imageCLASS MF624Cw will not connect to Windows 11 PC

[ctucker33]

I cannot get my MF624cw printer to connect to my PC which is running windows 11.  All other devices connect successfully to the printer and can print (iPhone, iPads, Windows 10 PCs, etc.)

So far this is what I have done:

• Did the standard power down (all devices; router; modem; etc)
• It was connected and working before but no longer does (not sure how/when it stopped) - I removed printer and tried to reinstall it but the PC cannot see it to install.
• Direct connection using USB and changing printer setting to wired.  Still won't connect.
• Removed all drivers and installed new ones
• IP reserved for printer on router
• Manually added the printer using the IP (which is set to static).  Consistently says it is 'offline' when it clearly isn't as the other devices can print from it.
• Contacted Microsoft who did screen sharing and he went through it and said it is not a MSFT problem and connected me to Canon support but that was a dead end.
• Contacted Dell who pointed me back to Canon and Microsoft

I am at a loss here on what to do.  It's maddening since I can only print from my phone right now.

[shadowsports]

Greetings,

Let's start with the basics.  You've set a static IP and assigned to the printer.  Can you ping this IP address from a command prompt?

[ctucker33]

No, and bear with me because I am not an export on this.  When I look at my windows 11 PC it has an ip address of 10.0...The canon printer has one of 192.186...  Is this the problem?  

[shadowsports]

Greetings,

Yes.  Are you using a mesh system or an extender In front of your modem or iSP's gateway?  

Can you tell me more about the hardware. I should be able to help you get this wrapped up pretty quick.  🙂

[ctucker33]

Yes I use Google home mesh and have Xfinity. 

[ctucker33]

Sorry, I didn't read you entire question.

• I have a Dell Inspiron 3020
• 13th Gen Intel core i5-13400 2.5 GHz
• 16 gb Ram
• Windows 11 Home v23H2
• Wifi Router is 4 Google Nest Wifi Pros
• Modem is Xfinity model #CGM4981CO0M
• Internet service is up to 1200Mbps

I will say that McaFee (whom I hate with a passion) was preinstalled on my computer and the subsription ran out right around the time the printer stopped working.

[shadowsports · Accepted solution]

Greetings,

This was as I suspected.  The xFinity gateway is performing NAT and acting as a DHCP server.  It's handing out addresses 10.0.x.x.

The Google Nest system is also performing NAT and DHCP and is  handing out IP's on 192.168.1.x.

These two LAN segments cannot communicate, and anything connected to the nest system is being subjected to double NAT thought the Nest firewall and the xFinity firewall.  

Here's what you need to do.  Connect directly to the xFinity gateway.  Log into its admin portal.  Put this gateway into Bridge or Pass-through mode.  Disable its wireless broadcasts.  

Leave the Nest system as is.  Let it perform NAT and DHCP.  You can manage it through the Google Home App.  

After this is done, the Xfinity gateway will simply be acting as a modem.  It will not be performing NAT or attempting to manage IP addresses. 

All of this will be done by the Nest mesh.  Once your computer and printer are connected to the Nest they will be able to communicate.

Optional, if you want to take things a step further, assign the printer a static IP on the Google Nest system.  

Now you're ready to install drivers.  If you have any failed installation attempts, or multiple instances of the printer that don't work, I'd remove them and restart your system.  

The drivers you should install are the Imageclass MFDrivers UFRII/Fax/ScanGear package v4.803 (dated 11/26/21) and the MFScan Utility v1.21.0.2, dated 10/18/23.

Let us know how things go 🙂

[ctucker33]

Thanks Rick!  I'll give it a go.  The weird thing is, I did set the printer as a static IP in Google.  When you start the printer up, it gets assigned the 192 ip.  But after a few hours or few days, the printer notifies me it has a changed IP of 10.0 ip.  If I restart it, it gets the 192 ip assigned.

I will give this a go and see what happens.  Thanks again!

[ctucker33]

Fantastic!  It worked.  You seriously have no idea how much this has made my day.  Thank you Rick!

[shadowsports]

Greetings,

Sure 🙂. This is happening because you have two DHCP servers active on your network. I look forward to hearing the results.