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ImageClass MF642cdw - "Looking for printer..."

karelle02
Apprentice

Hello,

 

I am getting this intermittent "looking for printer" message that just sits there in my print dialogue box. RUI shows all green lights: ready to print, ready to scan. My router shows the printer as connected and active. I've tried turning it off & back on, at the device & through the RUI. And yet... nothing. 

 

The only thing I've found that works to get the printer going again is to reset it to factory defaults. I don't use the printer often, a few times a week and rarely over the weekend. Most recently, I just reset everything to factory defaults on Monday, used the printer successfully all week, and then today, Friday, nada. Please help me troubleshoot this- I'm going insane resetting this dang thing every few days!

6 REPLIES 6

shadowsports
Legend
Legend

Greetings,

Mac?  Have never heard of the printer dialog referred to as RUI.

 

Printer shows connected and active on router.

 

What's its IP address?

 

Can you ping it from Terminal?

 

Printer shows Ready with green dot in Printers and Scanners

 

What protocol is it using for communication?

I suggest using IPP

 

Is it using the correct Canon driver?

 

What I often do in these cases.

 

(-) Remove any failed instances of the printer from the Print Dialog

Install the Canon printer driver

Assign the printer a static IP on my router

 

(+) Add the printer (Select IP) 

Enter its known static IP address (Address Field)

Use a friendly name (Name Field) "Canon MF642cdw"

Select the correct Canon Printer driver (Use) drop down

Press Add at bottom

 

This should do 2 things:

 

If the printers IP is changing, it will now have a destination IP that doesn't change.

 

Printer instance will be told to use the canon driver

 

Let us know if this helps.

~Rick
Bay Area - CA


~R5 C (1.0.6.1) ~RF Trinity, ~RF 100 Macro, ~RF 100~400, ~RF 100~500, +RF 1.4x TC, +Canon Control Ring, BG-R10, 430EX III-RT ~DxO PhotoLab Elite ~DaVinci Resolve ~Windows11 Pro ~ImageClass MF644Cdw/MF656Cdw ~Pixel 8
~CarePaks Are Worth It

Hello, 

 

First, thank you for your time and your help. However, I don't really know what a lot of what you just said means. 

 

Yes, I am using a mac.

 

RUI= remote user interface

 

The IP address did change recently, but I have done a factory reset since then. 

 

I don't know what "ping it from Terminal" means.

 

I don't know what protocol it is using or what IPP is.

 

I have downloaded and installed all of the available drivers.

 

 "(-) Remove any failed instances of the printer from the Print Dialog

  Install the Canon printer driver

  Assign the printer a static IP on my router

 

  (+) Add the printer (Select IP) 

  Enter its known static IP address (Address Field)

  Use a friendly name (Name Field) "Canon MF642cdw"

  Select the correct Canon Printer driver (Use) drop down

  Press Add at bottom"

 

I'll try to figure out how to configure a static IP address, but this machine really should not require an advanced degree in computer science in order to operate it.  Is there a YouTube video or something on how to do this? 

 

Thank you!

Greetings,

Happy to try and help you.  What you decide to do with this information is up to you.

 

Remote user interface.  Are you sitting in front of your MAC?  If so, there is nothing "remote" about that.  If you are using an application to access your computer from another location, that's "remote"

 

The IP address did change, but you reset the printer..  Ok, so you have a "moving target", each time you install your printer, it's using the IP address your router has assigned to it.  When that changes, your MAC is no longer able to find the device at the IP your router gave to it previously. This is true for any device on your network.  Your router's job is to manage and assign IP addresses to devices requesting connection to your network.  When the router doesn't communicate or "hear' back from a device consistently, it may reclaim the IP it assigned for future use (assignment) to another device. This is not the fault of the printer.

 

Terminal.  Terminal is a utility program on your mac.  Its a tool that has many uses.  One of which (PING) allows you to verfy connectivity and communication to other device on your network.  Its a helpful troubleshooting tool since it can allow you confirm or deny connectivity between devices. 

 

IPP - Is a protocol and one of the communication standards your Mac uses to comminication with a printer.  Its universal and can be used for modern printers from all manufacturers. 

 

Adding A printer - Instructions I provided:

 

Here are detailed instruction from Apple Support:

 

https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/add-a-printer-on-mac-mh14004/mac 

 

See the section - Add a network printer by its IP address

 

The steps I recommended do not require a degee in computer science.  They are basic functions of your operating system.  They are intended to help you take control of your network and mitigate connectivity issues with (any) device connecting to your network.  

 

This Canon knowledgebase article (below) has images (and video) of the items I discussed above with the exception of assigning your printer a static IP address.  This is done on your router.  While this is optional, I recommend it so you can avoid further frustration, Recurring resets, and an inability to print reliably.  Keep in mind you'll have the same issue with any networked printer if it's IP changes.  My recommendation is a "one and done" set up.  Do it once, and you don't have to fiddle with it again.  That's up to you.

 

https://support.usa.canon.com/kb/index?page=content&id=ART174843

~Rick
Bay Area - CA


~R5 C (1.0.6.1) ~RF Trinity, ~RF 100 Macro, ~RF 100~400, ~RF 100~500, +RF 1.4x TC, +Canon Control Ring, BG-R10, 430EX III-RT ~DxO PhotoLab Elite ~DaVinci Resolve ~Windows11 Pro ~ImageClass MF644Cdw/MF656Cdw ~Pixel 8
~CarePaks Are Worth It

Audrey
Enthusiast

Hi,

 

Shadowsports is correct. For your issue. you will need to set up a Static IP Address on the printer and use the address when installing the printer.

 

Select <Menu> in the Home screen.

 

Select <Preferences> <Network>.

If the login screen appears, enter the correct ID and PIN.

 

Select <TCP/IP Settings> <IPv4 Settings> <IP Address Settings>.

 

Configure IP address settings.
<Manually Acquire> Select to configure the IP address settings by manually entering an IP address. In order to select this option, the automatic acquirement must be set to <Off>.

 

Select <Auto Acquire>, and select <Off> in <Auto Acquire> <Apply> <OK>.

 

Select <Manually Acquire>. Should show IP Address, Subnet Mask, Gateway Address

 

Enter <IP Address>  Change section four in the IP Address to any number over 100, for example, 192.168.1.201. It needs to be an address the router would not assign to another device.

 

Select <Apply>.

 

Select <OK>.

 

Restart the machine. Turn off the machine using the power button. Push power button again after 10 seconds.

 

Install the printer using iP address assigned in the printer on the MAC or change the address in the printer driver.

 

Did this answer your question? Please click the Accept as Solution button so that others may find the answer as well.

 

Thank you!

 

I've had this printer for several months now, and every time there has been an interuption to the power, or whatever, my computer no longer had any comunication with it. The fix was to delete the printer, then re-establish it in my system preferences. This was happening on a regular basis, and I was blaming the hardware for a fragile system. It's a shame that a static IP isn't established as a default. 

 

Brodie

Smiley Happy

I can install the printer using a static IP (using the "IP" option in the Add Printer dialog window), but the scanner and fax don't show up. They do show up if I install the printer using the "default" option (in the Add Printer dialog window), but then I continually have the dreaded "looking for printer issue". I can't find a way to add them.

 

Thanks,

Kevin

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