imageCLASS MF644Cdw Airprint name keeps changing

[fcrwx]

I have a MF644C and about every week or so the Airprint name changes. This prevents me from printing via my Macbook Pro until I delete and re-add the printer. Under "Settings/Registration: Preferences: Network Settings > AirPrint Settings" I originally set the Printer Name to "Canon MF644C", then it suddenly changed to "Canon MF644C (dd:ed:b5)" and most recently changed to "Canon MF644C (dd:ed:b5) (dd:ed:b5) (7)". I really don't care what the name is, but why does it keep changing?

[mdecaro]

It is sad that this problem is years old and they seem indignant that we are working around the bugs in their software instead of their finding the problem and fixing it after all this time.

[mdecaro]

FWIW this problem has been on every version of the software for the past 2 years and on all versions of MacOS since that time.  My prior printer was an HP and the name of the printer never changed by itself.  I like this printer better, but my wife who is not savvy can't ever use the printer if I am not home to fix it for her.

[Stephen]

Hi,

I'm not a tech, but I'd like to offer some advice, if I may. The online manual for this printer talks about this phenomenon HERE and HERE for how to prevent it from occurring. If you have questions, don't hesitate to reach out to support at 800-OK-CANON (800-652-2666).

[shadowsports]

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@Cyberic wrote:

Hi Rick,

Many have suggested this IP assignment but keep forgetting this does not work on iPhone/iPad that use AirPrint by default (mDNS).

The printer is advertised to work with AirPrint and it just does not. Canon should have fixed it by now (or offer refund) but they clearly do not care. 

When your kids or wife keep complaining they can’t print, I am not sure telling them to assign a static IP address from their iPhone will do any good. 😊 

Regards

Eric 

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Eric,

You don't assign a static IP from an iPhone.  You do it on your router.  (Once)

This takes care of the issue on your MAC

You then use the Canon Print Business App from a mobile Device (iPhone) in this case.

No challenges using this method.  😀

[tlex]

This doesn’t work because of how mdns works and how it was implemented in the printer. The printer an initial broadcast when it reconnects and independently if a static ip is set or not, if the name is already in cache somewhere on the network the printer will append ti its own name and broadcast under this new name.

[Cyberic]

Hi Stephen,

The "phenomenon" (i.e. bug in mDNS implementation) is *NOT* described in these pages and many of us already called Canon, reported the bug and it never got fixed.

So please refrain pretending that this is a simple RTFM issue. If it was, there wouldn't be a 2-year old thread of so many messages. Read the pages again and look closely if there is any reference to the mDNS name changing with added garbage text.

Support have no helped (although they promised it would be fixed) and as a moderator, you probably should not worsen the situation nor Canon's reputation (already low for this lack of support) using false statements that the "phenomenon" is described. It is not.

[Cyberic]

Rick,

I know how to assign a fixed IP address. Thank you.

However, as I mentioned, even with a fixed IP address, iPhones and iPads will *still not* see the printer over AirPrint because of the bug on the name change.

So fixed IP may help on PCs and Macs, but not on iPhones and iPads, because they use AirPrint (and so mDNS).

So yes, it remains a struggle.

[mdecaro]

It talks about it but not exactly.  It states that if we change the name of the printer, it affects DNS and mDNS.  That is not the problem.  The Canon system appears to be **changing the name of the printer on its own** on a regular basis, and we have to use that process to change it back so the printer will work.

[tlex]

It changes the name because the original/previous name is still advertised somewhere on the network instead requesting for the same name

[janbee]

Please I spent 2h in the hotline, everyone was really friendly and promised to escalate to engineers. Even got a call by some “tech guy” and all we could do was reset the printer with no change! Get dev on this and finally fix it please! There are other consumer inkjets where you got it working, so some one at canon must know how to fix it.