Can't Print to Canon MF8050cn via Airport Express

The USB port on the Airport Express is causing the problem for the CMFP driver. This driver cannot be used when the printer is connected to the USB port of any Airport product.

But with the MF8050cn having an Ethernet network port, my recommendation would be to use an Ethernet cable between the printer and the Airport Express. You will need to check that the printer obtains an appropriate IP address for your network - it is defaulted to do this automatically but you will need to check that it works. Once that it does have the correct IP address you can remove the previous WiFi printer and add this new Ethernet connected printer. Note that it uses Bonjour for network connections to the printer should appear in the Default Add Printer.

frustr8ed8 wrote:

knowing that the printer hookup via USB to airport express did work at one time on older hardware and older software/OS/driver, does your answer above still apply?

I cannot explain how that was working. I've never been able to get the Canon UFR2 driver to work when the printer is connected to the USB port of an Airport device or 3rd party print server. And Apple does state that the USB port of the Airport device does not support bidirectional communication, and this is what the UFR2 driver relies on to function correctly. So I do still believe that for you to get this working you need to use Ethernet instead of USB.

frustr8ed8 wrote:

new problem though, i tried adding the wireless printer to my husband's mac air but it doesn't detect the printer. how do i allow him to print wirelessly too?

The setup should be the same as you Mac. If this Mac Air is also running 10.7, then with Print & Scan open and you selecting to add the printer and then with the Default Add Printer view selected, the MF8050 should be seen. If the printer is not visible, then there could be an application on his MB Air that is blocking the Bonjour protocol.

But you don't have to add the printer using the Default Add Printer. If you can determine the IP address the printer has acquired then you can add the MF8050 by opening Print & Scan and selecting to add, but then selecting the IP icon. From the new menu, select the LPD protocol and then enter the IP address of the MF. The Queue name can be left blank, the Name changed to something more meaningful than the IP address and the Location left blank. Then in the Print Using menu you can browse for the MF8050 UFRII driver.

If you need help with locating the IP address used by the MF then please reply.

On the control panel of the MF8050 use the following steps to determine the IP address.

Press the Menu button

Press the Arrow Down button 8 times until you get to System Settings. Press OK

You will see TCP/IP Settings. Press OK

You will see IPv4 Settings. Press OK

You will see IP Address Settings. Press OK

Press the Arrow Down button 2 times until you see View Settings. Press OK

Press the Arrow Down button once to show IP Address. Press OK

This will show the IP address the MF8050 is using. Write this down. Now you can press the Cancel/STOP button to exit the View Settings menu.

With this IP address you can create a printer on the Mac by selecting to add a printer and then selecting the IP icon. Change the protocol menu to Line Printer Daemon and then enter the IP address. Leave the Queue Name blank and look for the MF8050 in the Print Using menu. Click OK when found and then click Add to complete the new printer creation. Now see if you can print to it.