Slow printing

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Level 1

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Slow printing

I have the airport express and when i try to print from my mac it take a long time to print anything, i can see the activity button blinking on my printer (hp laserjet 1200) but it takes like 2 min to print one page. Word documents print in an ok amount of time, but anything else, especially pdf's, are horrible!!

I also have a windows pc that runs wirelessly also but printing from there is normal..

does anyone have any ideas on a fix?

also when i print from my mac, my iTunes skips really bad.

dual 2.5 G4 - 2 gig of ram Mac OS X (10.4.3)

Posted on Dec 5, 2005 7:43 AM

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Answer 1

iFelix

Level 8

35,167 points

Dec 5, 2005 8:07 AM in response to Sal239

The only real fix is to connect the printer locally.

Network printing to a local printer (such as yours) will always be slower than when printing locally to a local printer.

If you find printing causes AirTunes to skip this is because of network congestion and is as a result of too much traffic (printing and AirTunes). However it may also be a result of interference constraining the wireless bandwidth as well.

AirPort: Potential sources of interference
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=58543

iFelix

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Answer 2

Sal239 Author

Level 1

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Dec 5, 2005 8:59 AM in response to iFelix

The only real fix is to connect the printer locally.

Network printing to a local printer (such as yours)
will always be slower than when printing locally to a
local printer.

If you find printing causes AirTunes to skip this is
because of network congestion and is as a result of
too much traffic (printing and AirTunes). However it
may also be a result of interference constraining the
wireless bandwidth as well.

AirPort: Potential sources of interference
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=58543

iFelix

thank you

the iTunes i listen through my computer speakers, not through the network, and when i print using the windows based machine, on the same airport express network, it prints just fine, the only problem i have is with the mac..

and while printing with the mac and trying to listen to music (locally)

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Answer 3

iFelix

Level 8

35,167 points

Dec 5, 2005 9:20 AM in response to Sal239

...and you have 2GB of RAM?

It sounds now more like an OS X problem rather than a wireless problem.

Whilst printing, run Activity Monitor and see if there are any processes or applications excessively using the CPU or memory.

Did you install the memory yourself?

iFelix

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Answer 4

Sal239 Author

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Dec 5, 2005 10:48 AM in response to iFelix

yeah i installed the memory myself and it recongnized it in about this mac. so i know that is ok.. i was thinking of re-installing Tiger again..

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Answer 5

iFelix

Level 8

35,167 points

Dec 5, 2005 11:27 AM in response to Sal239

Remove the new memory and see if that makes a difference.

Faulty RAM can cause problems even if it is visible in About this Mac.

iFelix

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Answer 6

Sal239 Author

Level 1

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Dec 5, 2005 11:49 AM in response to iFelix

well i had the problem before i installed the ram, i thought that was the problem originally, but its the same

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Answer 7

iFelix

Level 8

35,167 points

Dec 5, 2005 12:02 PM in response to Sal239

Create a new user and see if there are the same problems, this will determine if it is a user or a system issue.

iFelix

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Answer 8

Sal239 Author

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Dec 7, 2005 5:43 AM in response to iFelix

I'll try that and get back to you. thanks

dual 2.5 G4 - 2 gig of ram Mac OS X (10.4.3)

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Answer 9

Sal239 Author

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Dec 14, 2005 1:58 PM in response to iFelix

Ok, i completly wiped out my system and did a fresh install.. STILL having the same problem and only printing over the airport express printer, i have a usb printer also, no problems...

now my girlfriend has a mac mini and she doesn't have the same issues priting to the airport express printer...

the only differnce between our computers (besides the processors and memory of course) is that she has an airport extreme card and mine can only support the airport (older 11mpb) card..

could this be the issue!?

i am at a loss!!

dual 2.5 G4 - 2 gig of ram Mac OS X (10.4.3)

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Answer 10

iFelix

Level 8

35,167 points

Dec 14, 2005 10:36 PM in response to Sal239

now my girlfriend has a mac mini and she doesn't have
the same issues priting to the airport express
printer...

the only differnce between our computers (besides the
processors and memory of course) is that she has an
airport extreme card and mine can only support the
airport (older 11mpb) card..

could this be the issue!?

Very likely.

iFelix

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Answer 11

Sal239 Author

Level 1

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Dec 16, 2005 6:10 AM in response to iFelix

well, i hooked it up to a wired connection instead and it printed without any problems, guess it was the airport..

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