Airport Extreme: regular print disconnection

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Level 4

1,718 points

Airport Extreme: regular print disconnection

I have an Airport Extreme, 2008 series, running 7.6.1. Over the last two week I have witness regular print problems. Initially, printers (HP P1005 and HP 2460 connected via a USB hub) began to not be recognized from time to time, yesterday this became constant. The workaround is simple: unplug power and replug, wait for a minute or so, print works. Then, several minutes later, again lost. Unplug power, replug, works.

Initially I thought there was something connected to the last HP printer driver, posted end of October, but now I think it may be something with the Airport router. I reset it, the same. Chose channel manually, no change.

Is this a symptom of a defective router? Repairing it seems useless after so many years. Internet connection is OK, though, just print is tantalizing. Even if the workaround is simple, I find it unacceptable. Is there a way to test whether this AirPort has an issue with USB printer connection?

Any help appreciated.

Posted on Dec 8, 2012 11:34 AM

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Answer 1

John Galt

Level 10

141,126 points

Dec 8, 2012 11:43 AM in response to Cattus Thraex

The first thing I would do is bypass the hub and connect the printer directly to the AEBS. The hub could be underpowered for the printers you are using, and there really is no way to determine if this is the cause without substituting one known to work. (You must use a powered hub.)

The KB article for the October printer update indicates updated drivers for the P1005 so it is possible for it to be related. If it is, I think the problem would remain even after you bypass the hub. That would also point to the Extreme as potentially at fault but intermittent problems such as you describe are rare.

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Answer 2

Cattus Thraex Author

Level 4

1,718 points

Dec 8, 2012 12:08 PM in response to John Galt

I forgot to add some details:

- connected one printer, then the other, without the USB hub; the hub is OK. Otherwise, that very hub has been the same for years, but it is good. Definitely, the problem is NOT the hub.

- I also used a powered hub, the same.

All I can do now is a hard reset of the router, for the time being I have tried simple reset.

P.S. To that very hub there also was connected, not now, an external drive. Those three devices went together for years. Therefore, using a powered USB hub is not necessary, as none of these devices takes power from USB port, all are powered independently.

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Answer 3

John Galt

Level 10

141,126 points

Dec 8, 2012 12:47 PM in response to Cattus Thraex

A "hard reset" is a good idea. Sometimes it fixes problems that can't otherwise be fixed.

Cattus Thraex wrote:

P.S. To that very hub there also was connected, not now, an external drive. Those three devices went together for years. Therefore, using a powered USB hub is not necessary, as none of these devices takes power from USB port, all are powered independently.

Be careful with that, since Apple specifically indicates a powered hub is a requirement:

Uses for the USB port of Time Capsule, AirPort Extreme, AirPort Express

AirPort Extreme 802.11n

Single self-powered USB hard disk
Single powered USB printer directly into the USB port, or several printers connected to the base station via a powered USB hub
Using a powered USB hub you may connect several hard disks and/or printers

The fact devices connected to the hub have their own power supplies to operate them is not relevant, and is specifically indicated in the above limitations. A unpowered hub may work, but it is not guaranteed. Keep in mind that even powered hubs have power limitations - you have to research its specifications to determine what it is.

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Answer 4

Cattus Thraex Author

Level 4

1,718 points

Dec 8, 2012 1:00 PM in response to John Galt

John, you are—of course—right, in the sense that a powered hub cannot make any harm. Nevertheless that non-powered hub worked for years with two printers and a powered external drive.

For the time being the hard reset seems to have solved the issue, but I had the same impression after previous attempts, which resulted into the same result several hours later.

I connected one printer only directly to the AirPort USB port. It works for now. If it will work tomorrow morning as well, it means the problem has been solved. In previous days, printer connection was interrupted very short after unplugging and replugging power.

The next step is to attach the second printer via the same non-powered USB hub, as it has worked for years, it should work now as well. If not, I will connect via a powered hub, as I did the other day, and did not solve the issue.

The interim conclusion is that a hard reset may solve this type of issues, but a final answer will be available after testing for some days.

I have never understood why Apple put one USB port only in such a big device, after all. For years, it worked with 2 printers and an external 250 GB drive via an unpowered USB hub, even if a powered hub would have been recommended, of course. AirPort Extreme is a piece of a jewelry, bar that unique USB port.

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Answer 5

John Galt

Level 10

141,126 points

Dec 8, 2012 1:18 PM in response to Cattus Thraex

Cattus Thraex wrote:

... I have never understood why Apple put one USB port only in such a big device, after all.

Because all designs have limitations.

even if a powered hub would have been recommended

It is not a recommendation, it is a requirement. The fact it worked for you in the past is interesting but ultimately irrrelevant. It is conceivable that doing so damaged the Extreme, though I think that is unlikely.

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Answer 6

Cattus Thraex Author

Level 4

1,718 points

Dec 8, 2012 1:24 PM in response to John Galt

I was also amazed that that unpowered hub worked, but my guess is that a powered one is recommended as a must has a simple reason: if someone connects 1-2 printers and other 1-2 unpowered devices like a USB flash drive or a USB-powered 2.5 '' external drive, those will lead to non-function, of course, and users may accuse Apple of a bad product. Consequently, the technical recommendation is ‘use a powered USB hub’, as this covers all instances, when mandatory and non-mandatory as well.

So far, it works with 3 macs around, including a 1.33 PPC PowerBook running Leopard.

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