timlaprade
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: Can't connect a printer to Airport Express via Ethernet

I just had Fios installed in my restaurant this week and my receipt printers are unrecognizable by the Airport Expresses.   They're hooked up the same way they were with Comcast, all that changed was my Internet provider. 

I have an ActionTec Fios wireless router.  I then ran a hard reset on my Airport Expresses and then found them in my Wifi Settings.  I set them up to join the Fios wireless network.  They did, and it all shows in Airport Utility.  I then plug my Star TSP100 receipt printer at each register into an Express via Ethernet.  The green power light on the printer just flashes repeatedly, meaning it's not able to obtain an IP address thru the Express.  I run the printer report and this is verified by giving 0.0.0.0.0 for the IP.  This is how it was set up with Comcast (hardware wise), and it worked. 

It's not the printer that's at fault....because if I connect the printer directly to the Fios router via Ethernet, it works, and I can print from it.  I can't keep this setup, because the router is back in the prep area and I need a receipt printer up front at each register.  Since the printer works when it's hardwired into the router, Star Tech Support is of no help and says it's not their printer that's at fault. 

 

Thanks in advance!

Airport Express, iOS 8.2

Posted on Mar 27, 2015 8:57 AM

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timlaprade

Q: Can't connect a printer to Airport Express via Ethernet

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  • by Bob Timmons,

    Bob Timmons Bob Timmons Mar 27, 2015 9:20 AM in response to timlaprade
    Level 10 (105,243 points)
    Wireless
    Mar 27, 2015 9:20 AM in response to timlaprade

    Do you have a laptop with an Ethernet cable to run a quick test?

     

    If yes, turn off the wireless on the laptop and use a short, spare Ethernet cable to connect the laptop to the LAN <--> port on each Express.

     

    Restart both the main router and both Express devices, then check each Express to see if you can get a good Internet connection on the laptop that way.

     

    If you can, then you know that the network and AirPort Express is functioning correctly......and your troubleshooting must focus on the printer setup.


    If you cannot, then more troubleshooting will be necessary on the AirPort Expresses and / or Actiontec router.


    The bottom line......things will have to work correctly first with the test laptop......before you can connect the printers to the network.

  • by timlaprade,

    timlaprade timlaprade Mar 27, 2015 9:40 AM in response to Bob Timmons
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 27, 2015 9:40 AM in response to Bob Timmons

    That did not give me internet access on my laptop. 

     

    Thanks in advance for anymore suggestions. 

  • by Bob Timmons,

    Bob Timmons Bob Timmons Mar 27, 2015 9:52 AM in response to timlaprade
    Level 10 (105,243 points)
    Wireless
    Mar 27, 2015 9:52 AM in response to timlaprade

    The wireless security setting that the Actiontec modem/router is using may be different...and not compatible....than the setting that the Comcast product was using.

     

    If you think that might the case, and you have the time to troubleshoot......

     

    Temporarily, turn off the wireless security on the Actiontec modem/router

    Reset an AirPort Express back to default settings, then see if it will connect using no security and allow an Internet connection when you do the Ethernet port test in the post above again.

     

    If the AirPort Express cannot connect correctly using no security on the wireless network.....then it is a no brainer to know that it will never connect when security is enabled.  So, if the AirPort will not connect using no security, you may have an incompatibility issue between the Actiontec and Apple products.

     

    However, if the AirPort Express connects OK with no security, then this tells you that you will need to use a different setting for security on the Actiontec...the same that the Comcast router was using before.....so the Express will have a better chance of connecting.

     

    That setting would be something like WPA/WPA2 Personal, or the same setting stated another way would be WPA-PSK-TKIP.

  • by timlaprade,

    timlaprade timlaprade Mar 27, 2015 9:56 AM in response to Bob Timmons
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 27, 2015 9:56 AM in response to Bob Timmons

    Any idea how to turn off the security?  I logged into the Router IP address via the internet but I'm not exactly sure what I'm supposed to be changing and what I want the end result to be selected to.  Thanks.

  • by Bob Timmons,

    Bob Timmons Bob Timmons Mar 27, 2015 10:06 AM in response to timlaprade
    Level 10 (105,243 points)
    Wireless
    Mar 27, 2015 10:06 AM in response to timlaprade

    Sorry, I do not have an Actiontec product here to test, but there should be a page or tab for wireless, or wireless security.

     

    Once you are on the correct page, then there will be options to turn off or disable wireless security.

     

    All that you want to do at this time is temporarily turn off the wireless security for now, so you can see if the AirPort Express can connect that way, with no security.

     

    While you are on the wireless security settings page, take a look at the different options or settings that can be selected for wireless security.

     

    There will a number of them, something like

     

    WPA2 Personal

    WPA/WPA2 Personal

    WPA2-PSK-AES

    WPA-PSK-TKIP.

     

    The Express should work with any of the settings that you see above when it comes time to test with security.....assuming that Actiontec is not doing some kind of tweak, or using some other kind of custom setting. This does happen....all the time.

     

    You might want to contact Actiontec support to make sure that you get the right instructions on how to turn off the wireless security temporarily.

  • by timlaprade,

    timlaprade timlaprade Mar 27, 2015 10:11 AM in response to Bob Timmons
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 27, 2015 10:11 AM in response to Bob Timmons

    I'll probably have to call Actiontec.  There's no straightforward way to turn it off completely, only to choose from those choices you gave.  I did find a setting under Firewall to change the IPv4 to minimal security and that wouldn't even let me set up the Airport Express.  I then changed that back to Standard Security and it let me connect the Express to the network again. 

  • by Bob Timmons,

    Bob Timmons Bob Timmons Mar 27, 2015 10:30 AM in response to timlaprade
    Level 10 (105,243 points)
    Wireless
    Mar 27, 2015 10:30 AM in response to timlaprade

    If it turns out that there really is no way to disable wireless security, then we are kind of stuck.

     

    If that is the case, then all that you can do is try different security settings using trial and error to see if one will allow the Express to connect correctly. The order of preference would be......

     

    WPA2 Personal, also known as WPA2-PSK-AES

     

    WPA/WPA2 Personal, also known as WPA-PSK-TKIP

     

    You know that the Express devices were working with the Comcast router, and I suppose there is always a possibility that the Expresses have failed, but the chances of two products both failing at the same time are extremely small.

     

    You were able to get a green light before on both Expresses when you set them up with the Actiontec, correct?