MX922 goes to sleep and loses WiFi connection

[bruceadler]

I have a new MX922 that replaced a dead MX870. The old MX870 worked fine until it died but this new MX922 doesn't work correctly on my WiFi network. And the only thing that's changed is the printer (all the other PCs and printers and the Wifi router are the same as before and still work just fine). The new MX922 goes to sleep and can't be woken up from any PC on my network (to print or scan). The old MX870 NEVER had a problem on this WiFI network and NEVER had a problem with sleep mode. I also still have two MX890s that still work just fine. When the MX922 stops responding to pings, the blue WiFi logo on the front is on, and the Network Configuration Page always says "Connection Active" (but it's not).  Any suggestions that it's my router or my PC driver's fault is nonsense. It's clearly a MX922 WiFi bug which Canon needs to fix ASAP.

Over the past few weeks I've discovered that if the printer goes to sleep for an extended period it frequently "loses" it's WiFi connection and nothing I do from my PC will let me print to or scan from it. Basically it stops responding to pings (which tells me that its WiFi network connection is the issue). I usually discover the printer is offline line first thing Monday AM (after the office has been closed all weekend).

When the MX922 goes into a coma the only way I've found to wake it up is to either power-cycle it, or do go into the Device Settings menu and print out the current Network Configuration Page (it sometimes starts printing/scanning again when I exit out of the menus). AND sometimes after waking it up via the menu trick it operates very very slowly (like the Wifi connection is poor or congested) and I end up having to power cycle it to fix it. I shouldn't ever have to power cycle the printer just to wake it up (especially since it probably uses up some ink to recharge the print head each time it powers on).

Since I got it about 6 weeks ago, this printer has gone into a coma about once a week. Recently I tried disabling the Wireless DRX option and that seems to have made it worse. Since I disabled that option, It's gone into a coma 3 times in the past two days.

[ibbotsoncraig]

Sorry for the delay in responding.  The configuration I found was in the access control section of my router configuration.   There was a canon entry in the "timed access control" section that indicated the connection shoudl expire after 1 day.  I have no idea how it got there.

Specifically, I found the entry inthe Network tab of my airport extreme configuration.   In that tab, there is an option to enable Access Control (which was checked) and a Timed Access Control configuration.  In the Timed Access Control configuration Canon had added an entry that specified the MX922 was authorized for one day.   The default is unlimited access (no filtering).  When I removed the Canon entry, the problem stopped.

If you have an Airport Extreme, it is specifically in Airport Utility -> Network Tab -> Timed Access Control...

and then remove the Canon entry so it defaults to "Unlimited".

I have no idea why Canon would add a configuration to the router.  It must have occurred as part of the install / discovery process.

Hope this helps, good luck!

[njwreckdiver]

I have the same issues that are described here with my Pixma MX922.  The printer has worked well for months, then all of a sudden it continuously drops the WiFi signal when the printer goes to sleep.  I hooked it to 2 different routers with the same issue, so it is obviously a Canon problem.  The only way to fix it is to cycle the printer on and off.  Makes the WiFi feature worthless when you are not right next to it.  So much for printing remotely.  I have been a long time Canon printer owner, having purchased no less than 6 Canon printers, but this issue has soured me a bit on their products especially since they have not offered up any solution.  I looked through my router settings (Netgear Nighthawk R8000) and could not find anything out of the ordinary that would solve this time out issue.  I will certainly rethink my next printer purchase when choosing the brand. 

[VTBlue]

Thanks for posting. I, too, am having the same problem -- which I never, ever had before -- and it's driving me mad. I'm all Apple. Followed your suggestion and went into Network on my Time Machine router. My "Timed Access Control" configuration was NOT checked, so I did so. Looking in, all it said was "Unlimited" and I could not find the Canon (or anything else) listed. Not sure if this is the trick but will try. 

Thanks for posting. It looks like I'm going to have to buy another brand printer if this does not work, though. I had zero issues until a couple of weeks ago but cannot run a business this way. I HATE HP but will have to look at them, Epson. If anyone has any suggestions I'd love to hear them. 

Thanks

[VTBlue]

I have the fix for Macs. 

1. Go into Finder > Utilities > Airport Utility

2. Select your Router > Click Edit

3. At the top, Click on Network

4. Make sure "Enable Access Control" is ticked, and "Timed Access Control" is to the right. 

[VTBlue]

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@njwreckdiver wrote:

I have the same issues that are described here with my Pixma MX922.  The printer has worked well for months, then all of a sudden it continuously drops the WiFi signal when the printer goes to sleep.  I hooked it to 2 different routers with the same issue, so it is obviously a Canon problem.  The only way to fix it is to cycle the printer on and off.  Makes the WiFi feature worthless when you are not right next to it.  So much for printing remotely.  I have been a long time Canon printer owner, having purchased no less than 6 Canon printers, but this issue has soured me a bit on their products especially since they have not offered up any solution.  I looked through my router settings (Netgear Nighthawk R8000) and could not find anything out of the ordinary that would solve this time out issue.  I will certainly rethink my next printer purchase when choosing the brand. 

---

I have the fix for Macs. 

1. Go into Finder > Utilities > Airport Utility

2. Select your Router > Click Edit

3. At the top, Click on Network

4. Make sure "Enable Access Control" is ticked, and "Timed Access Control" is to the right. 

[DGT]

For the last two weeks, I have had the exact same probelm all of you have had.   The fix for Macs described by VTBlue seems to have worked.   Thank you so much!  I have wasted so much time working with Canon Support and on my own to get my MX922 to work.  I was just about ready to buy a new printer and, of course, NOT a Canon.   Thanks again!

[VTBlue]

You're welcome, DGT. Really glad it worked out. I agree with you and njwreckdiver, though: Canon's lack of response is more than concerning, it's downright irresponsible. Despite being a multi-Canon printer purchaser over the years, I will absolutely look at the competition next time around. This type of poor customer service won't be tolerated by me...I have a business to run.

[njwreckdiver]

Thank you VTBlue for taking the time to provide this solution, unfortunately I do not have a Mac. I have tried to find anything even remotely similar on my PC and router and can find nothing regarding a "time out" feature.  I have NEVER had to do anything like this with any other printer or WiFi connected device.  If the router is working, so should the Canon printer. PERIOD!  Canon dropped the ball on this unit. Unfortunately for me, in an effort to make ink purchasing a little easier, I have 2 of these I own for work and 1 at home for personal use, so replacing all 3 will not be fun, but that is where it is heading.

Hey Canon....guess which brand all my new printers WILL NOT be????      

Thanks again VTBlue.  I appreciate your assistance.  More than Canon has offered.  Now excuse me while I go try to reconfigure my 6 month old $250 Nighthawk router that works with all my connected devices except my Canon printers. 

[VTBlue]

Sorry I cannot help you out with your Nighthawk, NJ. I could not agree more with your statement that "if the router is working, so should the Canon printer," and that they dropped the ball, big-time. 

I'm in a bind, too, as all printers are Canons...now. That won't be the same within the next six months, though. 

Good luck.

P.S. Have you tried contacting your router's manufacturer and seeing if there's a (hidden) setting like the one I described on my Time Machine? Not that you should have to do that (cough, Canon, cough)...just a thought.

[mindyconley]

I wish this fix worked for me.  I don't use a router.  I have a Macbook Pro, and a hotspot from Verizon.  When I open the airport utility it can't find anything other than 'internet.'  Frankly I'm not all that sure how I had this set up to print to begin with, but it was working, and now it's not.  I can still print, but have to walk the computer into the office and plug it in.  Thankfully this isn't a business printer, but it's still annoying.