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Canon MP560 "A communication error has occurred"

Hi there,

I purchased my first mac in september 2010, and along with it the Canon Mp560. I have it setup to print wirelessly from my macbook to the printer. Everything was going great until about a week ago. I can not get it to print, an error pops into the utility, saying "A communication error has occurred." But the interesting part is that I can still get it to print test pages (printer head alignment etc.) from my macbook. I dont really know too much about troubleshooting on macs. I read a little about someone who had a similar problem, and they said that they tried to repair permissions, and I found where to do so, but I am not sure if I should just go ahead a repair them? I don't know if that is relevant though. I checked my system update and according to it, all my software is up to date. I really could use any help that any one could offer. Thanks for taking the time to read my monster size post and thank you in advance for any advice on where to go from here.

Macbook, Mac OS X (10.6.5)

Posted on Jan 5, 2011 12:04 AM

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150 replies

Mar 6, 2013 7:06 PM in response to uskrums

uskrums wrote:


I also have given a dedicated IP address to my printer as was discussed earlier by Oz, but still have the communication problems. I am hoping that manual add that was given by Harden Long (nice!) will work. So far so good. For the non tech savy, some basic info and screenshots:


First, you have to go into the menu of the printer and enable LPD. Follow Harden Long's instructions.


Second, you have to give a dedicated IP address to your printer. Depending on your router, this could be different. However if you click on the airport utility (found in the Applications folder/Utilities)User uploaded file

Once you click on that, it will show your router. I have an airport extreme, so your screen may look different. When I edit the Airport Extreme, it looks like this:

User uploaded file

Click on Network and you will see this:

User uploaded file

I have made a DHCP reservation outside the normal DHCP range of my router. Routers assign IP addresses randomly in the range...Oz had said creating a permanent one would help in communication. All I did was hit the + button, assign an address 1 above the range and name it.


Next, you want to go to the Settings icon and click on it. You will see this:

User uploaded file

Click on the Print&Scan and you will see this:

User uploaded file


If your printer is already listed, hit the - sign. Then hit the plus sign to add it. The pop-up will be:

User uploaded file

My printer is already listed. You should se a blank. Click on the IP icon:

User uploaded file

Select Line Printer Daemon - LPD. In the second line, put the DHCP address you put in in the steps above. Under 'Print Using' scroll to 'Select Printer software' and then select Canon your model name.....

This solution worked for my MX870.

Mar 9, 2013 5:17 PM in response to PAHU

I'm joining the chorus: MacBook Pro OS 10.8.2 with Canon MP560. Works great with my Dell PC, but communication errors ever since I upgraded to Mountain Lion. Arrggg!


This solution worked marvelously for me, PAHU. I can print wirelessly once more, however, I can't scan. I only have my Canon MP560 series showing as a printer. When I click +, the only thing that pops in in the Canon MP560 series (Kind: Canon IJ Network) again, no scanner. How do I get scanning capabilities back?

Mar 9, 2013 5:50 PM in response to PaulaVF

I got my scanner back 🙂 . I saw someone else had the same problem as me, so here's what I did. In order for my Canon MP560 scanner to appear in the System Preferences, Print & Scan, + (add) window, I worked with the menu on the Canon. I chose Scan, then came back to my MacBook and clicked + (add) in the Printer window. That wasn't working before, but with the Canon menu showing the Scan function, it did work. I was then able to select Canon MP560 series Scanner and it works. I guess I am about as happy as all of the previous posters to have things working right now, but I sure am braced for more problems.


Apple, please fix this!!!!!

Jun 27, 2013 1:15 PM in response to robotwholearned

I bought a Pixma Pro 100 and I've been troubleshooting the error 306 for a few days now. I've read every reply in this thread and tried every fix...twice. I'm still getting the 306 error during printing (and wasting expensive paper and ink in the process.) Should I just give up and connect it via USB ? Right now its wireless via my Airport TimeCapsule. Connecting to the airport via LAN isn't possible due to setup location, but I could just plug it in USB (which would be a pain, but I guess a work around).


I'd hate to return such a nice printer over something so stupid. I've restarted everything, repaired permissions (and there were a TON that got repaired that had to do with Canon files )...I'm just very frustrated. If there's anything else I could try, I'd love to hear it.

Aug 19, 2013 7:00 AM in response to robotwholearned

Had same issue on Pixma MG3250 on WiFi


Goto Printer configuration by typing in the printers IP address in Safari


If you don't have this you can find it by first going to your router config page by typing it's admin IP address in Safari (see your router manual) and find any WiFi devices connected. The router will tell you your IP address of the wireless devices connected.


If your Printer isn't connected try resetting the router and try again.


Once you have the Printer IP address enter it in Safari


Change the network settings of the printer.


Use a fixed IP address (e.g. 192.168.1.10 etc) and make a Bookmark of this. Sometimes you can "jolt" the printer into life by clicking on its config page IP address. The BT Home Hub 3 has a particular issue with dropping wireless devices and this may help.


Change the encryption the printer connects to the network with to WPA / TKIP if you have this option.


So far this seems to have solved my problems and the wireless connection to my BT Home Hub 3 is stable.

Sep 22, 2013 11:29 AM in response to robotwholearned

OK, I had the very same problem and found that it was actually related to my firewall (which, following a hard drive failure and subsequent re-boot/formatting at the genius bar was set to block all traffic - unbeknown to me!).


I solved the problem by going into the security preferences, firewall and then changing my settings to:


"automatically allow signed software to receive incoming connections."


I realise that many of your issues are more complex and require a different fix, but for those of you out there who have had no success then perhaps it's worth a try.

Dec 2, 2013 4:15 AM in response to DocG

I have had same reported problem with MG3250.


It worked at first, but then would only print the first line of a document and got the 306 error when using Wifi. Works fine via USB.


I tried a lot of the above - delete/respecify; fixed IP; turn off and on; reboot Mac.


What seems to be working today is reinstall of the printer driver. I downloaded 10.67.2 from the canon site installed, then deleted the printer from System Preferences and selected it again (I think I chose Bonjour rather than Canon IJ network, though I have no idea what the significance of either is).


I'm just wondering whether I picked up a spurious software update. One kicked off the night after installing the printer and I thought I say 10.72.1 or something like that somewhere.


Mac: Intel iMac Core 2 Duo (late 2006); OSX 10.6.8

Router: Netgear DG834G (b/g Wifi, not n)

Dec 2, 2013 7:03 AM in response to PMJ61

Further to previous.


Problem recurred, though now the driver is not reporting a communication error, it just doesn't print the whole document and hangs in the print queue.


I talked to Canon support. Their first suggestion was that the WiFi signal was inadequate (it was around 60%). I moved the printer to within 2m of the router with a clear line of sight. Same issue.


Meanwhile the printer will work from my iPhone. ie, the connection between the router and the printer is adequate. The second operator suggested I talk to my "network provider" to improve the WiFi signal. We had a difference of opinion about whether my ISP had anything to do with the WiFi performance (and no - the router is not supplied by the ISP in this case).


I also pointed out that when the Canon would only print the first line when it was 2m from the router, the HP Deskjet downstairs was able to print OK. I was told it couldn't be a problem with the driver as it would not send any data at all if it was the driver.


Now waiting to hear back from Canon support. I have said the printer will go back if I can't resolve within a reasonable timescale.

Dec 2, 2013 10:13 AM in response to PMJ61

WiFi signal strength is a complete red herring.


I have now followed this excellent post from about 5 pages back:


https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2708074?start=65


What struck me here was the problem of having multiple connection routes.


The key to getting this working for me was that the printer will get some kind of network error printing over WiFi if the Mac has its LAN cable connected.


With the LAN cable in, the printer will still work off the USB connection, but not WiFi.


It will also print from another Mac which is out of range, either connected through the LAN cabling, or (contrary I think to the printer user manual) through a WiFi extension network.

Dec 8, 2013 3:42 PM in response to PMJ61

This is all speculation. The fact is, as usual, Apple's printing to Windows is screwed up. In this case I think the blame is on the Open Source CUPS program and their lousy 1.7 update for Mavericks. The threads make it pretty obvious. As for the LAN or WAN or Wi-Fi. Printing doesn't work on my Mavericks laptop wi-fi to three Canon printers on Mac 10.5, 10.6 or Windows XP. And, no, while there's a mix of ethernet and wi-fi there are no multiple connections involved on any single unit. Not that it should make any difference in our century. That's what we call a NETWORK.


This isn't anything new. Most Mac upgrades take MONTHS before they will reliably coexist with Windows. It's always been a pain to upgrade since Win 3.1 and 95 right up to today. Apple has always made the difficult easy and the easy **** near impossible. Printing is their worst feature. CUPS is total geek bs compared to printing on Windows 7 or 8. Printing is possibly Microsoft's best feature. Go figure. Starting with Next to Mavericks the Jobs team has yet to make network printing work like the rest of Apple's software.


When the heck are they going to get it right?

Dec 9, 2013 12:58 AM in response to Richard Laycock

Reply to Richard: I don't know if it matters to you and we're clearly on the same side here, and certainly my speculations about causes are no more than speculation - I know nothing about printing protocols or networks.


But as a matter of face my set up has nothing to do with Windows at all. I have a Mac Mini, an iMac (both on Snow Leopard), a Netgear router and WiFi extension and a Canon printer. The old HP worked fine wirelessly. The Canon get's a communication error if the iMac is wired to the router via Ethernet. I either have to have the iMac's ethernet cable unplugged, or the printer plugged into the iMac via USB.

Canon MP560 "A communication error has occurred"

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