

Just an update: Canon guy thinks it's a conflict with my router using DHCP. I'll update this thread if he fixes the problem so if someone else is having the same problem they might be able to fix it.

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Answer 8

g.Kerryn Author

Level 1

5 points

Dec 11, 2008 4:46 PM in response to PAHU

PaHu, how would I set the printer to use DHCP?

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Answer 9

g.Kerryn Author

Level 1

5 points

Dec 11, 2008 5:28 PM in response to g.Kerryn

Just off the phone with Canon Support. They can do nothing for me, so basically I have bought a $400 printer that I can't use wirelessly.

Another new symptom - when I turn off the printer and turn it on again, the network settings are lost, so basically no IP address, no subnet mask settings show up. Running the network utility while the printer is connected via USB does not restore the settings.

Creating a new profile in OSX10.4.11 does not work either. Same problem in the new profile.

sigh

Oh well.

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Answer 10

BDAqua

Level 10

239,177 points

Dec 11, 2008 5:41 PM in response to g.Kerryn

Wait, when the Printer is connected via USB you won't be using IP printing... or do I misunderstand?

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Answer 11

g.Kerryn Author

Level 1

5 points

Dec 11, 2008 5:54 PM in response to BDAqua

I can print/scan via USB fine, but when I turned the printer on this morning, the IP address and subnet mask in the LAN Settings List on the printer itself were blank (Settings > Device Settings > LAN Settings > Wireless LAN Settings List). In that settings list, it also says the connection is inactive. This is weird because those settings were fine last night after I ran the Network Utility again. It's like it just forgot the settings.

I don't use those settings to print via USB, but I'm trying to figure out why when it's not connected via USB I can't add the printer to my "Print and Fax settings" under System Preferences, and therefore can't print wirelessly.

Hope that explains it a bit more!

My next step is to take it to a Canon service centre to see if there's a hardware problem, or just live with it. 😟 Makes me not want to buy Canon ever again though!

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Answer 12

BDAqua

Level 10

239,177 points

Dec 11, 2008 6:04 PM in response to g.Kerryn

Hmmm, don't have a Canon, but are you saying it was Wireless connected when those settings disappeared?

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Answer 13

g.Kerryn Author

Level 1

5 points

Dec 11, 2008 6:15 PM in response to BDAqua

Well technically it's never been "wirelessly connected" to my computer because I can't add the printer to my System Prefs.

I uninstalled the drivers, re-installed them and ran the Canon IJ Network Utility again last night and it finds my home network and router fine and communicates with them. You do all this while it's connected via USB.

Once I disconnected from USB, the IP address and subnet mask were still there until I switched off the printer/computer/router. When I turned the printer on again, the settings were gone.

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Answer 14

BDAqua

Level 10

239,177 points

Dec 11, 2008 6:38 PM in response to g.Kerryn

Yeah, I guess it's time to have someone look at it... we're not getting anywhere here. 😟

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Answer 15

ssinbad

Level 1

0 points

Jan 2, 2009 10:40 PM in response to g.Kerryn

Hey y'all,
I was having a similar problem with the PIXMA MP980 I picked up today in trying to print through a wireless network connection, and I just solved it (at least for mine). The problem I had was that I was never given the opportunity to actually select my new printer, even though everything else seemed to be working, including the fact that I could print a test page; I just couldn't print anything else. Here's what I did to solve it:

Go to System Preferences under the Apple. Then under hardware, go to Print & Fax. Once there, I already saw my Canon MP980 listed, even though I never added it there myself. So, even if it's already listed, click on the "+" sign to add a printer. Then the no-name window comes up with buttons across the top for Default, Fax, IP, Windows, Bluetooth, AppleTalk, More Printers. Click on More Printers. When the Canon and its MAC address show up in the columns, select it, and click the Add box at the bottom. You end up with two listings for your Canon in the Print & Fax window, but the one you just added finally works.

Maybe somebody smarter than I understands why it works, but after several hours of frustration with tech support and searching the net, I'm just glad the freakin' thing is working. At least I won't have to go back and wait in the Returns line at Frys.

Good luck...

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