User profile for user: Mauiboy
Mauiboy Author
User level: Level 1
44 points

Airport Network and Epson wireless printer

Just purchased an Epson Workforce 645 printer but cannot print over the network. The printer recognized the network and I have a nice green light that testifies to this fact :-) Also, the "Check Network Connection" printout says that everything is good to go.....


Yet, I can't print over the network. The trouble shooting guide mentions the following:

(I've put in BOLD the area that I think is the problem...but I don't know how to do it). Thanks for any assistance.


Cannot Print Over a Network

If you cannot print over a network, try these solutions:

  • Make sure that your product is turned on.
  • Make sure you install your product's network software as described in your product documentation.
  • Print a network status sheet and verify that the network settings are correct. If the network status is Disconnected, check any cable connections and turn your product off and then on again.
  • If you are using TCP/IP, make sure the product's IP address is set correctly for your network. If your network does not assign IP addresses using DHCP, set the IP address manually.
  • Make sure your computer and product are both using the same wireless network.
  • Check your wired LAN router or access point to see if the LED for the port to which your product is connected is on or flashing. If the link LED is off, try the following:
    • Make sure the Ethernet cable is securely connected to your product and to your router, access point, switch, or hub.
    • Try connecting your product to a different port or a different router, access point, switch, or hub.
    • Try connecting with a different Ethernet cable.
    • Try printing to your product from another computer on the network.
  • If network printing is slow, print a network status sheet and check the signal strength. If it is poor, place your product closer to your router or access point.Note: Avoid placing your product near a microwave oven, 2.4 GHz cordless phone, or large metal object, such as a filing cabinet.
  • If you are connecting the product via EpsonNet Setup and the WiFi light on your product is not solid green, make sure your product software was installed correctly. If necessary, reinstall your software.

Posted on Jan 21, 2012 12:18 PM

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20 replies
User profile for user: Tesserax
Tesserax
User level: Level 10
158,208 points

Jan 21, 2012 1:55 PM in response to Mauiboy

It's and Airport Extreme with 802.11g

Ok, that shouldn't be a problem and most of what I mentioned about the DHCP server service still applies with this router as well. Same with the default Private IP address range of 10.n.n.n.


I would expect that your printer status sheet would have the following results:

  • IP Address: 10.0.1.x, where x is anything but NOT 0, 1, or 255
  • Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
  • Default Gateway: 10.0.1.1

If this is close, then the printer's DHCP client successfully negotiated with the AEBS' DHCP server for its local IP address information and it should be reachable from any of the computers on the local network.


The next step is to verify that your computer has the very latest printer driver for this printer for your computer's operating system. This is something you should be able to get from the Epson Support site.

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User profile for user: Tesserax
Tesserax
User level: Level 10
158,208 points

Jan 21, 2012 12:48 PM in response to Mauiboy

Print a network status sheet and verify that the network settings are correct. If the network status is Disconnected, check any cable connections and turn your product off and then on again.

This would indicate that the printer does not think it is connected to any network, and thus, it would not be reachable from any network client to print to.


If you are using TCP/IP, make sure the product's IP address is set correctly for your network. If your network does not assign IP addresses using DHCP, set the IP address manually.

By default, your 802.11n AirPort Extreme Base Station (AEBSn) has its DHCP server service enabled and this service will hand out Private IP addresses in the 10.n.n.n range. Most wireless printers also default to being DHCP clients. That means, it would try to contact the local DHCP server (your AEBSn) to get the proper local network IP address information. What this item is referring to is that if there is no DHCP server or you prefer to use static Private IP addresses, then you need to assign an IP address to the printer. Typically for network printers and NAS devices, this is what you would want to do ... but it is NOT required that you do so.

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User profile for user: Mauiboy
Mauiboy Author
User level: Level 1
44 points

Jan 21, 2012 1:36 PM in response to Tesserax

It's and Airport Extreme with 802.11g


I did print the network status sheet and everything passes.


It give the network type, connection, TCP/IP set up (which is AUTO), IP Address 10.x.x.x), Subnet Mask,

default gateway (which is slightly different than the ip address, network name, communication mode (infrastructure), security (WPA), signal strength (excellent), MAC Address...... then at the bottom is has Epson Connect (disable).....don't know if that is correct.


So, the printer is on the network.......but I cannot print from my laptop to the printer via the Airport Extreme.


Is there a fix.....what should I do next.


I appreciate the quick reply to the initial email........

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User profile for user: Tesserax
Tesserax
User level: Level 10
158,208 points

Jan 21, 2012 2:08 PM in response to Mauiboy

Yes....everything is exactly as you said...... except the default gateway is 10.0.1.2.

Hmm. That doesn't seem right, but we can come back to it later. One other thing is you may want to consider using the printer's factory default reset. This may be a button or an option via the front panel. The goal is to get the printer back to its "out-of-the-box" configuration to see if it can negotiate successfully with the router for its IP information.


Where do I look to see which current driver I have?

Would it be someone on the printer status page? I would suspect that in addition to the Network status, your printer should also have an option to print out the overall printer status page that includes things like ink levels, serial number, etc.

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User profile for user: Mauiboy
Mauiboy Author
User level: Level 1
44 points

Jan 21, 2012 4:26 PM in response to Tesserax

Yes....... I have another Macbook that I use at work....... installed the software........ same problem.


Both laptops easily access the network and can get on the internet.


Since the Airport and printer have a solid connection....... and the laptops and Airport have a good connection......... is there a problem with the printer driver software communicating with the printer via the base station?

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User profile for user: Tesserax
Tesserax
User level: Level 10
158,208 points

Jan 21, 2012 4:38 PM in response to Mauiboy

is there a problem with the printer driver software communicating with the printer via the base station?

In this case the printer driver doesn't care whether the printer is connected by Ethernet or wireless, just that it is on the same network subnet at the computer trying to print to it. I assume that you can ping the printer from your computer correct? If so, then you have established that your computer can communicate with the printer and the issue is either with the driver's configuration or the driver itself.

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User profile for user: Tesserax
Tesserax
User level: Level 10
158,208 points

Jan 21, 2012 5:06 PM in response to Mauiboy

The easiest method to ping another device is via the Network Utility. You will find this utility in the /Applications/Utilities folder on your Mac. Run the Network Utility, and then, select the Ping tab. You would then enter the IP address of the printer, and then, click on the Ping button. If successful, you will see the results in the window below.


Please look at the following Mac OS X Tips article to get some more details on how to use this utility.

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User profile for user: Mauiboy
Mauiboy Author
User level: Level 1
44 points

Jan 21, 2012 5:17 PM in response to Tesserax

Hey Thanks......... I wlll do that....... So, I guess "Pinging" is just a way to see if there is a good connection between two devices?


I did a "software update" from Apple and found that there is an "Epson Printer Driver Update"...... so, that is interesting to say the least. Looks like Apple and Epson are doing some talking :-)


I will update you after the downloads and I update my system software..............

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User profile for user: Tesserax
Tesserax
User level: Level 10
158,208 points

Jan 21, 2012 8:07 PM in response to Mauiboy

Packets were sent.............. 0% packets received........

Unfortunately, this result is indicating that your Mac and the printer are NOT communicating with each other. At this point, it appears that the printer is still not accessing the network. If this printer has an Ethernet connection, I would suggest that you next step would be to temporarily connect it to the LAN port of the AEBS to see if it can be pinged from your computer now.

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User profile for user: Mauiboy
Mauiboy Author
User level: Level 1
44 points

Jan 22, 2012 6:53 PM in response to Tesserax

Well..........now I feel like an idiot 😊...... but, hopefully, this may help someone in the future from making the same mistake.


First, everything works now......I can print !!! I decided to trace my steps from the beginning and found that I had made a very simple mistake. I had mistakenly plugged the ethernet cord that goes from the DSL modem into the port on the back of my Airport designated for "computers and devices" not the "WAN port". Once I switched it back to the correct port.....everything worked fine. What is weird is that I could surf the net with it plugged in the wrong way......and the printer could access the network. I just couldn't print.


Tesserax, thanks for all your help......you assisted me in narrowing down the possibilities and making me ultimately go back to the beginning.

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Airport Network and Epson wireless printer

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