Strange printer problem

[jwboyd]

I have a good friend (Mac user) who lives across the hall from me at an assisted living facility (CrownPointe). We have free internet service (CrownPointemain), so he wants to disconnect from AT&T wireless to save money. Here is a brief description of his printer problems:

Am able to print from my iMac desktop computer to my Canon MX-922 printer when using CrownPointemain system.
Am unable to print from my iPad to the Canon MX-922 printer when using Crownpointemain system.
Am able to print from my iPad to the Canon MX-922 printer when on my AT&T router: ATTUNhB7i2
I would like to print from both (desktop and iPad) to Canon MX-922 printer using Crownpointemain only and discontinue ATT for cost reasons.

I have been unable to help him resolve this situation. If anyone out there wants to help, please email me a message here (My Messages) and I will send detailed info about his setup. Thanks to all.

[Xairbusdriver]

First, Joe, I deleted your email address. TS members can contact you via that and you can provide them with your addy that way. Bots may still harvest your address but you can at least limit how many “lurkers” see it.

Second, Is the Crownepoint network a cable or WiFi system?

[jwboyd]

WiFi, and it works fine with my iMac and all my other WiFi devices.

I keep "Printer Sharing" turned off on both of my printers (inkjet and laser). Even so, sometimes my neighbor's stuff prints out on my inkjet printer. We don't know why.

[Xairbusdriver]

If you are using WiFi, you can use "AirPrint" from any Apple device. That sounds like what you are doing when printing from your iPad. I use AirPrint to print to my wife's Brother laser printer. My wife also uses AirPint for printing to the Brother connected (USB) directly to her MBP.

I connect to my Canon ink jet via USB. It is then shared on the local WiFi Network.

Apparently, the last time I did a Security Update, I failed to check that the USB Canon was still listed/checked in the Printers & Scanners System Prefs. Thanks to you, it now is, which will make her happy.

Back to your problem...
Sometimes the list of Printers gets "confused" and thinks one of our two is busy/printing/etc. when it is not. The easiest fix for these non-Apple hardware devices is to just open System Prefs, select the "missing" Printer and delete it (using the minus button). Then turn around (once is usually enough, left or right is OK) and click the plus button and wait for the OS to "see" that Printer again.

I'm not sure of the settings/connections on your Canon, but I don't see any problem with Sharing it. You have several choices about sharing via the "Sharing" Pref. Enable "Printer Sharing". Look for it to show n the "Printers:" list. Decide who gets to use it in the "Users:" list just to the right. For Printers, you probably have only two choices: Everyone "Can Print" or "No Access".

I suspect that if your friend and you are both using CrownePointmain, he will be able to see your Canon, otherwise, he couldn't actually print to it. You can try using the "No Access" and see if that prevents him from printing, hopefully, he cannot (nor anyone else on the CrownePointman" network) even "see" the printer.

Just for info, how about a screen shot of your both your "Printers & Scanners" and your "Sharing" System Prefs windows. Might be good to see those same prefs from your friend. You may need more than one post to upload all four images but you can also reduce their sizes using Preview if you don't have any other graphics editing apps.

[jwboyd]

Thanks, Jim!

My friend told me at breakfast this morning that his printer problem is now solved and he can disconnect from AT&T.

Long live TeeEss!

[Xairbusdriver]

Great!! And the solution is...

BTW, how do you like CrownePoint?

[jwboyd]

Here is the information my friend gave me:

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I was able to print from my desktop using the Crownpointemain as well as my ATT router system. On my iPad-Pro, I was able to print using the ATT router, but was unable to print remotely from my iPad-Pro using Crownpointemain.

Here are the steps I took to solve my problem:

Printer to be “On”
Press Set-up on printer, press “OK”
Press Stop Red triangle inside circle ,
Select: Other set-up options , Press “OK”
Select; Advanced Set-up, Press “OK”
Select CrownPointemain, Press “OK”
Use Multiple Access Points, Press “OK”
Security Settings: Select WPA-PSK (TKIP), Press “OK”
Enter Passphrase: “crown2021”
Connecting to Access Point
Connected to Access Point

I eventually want to drop ATT altogether since Crownpointemain is free for the residents.

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I like CrownPointe very much. It is a good fit for me. They have seven facilities, six in Indiana and one in Michigan.

[Xairbusdriver]

I assume those steps were on the printer buttons/display?

I'm wondering about how you secure your hardware from others on the network. I assume you are using WiFi with at least WPA or WPA2? With everything behind a WiFi router, others should not be able to access your printer/computer without a password. They can see your network, but it should also show the "locked" icon.

I would also suggest you not have automatic log in on your Mac. Just makes it a bit more secure while you are not in your space. Also enable 'require password when sleeping' and have it sleep automatically after only a few (10?) minutes. Probably wouldn't hurt to have a list of your basic passwords in the Office safe?!

I'm happy for you! It is easy to find places that are mainly investments by equity companies. Avoid the ones you notice are getting new names (brands) every few years but are still using the same buildings.

The closer I get to "down-sizing" the more paranoid I'm becoming! Just had a new concrete driveway poured. Thought about making it five inches thick but decided even four inches will out last me! It does have micro-fiber (glass fiber) added to the mix, however.