MX 920 stopped showing up in network

[GerryPeters]

I have a Canon MX920 printer and 2 Win 10 computers in a wired home network. Everything has been working just fine for over a year and all of a sudden starting this week my downstairs computer can't find my 920 printer. 

I have the MX920 and also a Canon MX410 connected to my upstairs computer. My downstairs computer prints fine to the MX410. If I open WORDPAD and try to print using my downstairs computer, and the 920 printer is selected, then the "Print" button is grayed out. If I choose "find printer" then I get an error message: "Windows cannot connect to the printer. Double check the printer name and make sure it's connected

Usually problems like this are software related, so I reverted both computers back to earlier image files from 6/1/18. This is like going back in a time machine to where both computer were on 6/1/18 where clearly the printer was working fine in the network.

 Since this didn't solve the problem, I've tried turning off and on my 920 printer a few times, rebooting both computer several times, rebooted my ATT modem that provides internet and also my network. I plugged the 920 into a few different USB ports.

Now I think the only thing I haven't tried is to reset the printer and if that doesn't work maybe reinstall the printer driver. I remember when I first got the 920, it seemed to install really fast and I think somehow it installed as a wireless network connection. I think many months ago I reinstalled it as a wired network printer, but can't be sure. So this may be some of the problem.

So what's the best way to proceed forward? How best to reset the printer, or any other suggestions?

[Patrick]

Hi GerryPeters,

Please try reconnecting your PIXMA MX922 to your wireless network:

1. Turn your PIXMA MX922 on.

2. Press the MENU button on your PIXMA MX922.

3. Use the arrow buttons to select WLAN Setup and press OK.

4. Press the STOP button (to select Other setup options).

5. Select Standard setup and press OK.

6. Select your wireless network name from the list that appears and press OK.

7. Press OK to access the on screen keyboard and enter in your wireless network password. Please note that this password is case sensitive and if it is entered incorrectly, your PIXMA MX922 will not connect to your network. To switch between upper case letters, lower case letters and special characters, please use the middle function button below the LCD of your PIXMA MX922.

8. Press the left function button under the word "Done" once the password is entered.

9. Press the left function button under the word "End Setup".

10. Press OK once your PIXMA MX922 is connected to your wireless network.

Once reconnected, please attempt to print.

[granuile_ip]

I even reset my printer.... nothing.

the drivers install and still nothing! I tried a windows and a Mac.... again nothing! )o:

[GerryPeters · Accepted solution]

After I made this post several days went by with no replies, so I tried some more things and this i what fixed my problem.

in WORDPAD

hit print

in this window delete Canon MX920 and 410 that has grayed out print button

control panel - devices + printers

add printer, point to network computer#2 - 920 printer

it installed fine

I'm very surprised that reverting my C drives to earlier images when it was printing fine didn't work. I wonder if there was something internally in the printer that was causing this and it fixed itself when I reinstalled the driver.

[GerryPeters]

I again lost the MX920 printer in my network. I did the exact same procedure above and now it's back. I've never had anything like this happen. I've had the MX920 and the MX410 for well over a year, maybe 2 years and this is a first for this to happen 2x in a row in a short period of time.

I assume something is corrupted in WIN 10, so I went ahead and removed all the printers from Control panel/ Devices and Printers, except the MX920 and the MS print to PDF. I then reinstalled the MX410 printer. I removed Fax and one other MS printer something like XML, which I have no idea what it is, just something WIN 10 installed I suppose.

So I'll see if any of this helps. Any other suggestions would be welcome.

[sloanish]

I was having a hard time getting the MX 922 I have (same difference as the MX 920) to shwo up by using the standard windows "add a printer" dialog. No matter how I did it I ended up with a non responding printer.

Here is how I fixed it.

I was using the WPS which should have worked. I decided to add the printer manually to my network. Not sure if this was the solution but certainly the WPS part was not working.

The most likely fix was to use the driver that Canon on the website rather than the windows setup.

Here is the link

https://www.usa.canon.com/internet/portal/us/home/support/details/printers/inkjet-multifunction/mx-s...

Here is the name of the driver

mp68-win-mx920-1_01-ea32_2.exe

It appears to do some registering that you do not see when the WIndows Add Printer option is used.

Yes it is an old driver but it does work.

I used the same technique for another computer. Both fine.

[bccowell]

 I've had a MX920 for a few years, and it often needs a wake up, OK.
But recently though it's printing fine, I also use an Avery template to print mini labels.
This past week though I've had mixed result. it copies but now besides saying it's Off Line which it isn’t, as it connected by USB. I tried all the usual disconnecting, the USB etc to no avail
So besides doing a complete reinstall I don't see any other option.
Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Regards from Blighty

Ben Cowell

[GerryPeters]

I have 3 computers in my network Win 10 computer #1 which has the printer, a Win 10 computer #2 and an XP computer. I use these computers to print every day. After years of dealing with this, I found the best approach is to not use my XP computer using remote desktop to my Win 10 computer #2 to print. That works most of the time but seems to confuse the network printer and it goes offline. 

Still even with doing that I still lose the printer maybe once a week while using my Win 10 computer #2 to print. I then simply reboot the Win 10 computer #2 and it then works again. My ATT modem/router won't let me give the printer a static IP address.

[bccowell]

Hi Gerry Thanks for your comment, rebooting, recoonecting etc doen't work, about to to reinstall the application, no other option. 'It must work' he muses, I'll soon find out. Ben