"Unable to send data to printer"

[BlueBird]

I got a new Canon Color ImageCLASS (MF731C-733C UFR) two months ago. I had Best Buy set it up for me. It has been 'quirky' but I've been able to get it to print until today. But today I am getting messages that say "Unable to send data to printer".

I'm a graphic designer on a Mac 10.14.3. I can get simple documents sometimes to work (just simple text on a white page") But I'm having trouble gettign it to print anything else.

I've deletd all printer identities, reloaded the driver and added the printer identity back in to but still havig issues. I turned everything off and unplugged, and plugged everything back in and was able to get it to work again...until it went into sleep mode then it is not working again.

It does see the connection (the printer says "Waiting file name: (then the file name)

I'm also confused that there are two identities in my printer preferences:

• Canon MF731/733C with the printer icon and "airprint'

• Canon MF731/733C UFR II (this is the one Best Buy said to use)

Any help? Advice? It is connected by a USB cord

[shadowsports]

Greetings,

Sounds like your have some duplication issues which is probably why printing only works intermittently. 

You can try to untangle the issue which has been created, or simply start over.  Up to you. 

To start over, you will need to disconnect the printer from your MAC, remove all instances of the printer from System Preferences > Printers.  I would also suggest uninstalling/removing all installed printer applications.  Then restart.

Yes, this is going to undo all of the shotty work you paid Best Buy's Geek Squad to do.  But all you have now is a small mess. 

The MF-731c is a great network capable printer.  I would recommend connecting it to your wired or wireless network, so that all devices that connect can print to it.  Why not?

Support and Help is Here

Connection instructions, drivers for your MAC, etc. 

[BlueBird]

Thanks Rick, I really appreciate your advise.

It is oddly working again today...but if/when it starts acting up again I'll do all of your suggestions. (I'm printing your response out now whiel the printe is working, lol)

I did delete the second printer identity (airprint) so maybe that is what helped. I also started the computer this morning first then started the printer. I've also put a much longer delay for the sleep mode which seems to create some issues.

I'll have more time to troubleshoot this weekend if it starts acting up again.

THANK YOU SO MUCH for helping. I'll give you an update after I've used it a while. Gad to knwo it is a good printer. Was thinkign I needed to return it for somethign better.

Stephanie

[BlueBird]

UPDATE:
Hi Rick, I've still been playing with it for the past week or so. It was working fine again but I had to scan something... and now can't get it to print again. To get it to scan I used the touch screen and selected scan. It scanned and put it on my computer. So that worked. Now I need to get it back to print mode but there is not an icon on the touch screen that says "print". How do you switch it back to print mode again? It now just says "printer not connected". I'm sure there must be something simple I am missing...

Stephanie

[Kangaroop]

are you still having this issue, im having the same issue as well.

[BlueBird]

The issue resloved when I uplugged everything and plugged it in again. I had done this several times already so not sure why it worked but I think it was the fourth time I did it and it just started to work the next morning. I also removed an extra "identity" in the preferences window so maybe that was causing some confusion for the printer. Sorry I can't be of more help. Good luck, I hope you get it worked out.