My Canon MX870 PIXMA printer is not detected by my iMac

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My Canon MX870 PIXMA printer is not detected by my iMac

I have a new iMac (27") and a new Canon MX870 printer/scanner/fax. The printer works wirelessly (or did) with the iMac. I installed the Canon software and set up the printer and it worked right away with no problems. It worked well with no problems for about two months. Fast forward to this morning... I went to print a document and got a "communication error" message. I have tried everything I know and can't get the computer to detect the printer. I deleted the printer and reinstalled the software but it still doesn't work. If I use the Canon software, nothing is detected. If I go through the "print and fax" option in the System Preferences, and try to add the printer, it will detect the scanner portion of the unit but not the printer. The printer is connected to the network, as I have reprogramed the printer and it shows it is conneted to the network. The iMac is also connected to the network as I can get online wirelessly, etc. BUT, for some reason the iMac will not detect or recognize the printer. I have read some other threads of folks with similar problems and nothing they have offered has worked. HELP!!!

iMac, Mac OS X (10.6.8), Canon PIXMA MX870

Posted on Aug 29, 2011 4:11 PM

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Answer 1

Aug 30, 2011 2:29 PM in response to pastorchuck

I have the exact same problem and have also tried some of the solutions offered. I have reinstalled drivers, software, removed and added the printer, turned off bonjour, and unplugged the printer many times. Nothing seems to work. I am really close to pulling the trigger on a new printer and taking this one out to the shooting range.

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Answer 2

Sep 6, 2011 11:10 AM in response to scottfrombrainerd

Did anyone find a solution? @scottfrombrainerd: can I join you at the range?

MBP Core 2 Duo

Mac OS X 10.6.8

Canon MP480

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Answer 3

Dave B.

Level 4

2,080 points

Sep 6, 2011 11:37 AM in response to colefrompleasanton

This is old, but might help: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2530324 and there were a number of other threads to the right of that page under More Like This so it seems to be a common problem with the 870. Several had success doing some of the suggestions. Sorry if you've tried these things.

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Answer 4

Jan 11, 2012 8:38 AM in response to pastorchuck

hi

in another forum and post the following seems to solve the issue of not showing the scanner and printer:

CHScannerRegister in Library/Image Capture/Support/LegacyDeviceDiscoveryHelpers doesn't know it needs to proxy for the MX870. I went into package contents/Resources/NetworkDevice.plist and added an entry for Mx870 Series (you would see the MX860 as a template).

It worked for my iMac but shows the scanner and printer separately without tabs (Printer-Scanner)

Other wireless network problems are solved by giving the printer a fixed IP using the Canon IJ Network Tool.app

so that it is always available on the WiFi network.

Hope that helps! It took me several weeks to resolve these issues...

Bon courage!

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Answer 5

Jan 7, 2013 11:18 AM in response to alfredo87

I installed a Bonjour browser and found that the printer was 'known' to the mac but mysteriously the print driver couldn't find the printer. variety of other hacks (using CUPS command line cmds etc) didn't do the trick. For some reason, using the 'Canon IJ Network Tool' (downloaded from the Software section of the Canon web site) solved the problem.

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Answer 6

Nov 13, 2014 3:52 AM in response to gandalfchi

DDownloading and running the Canon Network application worked a treat!!

many thanks.

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