wireless and can't print

[bhoward]

I am using Vista. I have wireless connection, yet my printer will no longer
print from my laptop. What do I need to do to have the printer print from
my laptop using wireless connection?
My laptop shows I am not connected to the wireless service, yet I am able to
search the internet, which is obvious since I am at this site. I wonder if
this is why the laptop and printer are not communicating?

 

[Malke]

I am using Vista. I have wireless connection, yet my printer will no
longer
print from my laptop. What do I need to do to have the printer print
from my laptop using wireless connection?
My laptop shows I am not connected to the wireless service, yet I am able
to
search the internet, which is obvious since I am at this site. I wonder
if this is why the laptop and printer are not communicating?

Offhand, it sounds to me like you are possibly connecting to someone else's
wireless network. This would explain why the resources on your *own* Local
Area Network aren't available.

This can happen if you didn't change your own wireless network name (SSID)
to something memorable but just left it at the default, such as "Linksys".
Lots of people do this so it is completely possible to have two "Linksys"
wireless networks in the same area. If you think this could be the case,
you should change your wireless settings since you aren't set up securely.
Here's my general wireless setup information:

*****
Have a computer connected to the router with an ethernet cable. Examples
given are for a Linksys router. Refer to your router manual or the router
mftr.'s website for default settings if you don't have a Linksys. Open a
browser such as Internet Explorer or Firefox and in the addressbar type:

http://192.168.1.1 [enter] (this is the router's default IP address, which
varies from router to router so check your manual)

This will bring you to router's login screen. The default username is left
blank and the Linksys default password is "admin" without the quotes. Enter
that information. You are now in the router's configuration utility. Your
configuration utility may differ slightly from mine.

Click on the Administration link at the top of the page. Enter your new
password. WRITE IT DOWN SOMEWHERE YOU WILL NOT LOSE IT. Re-enter the
password to confirm it and click the Save Settings button at the bottom of
the page. The router will restart and present you with the login box again.
Leave the username blank and put in your new password to get back into the
configuration utility.

Now click on the Wireless link at the top of the page. Change the Wireless
Network Name (SSID) from the default to something you will recognize. I
suggest that my clients not use their family name as the SSID. For example,
you might wish to name your wireless network "CastleAnthrax" or the
like. ;-)

Click the Save Settings and when you get the prompt that your changes were
successful, click on the Wireless Security link which is right next to the
Basic Wireless Settings link (where you changed your SSID). If you have a
newish computer, you will be able to set the Security Mode to
WPA2-Personal. Do that and enter a passphrase. The passphrase is what you
will enter on any computers that are allowed to connect to the wireless
network. WRITE IT DOWN SOMEWHERE YOU WILL NOT LOSE IT.

At this point, your router is configured and if the computer you were using
to configure the router is normally going to connect wirelessly, disconnect
the ethernet cable and the computer's wireless feature should see your new
network. Enter the passphrase you created to join the network and start
surfing.
****

If this doesn't fit your situation, post back with details of your
connection, your router, what changed between the time things worked and
the time they didn't, etc.

Malke

 

[bhoward]

Thank you for the information. Before I start trying to fix this problem, I
thought I woud let you know Belkin is my wireless router. Nothing has
changed since it was installed. The Geek Squad from Best Buy set vverything
up. I do remember one other time when the printer would not print from my
laptop. Best Buy sent someone out and fixed whatever was wrong, or blocking
the signal to the printer. Best Buy will charge me if they come out again.
I would like to try and fix this myself. At times, a message will come up
about needing administrator's permission. I am the administrator. I am very
frustrated not being able to print, when I have not changed anything.

I am using Vista. I have wireless connection, yet my printer will no
longer
print from my laptop. What do I need to do to have the printer print
from my laptop using wireless connection?
My laptop shows I am not connected to the wireless service, yet I am able
to
search the internet, which is obvious since I am at this site. I wonder
if this is why the laptop and printer are not communicating?

Offhand, it sounds to me like you are possibly connecting to someone else's
wireless network. This would explain why the resources on your *own* Local
Area Network aren't available.

This can happen if you didn't change your own wireless network name (SSID)
to something memorable but just left it at the default, such as "Linksys".
Lots of people do this so it is completely possible to have two "Linksys"
wireless networks in the same area. If you think this could be the case,
you should change your wireless settings since you aren't set up securely.
Here's my general wireless setup information:

*****
Have a computer connected to the router with an ethernet cable. Examples
given are for a Linksys router. Refer to your router manual or the router
mftr.'s website for default settings if you don't have a Linksys. Open a
browser such as Internet Explorer or Firefox and in the addressbar type:

http://192.168.1.1 [enter] (this is the router's default IP address, which
varies from router to router so check your manual)

This will bring you to router's login screen. The default username is left
blank and the Linksys default password is "admin" without the quotes. Enter
that information. You are now in the router's configuration utility. Your
configuration utility may differ slightly from mine.

Click on the Administration link at the top of the page. Enter your new
password. WRITE IT DOWN SOMEWHERE YOU WILL NOT LOSE IT. Re-enter the
password to confirm it and click the Save Settings button at the bottom of
the page. The router will restart and present you with the login box again.
Leave the username blank and put in your new password to get back into the
configuration utility.

Now click on the Wireless link at the top of the page. Change the Wireless
Network Name (SSID) from the default to something you will recognize. I
suggest that my clients not use their family name as the SSID. For example,
you might wish to name your wireless network "CastleAnthrax" or the
like. ;-)

Click the Save Settings and when you get the prompt that your changes were
successful, click on the Wireless Security link which is right next to the
Basic Wireless Settings link (where you changed your SSID). If you have a
newish computer, you will be able to set the Security Mode to
WPA2-Personal. Do that and enter a passphrase. The passphrase is what you
will enter on any computers that are allowed to connect to the wireless
network. WRITE IT DOWN SOMEWHERE YOU WILL NOT LOSE IT.

At this point, your router is configured and if the computer you were using
to configure the router is normally going to connect wirelessly, disconnect
the ethernet cable and the computer's wireless feature should see your new
network. Enter the passphrase you created to join the network and start
surfing.
****

If this doesn't fit your situation, post back with details of your
connection, your router, what changed between the time things worked and
the time they didn't, etc.

Malke

 

[Malke]

Thank you for the information. Before I start trying to fix this problem,
I
thought I woud let you know Belkin is my wireless router. Nothing has
changed since it was installed. The Geek Squad from Best Buy set
vverything
up. I do remember one other time when the printer would not print from my
laptop. Best Buy sent someone out and fixed whatever was wrong, or
blocking
the signal to the printer. Best Buy will charge me if they come out
again.
I would like to try and fix this myself. At times, a message will come up
about needing administrator's permission. I am the administrator. I am
very frustrated not being able to print, when I have not changed anything.

Well, the Geek Squad is pretty dreadful so I can't possibly guess how they
set you up. The instructions I gave you are general instructions and are
applicable whether you have a Linksys, Netgear, Belkin, etc. You need to
read your Belkin manual or go to Belkin's website if you didn't get a
manual.

Unfortunately, I can't see your network setup from here and without any
actual error messages (quoted, not approximated), knowledge of security
software installed, etc. I can't guess at your problem. I applaud your
desire to fix this yourself but if you want troubleshooting help you're
going to need to provide exact details.

1. Does the problem occur on all devices connecting wirelessly or just one?
Perhaps there is only one, your laptop.

2. Enter your router's configuration utility as previously described and
make a note of what encryption you are using and the passphrase (encryption
key). Make sure you aren't using MAC address filtering. Make sure you have
changed your SSID, etc. from the default as I previously described.

3. On the computer(s) with the problem, what antivirus/security/firewall
software is installed?

4. Check your printer's IP address and subnet and make a note of it. Refer
to your printer manual (or printer mftr.'s website) for how to do this.

5. On the problem computer(s), look at the IP configuration by:

Start>Search>type:cmd
When cmd appears in the Results above, right-click and choose "run as
Administrator". The command line box will appear. At the command prompt
type: ipconfig /all [enter]

Make sure the IP address is in the same subnet as the router; i.e. if your
router is 192.168.2.1, all devices on the Local Area Network need to be
192.168.2.xxx (where "xxx" represents some numbers).

Malke