Printer(s) problem: Read = No printing, no how

[cdub1988]

RHP-

Don't use iChat myself, but we can setup a chat if iChat will support AIM addresses and you had one......I've got an AIM screen name or MSN......

Just let me know.

Chris

[RHPConsult]

Just sent you a PM.

RHP

[RHPConsult]

Multi-problem solution found . . . in the likeliest/unlikeliest place (choose one)

For the past couple of weeks our LAN has been experiencing a variety of inconsistent, episodic problems, about which I have posted herein, and on which several TeeEssers have generously offered sage advice. These problems ultimately affected printing, on-line connections, mail in/out, etc. etc. apparently even iChatting/iSighting, on 3 different computers (iMacIntel, iMac G-6; AluminumPB) each running an apparently well-maintained 10.4.9

Over the last 36 hours, the problems became near-totally debilitating, so that I called AppleCare 3 times - primarily on why our 3-month old Apple Extreme Base Station would not maintain proper settings for our LAN. Finally, I was told to take it to the Genius Bar @ the Burlingame Apple Store, for testing and possible replacement.

Over 90 minutes or so, The Resident Genius there tried to break it. No luck: reconfigured twice - no problem; connected to the Apple network no problem; downloaded a BIG file - no problem. So back home “we” came. I decided it was clean-up time of the physical desktop, hereabouts. I have been checking connections so often in the past 10 days that both equipment and cables were, well, askew.

Everything's clean and neat, now. Cables labeled, coiled etc. etc. Oh yes, the connectors on the 18" ethernet cable between the Comcast modem and the AEBS seemed not to fit as snugly as the other jacks of various sorts. It has those rubberized doohickeys (technical term) covering the tangs on the jacks). Losing pliability (I surmise) meant that the tang was not “permitted always to fully seat itself in the port. Bingo!

Before you say anything . . . “Of course, I checked the cables several times during this ordeal. What I didn’t do was check to see that apparent snugness-of-fit was accompanied by the “click” of the jack-in-the-port”  

So, however/whatever the combination of factors in the Base Station's connection to the cable modem, they apparently produced a deterioration in router (and LAN) effectiveness that messed over most everything else

I really do thank everyone for their valuable effort and suggestions.  

[sandbox]

Leave it to a Californian to think up a new recipe

jack-in-the-port

Jack Danials & Port Wine
old #7 and something tasty from Napa perhaps?  

http://www.intowine.com/port.html

[RHPConsult]

Neglected to mention one thing I found interesting in my several resets of the A-extreme-BS and A-express-BS. Learned this from the last AppleCare operative in Sacramento I encountered, one smart guy named "Rosendo".

Airport Utility has a brief series of rather illuminating pages for the task. When in the first screen your airport devices appear in icon form (on the left), clicking on an icon takes you into "Manual" as opposed to "no-brainer/semi-automatic'. We found that the "Manual" mode picked-up some nuances of settings that the "automatic" overlooked/forgot/failed to record whatever. It required a few more minutes, but then you knew the job was done absolutely right - happy green lights all around.

Just a suggestion.



PS: SB. What Californian?

[sandbox]

QUOTE

What Californian

 

You know, The Californian, that was in the vicinity of Titanic just before Titanic hit the iceberg. I’ll bet they could have used some of that Californian Port.

[Xairbusdriver]

Reading through some older macosxhints, I came across yet another way to delete/eliminate printer 'queues'. I dare say it's a rather large "hammer" to use on this small problem and has some consequences you should be aware of before 'hitting' anything with it! Open Printer Setup Utility. In it's 'title' menu is an item benignly named "Reset Printing System...". That elipsis is a good clue that something important follows! Unfortunately, it's what is not displayed that may surprise you.

If you elect to delete any/all 'queues' in this manner, you may find that all your printers are missing and will need to be replaced. But, at least those 'sticky' queues will be history! ;P

[RHPConsult]

I had also used "Reset" in Printer Set-Up, near the end of my thrashing about trying to discover a solution(s).

Somehow, the combination of replacing the cable with one with "snugger-jacks" (new technical category), and using manual procedures in Airport Utility did the trick?

No goat sacrifice necessary, apparently.

Just back in town after happily witnessing our granddaughter's graduation from UCSB and everything is whizzing along . . . really discernible.