Airport Express printing problems - need help!

[AstrosFan]

Hey folks,
I've got an Airport Express hooked to my DSL cable modem as my primary router.
I've got a Samsung ML-2010 laser printer which is connected via USB cable in order to be able to print wirelessly.
Right now they're working fine. However, if I power off the printer & turn it on later, then printing doesn't work. Under the printer name, it shows the blue/white candy-stripe bar continually going & under status it says "printing."
However, it is clearly NOT printing.

If I reset the AE (either manually or by using the Airport Setup Assistant utility), then printing works fine again.

Why does this happen? Do I have to leave the printer on at all times in order for it to work?
Is there something else I need to set?

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[mad jew]

Strange. Do you have the latest AirPort firmware installed?

 

[munkees]

I do not have airport express instead I have the basestation and with older versions I did not see that with my canon printers. Could be a combination of printer make with the express.

 

[AstrosFan]

Strange. Do you have the latest AirPort firmware installed?

I went ahead and downloaded/installed it.
I'm not sure if I had already done that - where can I check to see the latest version of firmware?
Also, do firmware updates come up on the "Software Update" screen? If not, how do you know when there's a new update?

Sorry if the questions are simplistic - I just hadn't encountered it before.
Thanks!

 

[mad jew]

AirPort Management Utility should tell you what version of the firmware you have. I don't think it'll show up in Software Updater so maybe manually download the file instead.

 

[michaelwarren89]

I have a similar problem with my airport express and ML-1510. Turns out that occasionally when you turn the printer on, the express won't 'recognise' it. If you use airport admin utility and take a look at the printing tab, the printer name won't appear there even though it's turned on and connected. Restarting the express is the only solution to get it to recognise the printer again.

With the recently updated Airport Express firmware and the latest printer drivers this problem *seems* to be less frequent, so make sure your stuff is all up to date.

The trick I use is to leave the printer turned on for 10 minutes after I've printed the last page. I don't quite know what this does but with the latest firmware it seems to work ok now.

My housemate hasn't printed to the express from his PC lately though, which I think may also contribute to the problem. Somehow the express always seems to crap up after he's printed.

Anyway, hope I helped

 

[AstrosFan]

Thank you for all the replies - I've downloaded the firmware & things seem to be better now.
On a couple of occasions, I have been able to cycle the printer off/on and still have it print fine.
Thanks for the education - that's what I love about this site!

I'll keep you posted in case I find anything else out about it.
Best wishes!