topic Re: Another computer is using the printer in Printer Software & Networking

PIXMA MG6450 Another computer is using the printer

Yatesy1990 — Tue, 13 Jun 2023 13:18:44 GMT

Up to now we've printed ok but yesterday our Windows 8 laptops report that "Another computer is using the prnter". We have a Canon MG6450 printer; ona wireless network. We have rebooted our laptops; the router; and switched off printer but to no avail. Any other suggestions ?

Another computer is using the printer.
The following status is the usage status of that computer.
---
Creating print data

A follow up query is why is there a need to register is the need to send email docs to [Email address removed in accordance with forum guidelines] to get printed ? It is both time consuming, over elaborate and completely unnecessary to use a "Print from E-mail" service and " to complete the printer owner registration".

Re: Another computer is using the printer

BardofL — Thu, 06 Feb 2014 02:02:08 GMT

I now have the same problem with my new Canon Maxima MG7120.

I am trying to print to it from my laptop running windows 8.1 pro and from a desktop running Windows 7 Ultimate.

What gives!!!!

Re: Another computer is using the printer

BardofL — Thu, 06 Feb 2014 02:38:16 GMT

The error message is as follows:

Another computer is using the printer.
The following status is the usage status of that computer.
---
Creating print data.
Ink is running low. View the ink details.

I changed the ink tank that was out but that didn't help. Do I need to change all the low tanks?

Re: Another computer is using the printer

BardofL — Thu, 06 Feb 2014 03:47:16 GMT

Changing all the ink tanks that were out or low did the trick.
Now it seems to work again. Just another crazy uninformative error message.

Re: Another computer is using the printer

mtRoom — Sat, 15 Mar 2014 16:59:48 GMT

Same topic here:

http://forums.usa.canon.com/t5/Wireless-Networking/mx-922-often-says-quot-another-computer-is-using-this-printer/td-p/42785

Re: Another computer is using the printer

LindaK — Wed, 07 May 2014 21:40:39 GMT

Does anyone know the solution? Very frustrating!

Re: Another computer is using the printer

Jath — Sat, 24 May 2014 23:18:48 GMT

Yes, I suddenly starting have the exact same problem on my MG7100, which had been working fine until a few days ago. Have tried the same things as others here to no avail. Very frustrating.

Re: Another computer is using the printer

fliphunter — Sun, 01 Jun 2014 22:36:53 GMT

I had the same symptom for the first time today with a MG5520, probably applies to other models. the Firmware is up to date.

I have 3 computers that can print to the printer from the wifi network in my house and a few others that print via Google Cloud Print from outside my home network. After several trial an error attempts to resolve the issue, I discovered taht If I connect to the printer via the USB cable and then use the wifi setup page of the printer I was able to diable WSD support whcih allowed me to print via USB. Prior to disabling WSD, I could not print via USB either, apparently the printer had a stuck print job that it would not let go of.

By disabling WSD it more or less gave up on that print job stream, but it will fail again if you simply enable it again.

I not 100% sure which of these next steps are necessary, but it did fix my scenario.

1) conect via USB to the printer ( still can't print )

2) use the printer web interface located at it's wifi address on your network, if you don't what it is you may have to dig around in your router's DHCP list of connected devices.

3) use a web Browser to that address, click network configuration in the lower left hand corner.

4) click advanced in the lower right corner

5) click Other settings on the left

6) select the disable option on the WSD setting and click OK at the top of the screen, once the operation completes you can print via USB

7) change the name of the printer on the same Other settings page, has to be unique...

😎 re-enable WSD and click OK.

At this point you can use the standard Canon utilities installed on the computer with the USB connection to associate the Wifi printer and other computers on the netowrk can do the same.

I did not have to re-install the drivers, but it was almost as bad as that... Time will tell how long until it happens again.

Hope someone can benefit from this solution.

Re: Another computer is using the printer

oneintheeye — Mon, 14 Jul 2014 17:15:40 GMT

Hi There

I hope this fixes your problem too. We had the same issue and its seems to be related to a Canon App which you need to dowload for your printer from the Windows App Store.

I found the issue by

1) Going to the cog which I think is settings tile in the Metro Interface

2) Then going to Devices

3) Then going to printers which shows your canon printer, one note printer and xps printer.

I think I hovered over the canon and beneath was a box which said get app. Fearing nothing to lose I did and it went to the Windows App store and took a minute or two to download the app. Now I can print again!!!

Before doing the above you may want to open the printer in control panels and delete all the previous failed print docs.

Canon/Microsoft but please let your customers know if they now need and app to make their purchases work. We phoned the Canon support line and the lady had no idea how to fix this yet it appears to be a Canon fix.

Good luck!

Re: Another computer is using the printer

wizard_chef — Sun, 30 Nov 2014 18:37:23 GMT

This seems to be a pretty common problem that Canon does not seem interested in addressing. I use my MX472 with two laptops and a Mac desktop. After printing from one computer I have to unplug the Canon printer for several seconds and plug it back in to print from another machine. This tells me that the Canon software is not releasing the printer properly, or there is a bug in the printing software of one of the machines I am printing from.

Unplugging and re-plugging the printer is not an acceptable solution. Has anyone been able to isolate where the problem is and how to fix it? Solutions on this thread are either shotgun or I am not able to follow the instructions because apparently the operating system is different from mine.

Re: Another computer is using the printer

DaBoss — Sun, 07 Dec 2014 18:25:25 GMT

I solved my problem on the MG5520 using Windows 8.1 stuck with the "used by another computer" error!

I noticed in my settings (computer settings - devices - printers) that there are two Canon printers listed - make sure you DO NOT select the printer that ends in "WS" when trying to print a document. EX: "Canon MG5500 series printer" vs "Canon MG5500 series printer WS".

If you have any print jobs pending in that queue for that printer ending with "WS", then you will need to cancel all pending print jobs under the "WS" labeled printer before it will allow any other print job to be performed.

Next, when you go to print a document, make sure you select the correct printer (without "WS" at the end).

This cleared up the "being used by another computer" error, and I didn't have to uninstall or reinstall any drivers or disable any wireless settings or use a USB cable!

I was so happy that I even took the stupid half hour to register an account with Canon so I could share my solution to this annoying problem. And now I know that I should inform my wife to not print anything on the wrong printer queue anymore!

I hope this saves someone from the frustration I felt.

Here is a more discriptive walkthrough for technologically challenged individuals:

*This first part s not actually necessary - it is just to show you that there are two DIFFERENT print queues

Step 1:

Get into your PC settings menu. If you don't know how to get there, then go to your Apps screen and use the Search feature by typing in "settings". The first thing to pop up should be PC Settings (click on that).

Next, you have to select "PC and Devices" to the left of the screen

Then you want to select "Devices" to the let of the screen

There you will see a list of devices installed on your computer, and you should see two Canon printers (one ending in WS). EX: "Canon MG5500 series printer" vs "Canon MG5500 series printer WS"

Step 2:

Log into each user profile on your computer and check the print queues to see who is trying to print on the "WS" printer queue.

You can see the print queue by clicking on the little triangle in the bottom right of your screen, then clicking on the little printer icon.

If there are pending print jobs, cancel ALL of them for each user account on your computer.

Step 3:

Once all print queues are clear, try printing a document and be sure to select the printer WITHOUT "WS" at the end of the name and it should work!

Good luck!

Re: Another computer is using the printer

zunichi — Tue, 16 Dec 2014 07:22:13 GMT

I've had this "another computer is using the printer" problem for like almost a year now with no solution whatsoever. But your advice actually did the trick!! Thanks!! I will refer this advice to another post I posted on.

Re: Another computer is using the printer

engelbert — Fri, 30 Jan 2015 21:27:22 GMT

I had the same problem today. I went to the
Control Panel>> View devices and printers
then I right clicked on the Canon printer and removed it. Then I went to" Add a printer". Searched for the printer again and added it back.
All good now. Hope this helps

Re: Another computer is using the printer

zunichi — Fri, 30 Jan 2015 23:01:43 GMT

I did that before but after you restart the computer, the same problem goes back. If that happened to you too, I'd suggest doing the method by "DaBoss" which is also in this thread.

Re: Another computer is using the printer

susie-q — Tue, 24 Feb 2015 16:54:59 GMT

When I tried the answer from "DABoss" I had to cnnect to the usb cable. Once that was connected i could print off of my desktop. But if the usb is not connected it will not print. So I tried deleting and adding it back which did not work. I still need to connect with the usb. I also have a windows 7 laptop that is getting the message "another computeris using the printer" -- i didn't delete anything on it so I still get that message. Any other ideas?

Re: Another computer is using the printer

Danny — Tue, 24 Feb 2015 17:02:13 GMT

Hi, susie-q!

So that the Community can help you better, we will need to know exactly which Canon printer model you're using. That, and any other details you'd like to give will help the Community better understand your issue!

If this is a time-sensitive matter, our US-based technical support team is standing by, ready to help 24/7 via Email at http://bit.ly/EmailCanon or by phone at 1-800-OK-CANON (1-800-652-2666) weekdays between 10 AM and 10 PM ET (7 AM to 7 PM PT).

Thanks and have a great day!

Re: Another computer is using the printer

susie-q — Tue, 24 Feb 2015 19:14:52 GMT

I have the MG5420. I believe I fixed it now. I reset the WLAN as if it was a new printer and i printed from my windows 7 laptop. I had to print 4 pages and they came, but ever so slowly. i got a message that said Printer is not responding but I just waited and it finally finished the four pages. I am hoping the problem is corrected now. thank-you for your response.

Re: Another computer is using the printer

Rowboat — Sun, 31 May 2015 14:40:29 GMT

I had the same problem MG3500 series. I have windows 7. I deleted all cannon printers. Then clicked on add printer. My computer found my printer and then installed it. I can now print. I think that Canon has a software issue. I also have a MG45oo series . I cannot set either printer to default. However, it does print! I use these printers in different locations and only have one printer installed at each location.

Re: Another computer is using the printer

kilwlill — Wed, 17 Jun 2015 14:48:23 GMT

Canon MG5400 series. In having the same problem with wifi, I found I could unplug usb from the directly connected pc and wifi would work immediatly. Plug in usb and wifi would work until usb pc sent a print, then wifi will work no more until unplugging usb again. Epson Workforce works fine with wired and wifi. I would say that makes it a Canon problem. I hope this post helps get it one step closer to solution!

Re: Another computer is using the printer

renatae — Thu, 02 Jul 2015 21:02:43 GMT

I had this problem, too. Especially since I had lost my WiFi connection to the printer and used the disc to re-configure the connection. I followed DaBoss' advice above (to make sure to delete all print jobs and then do NOT print from the WS printer) and it worked like a charm.

PS My printer is the MG5600 and my OS is Windows 8.1.