Why does my iMac and MacAir sporadically recognize the printer?

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Why does my iMac and MacAir sporadically recognize the printer?

I have had trouble with my iMac recognizing the printer. It often say "idle". I etiher had to turn the printer off and restart, or open the untilities and go to the webpage to get it to recognize and print. I thought it was my HP printer. But I just installed a brand new Canon MX922 and it's doing the same thing.

It worked fine after first installed and then the next day I went to print and it said it can't find the printer. I made sure the Share with Network box was clicked. And then ran an LAN test page. After that it started printing again.

After a few hours of being idle, I went to print and now can't get it to connect.

Help!!!

iMac, Mac OS X (10.7.5)

Posted on May 21, 2014 8:09 PM

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Answer 1

braden85

Community Specialist

May 24, 2014 12:45 PM in response to needhelp285

Hi needhelp285!

I have an article for you that outlines the troubleshooting steps for addressing printing issues in OS X:

Troubleshooting printer issues in OS X

http://support.apple.com/kb/ts3147

USB printers and Bonjour-enabled network printers

Follow these steps until the issue is addressed:

Make sure that the printer is powered on, has ink / toner, and that there are no alerts on the printer’s control panel. Note: If you cannot clear an alert on the printer's control panel, stop here and check the printer's documentation or contact the manufacturer for support.

Ensure the printer is properly connected to a USB port on the Mac or AirPort base station / Time Capsule. If the printer is a network-capable printer, make sure that it is properly connected to your home network.

Use Software Update to find and install the latest available updates. If an update is installed, see if the issue persists.

Open the Print & Scan pane or Print & Fax (Snow Leopard) pane in System Preferences.

Delete the affected printer, then add the printer again.

If the issue persists, try these additional steps:

Reset the printing system, then add the printer again.

If the issue still persists, reset the printing system again. Download and install your printer's drivers. Then, add the printer again.

Contact the printer vendor or visit their website for further assistance.

Thanks for being a part of the Apple Support Communities!

Cheers,

Braden

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