We have more and more devices connected to the Internet. Previously we had computers that did not connect to the network of networks but now they do. One of them is the printer, currently many of them, except the most basic, will allow us to connect them to our router by Ethernet or WiFi network cable. This is going to give us a lot of new possibilities when it comes to having to print a document. It will no longer be necessary for us to have to use a computer to print. From that moment we will be able to print from a smartphone, a tablet and more. In this article we are going to talk about things you should know before setting up a network printer.
The first thing we are going to do is mention a series of factors that you should check in case a network printer does not work well. Then we’ll address IP and port issues, which are the ones that affect configuration.
If the printer doesn’t work, check this
In our homes it is more and more common to have a network printer, either WiFi or connected by Ethernet network cable. We can say that these types of printers are more versatile since we are not going to need any computer to act as an intermediary to print our documents.
One of the most typical failures that we can have are those related to the Wi-Fi connection problems. In that aspect we should take our time and review things calmly. A place where we could start would be the printer placementIn this regard, if we have it placed far from the router, the distance may be the problem and random outages may occur. The solution is that we have it placed in a place free of obstacles where it can receive the WiFi signal well. In addition, if necessary, we have to think about adding a Wi-Fi repeater or other similar network equipment so that the signal can reach it well.
On the other hand, if we have the printer connected by network wire we have to check that it is in good condition. On the other hand, if we have another network cable to test with, it would be good to do the test.
Another thing that we must take into account when we work by WiFi is the compatibility of the encryption of the router with that of our printer. For example, if our router is working with WPA3 encryption and our printer only supports an older version like WPA2-PSK, it won’t connect and they won’t be able to work together. As can be seen, if we do not have all the elements that allow communication within our LAN ready and well configured, we will not be able to use a network printer.
Things to keep in mind in the configuration
It should also be noted that we may have problems with the software. The first thing we have to do when we buy a network printer is install drivers to that computer so we can use it. Also, if after a while it gives us problems, what we have to do is update that driver. Sometimes with Windows updates they produce a series of changes that require a new driver. Therefore, if you haven’t updated the driver for a long time, it would be a good idea to go through the printer manufacturer’s website. On the other hand, it would also be a good idea if you don’t print to check if we have that printer as default on our Windows machine.
For a network printer to work properly, it needs a private IP. If, for example, we had two peers within our same local network, there would be a IP conflict and then neither of those two devices would work properly. In this regard, it would be very interesting to know the IP of your printer connected by Wi-Fi or cable.
At other times we may have faulty to WSD port. These use the WSD protocol which is designed for automatic control, discovery and configuration of a network printer. In reality, its management is not as good as, for example, TCP. That is why sometimes if you have problems it can be a good solution to change to the TCP protocol. Lastly, if you’re having issues like this, you can check here which ports to open on your printer.
