Cannot add a scanner in System Preferences>Printers & Scanners

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Level 1

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Cannot add a scanner in System Preferences>Printers & Scanners

Have recently set up a 4th Gen Time Capsule as a hub with my printer attached (Canon Pixma MG5350). To set this up I had to delete and re-install this, the default Printer (I have 2 others for other locations) and the Scanner (the only scanner).

The Printer loaded back onto the dialogue pane fine, but it no longer has a Scanner heading, and therefore I cannot add the driver to this.

It all worked fine connected directly to the Mac Book Pro (but of course won't now - it cannot find the printer) but not through the TC.

I can open the scanner app (and have tried downloading all the relevant new software from Canon for OS 10.9 Mavericks), but nothing there helped. The printer/scanner is there, correctly wired to hub and wireless to Mac) but I cannot use the scanning application.

Bemused beyond belief!

Would appreciate help!

Ian

MacBook Pro

Posted on Feb 26, 2014 5:50 AM

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Answer 1

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PAHU

Level 6

16,705 points

Feb 26, 2014 4:01 PM in response to icmwardlaw

If you have the MG connected to the TC via USB, which I believe is what you are saying, then you cannot use the scanner function. This is due to limitations with the USB port on the Apple wireless device - happens with the Airport Extreme and Express also. Here's an Apple article documenting this limitation.

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Answer 2

icmwardlaw Author

Level 1

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Feb 27, 2014 12:15 AM in response to PAHU

Thanks - it does seem to be this situation (and yes, I connect my printer/scanner to the TC via USB), but what a ridiculous state of affairs. Almost all printers are also scanners these days! Is there any way round this?

Further, why has my Scanner section gone from my Printers & Scanners dailogue pane? How do I get it back? If the worst comes to the worst and I have to stop trying to print wirelessly, I still am unable to scan at all - the scanning app is there and opens, just the scanner cannot be recognised either connected direct to the USB port on the Mac or via wirelessTC connection anyway.

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Answer 3

PAHU

Level 6

16,705 points

Feb 27, 2014 1:34 AM in response to icmwardlaw

icmwardlaw wrote:

Is there any way round this?

Not using the USB port of the TC. If you had an All In One that has built-in WiFi or Ethernet then you would be able to network scan.

icmwardlaw wrote:

Further, why has my Scanner section gone from my Printers & Scanners dailogue pane? How do I get it back?

Try removing the current MG5350 from Printers & Scanners. Then install the ICA scanner driver and then connect the MG directly to the Mac via USB.

icmwardlaw wrote:

I still am unable to scan at all - the scanning app is there and opens, just the scanner cannot be recognised either connected direct to the USB port on the Mac

If you are talking about the Canon scanning application, MP Navigator, then you must have the MG5350 scanner driver installed. With this driver you don't get a Scan tab as shown below. You will only get this tab with the ICA driver.

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