Printers not showing on Print Preferences

Question

Printers not showing on Print Preferences

As requested elsewhere I'm starting a new thread.

Allen

Aug 12, 2021 at 3:44:25 PM

I’ve been using Macs since 1985, and spent my pre-retirement years working as a programmer, instructor, and system managers. I almost never need to ask for help to solve problems, but this one has me baffled.

I’ve been using two printers, one in my LR, one in my office. They’ve both been working fine on my current WiFi network for well over a year. A few days ago, my Brother laser printer (in my office) could not be found to print on it. (Maybe related to latest MacOS update, 11.5.1?).

I ran the gamut of tech support solutions from Apple and Brother. Restarted my router. Re-ran wireless setup on the printer (it successfully connects to my network). Tried installing latest driver from Brother. All to no avail. As a last resort, I tried resetting the printer setup in System Preferences. This wipes info for all printers from the Mac. Instructions then say, “Use the + button to add back your printer(s).”

Well, no printers show up to be added. I’ve now lost the 2nd printer as well, an Epson AirPrint color printer in our LR.

Tried printing from my iPad; the Brother and the Epson both work just fine! They have no problems.

Clearly, something is fubar on my Mac.

Anyone have any ideas?

[Personal Information Edited by Moderator]

Posted on Aug 20, 2021 4:53 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Jan Hedlund

Level 7

22,261 points

Aug 21, 2021 5:52 AM in response to Allen Watson1

Hi,

Both printers (Brother HL-L2395DW and Epson ET-2760) are listed in About AirPrint - Apple Support. Thus, additional drivers from the printer manufacturers should not be needed when the printers and the computer are connected to the same network (Wi-Fi router).

You have already tried most of the things one would suggest in a similar case.

In the light of the recent scanner issue, one should perhaps not rule out a printer-related problem involving a system update, but it may as well be something different.

Obviously, AirPrint as such is working, since you can use both printers from an iPad (I assume without special apps from the printer manufacturers). You had also tried restarting the router. A full power-cycling sequence may ensure that all connected computers/devices are properly recognised. So, you may want to try the following procedure (order and times can be important):

Power off the router, both printers, the computer, and all other devices (iPad, et cetera). Wait two to three minutes. Power on the router. Wait two to three minutes. Power on both printers. Wait a minute or two. Power on the computer. Finally, power on all other devices. Any change?

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Answer 2

Jan Hedlund

Level 7

22,261 points

Aug 25, 2021 4:03 AM in response to Jan Hedlund

Addendum

In order to simplify troubleshooting, check that

printer sharing is not enabled on any computer
Wi-Fi Direct is not enabled/used on any printer

Use infrastructure mode. That is, all printers, computers, and iPhones/iPads (and other mobile devices) are connected to a Wi-Fi router.

Add a printer on Mac - Apple Support

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Answer 3

Aug 23, 2021 1:46 PM in response to Jan Hedlund

Seems like the problem is solved. In reading various Apple help files I saw a note suggesting that the printer(s) might be managed by a different Mac on the network. My wife uses a Mac, sometimes, but spends nearly all her time on her iPad. Her Mac is usually turned off. Today, she's using it. When I tried adding printers, both printers showed up "@" her Mac! I added them, and now they are available to me on my Mac. No idea how they both got "taken over" by her, but relieved that the problem has been resolved.

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Answer 4

Aug 24, 2021 4:03 PM in response to Allen Watson1

That "solution" is not good enough. If my wife's Mac is turned off, I cannot access the printers from my Mac.

Let's handle just one case: the Brother laser printer, which is connected to our local Wireless network, "Emerson". My Mac is also connected to the same network. And yet, in printer preferences when I try to add this printer to my Mac it just does not show up.

Any ideas?

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Answer 5

Aug 24, 2021 5:01 PM in response to Jan Hedlund

I've not had an opportunity to do the full, ordered, shutdown and power-up of all devices in our network. Several of us share the network, so it requires a lot of coordination and mutual agreement. I'll give it a shot soon. But I've never had any problems like this, and can't understand why it suddenly cropped up. Printers just work when I follow the basic install instructions. Not this time!

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Answer 6

Jan Hedlund

Level 7

22,261 points

Aug 24, 2021 6:06 PM in response to Allen Watson1

>When I tried adding printers, both printers showed up "@" her Mac! I added them, and now they are available to me on my Mac

>If my wife's Mac is turned off, I cannot access the printers from my Mac.

Hello again,

The above appears to be similar to what one would expect if a printer is shared on a network by (from) a computer. Have you checked that no printer is connected (by USB) to any other computer, and (somehow) shared from there? I assume that both printers are supposed to be wirelessly connected to the Wi-Fi router (the Brother HL-L2395DW could also use Ethernet to one of the LAN ports).

https://support.brother.com/g/b/spec.aspx?c=us&lang=en&prod=hll2395dw_us_as

https://epson.com/For-Home/Printers/Inkjet/EcoTank-ET-2760-All-in-One-Cartridge-Free-Supertank-Printer/p/C11CG22203#panel-specifications

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Printers not showing on Print Preferences

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