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Airport Extreme USB trouble.

J

JoeJoe

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 8, 2006
61
0
Hi,

I'm having trouble printing from my AE USB and wondered if anyone else has had the same problem.

I purchased a new Canon mp530 and plugged it into my USB port on the AE. Followed all the configure instructions as well as utilized the trouble shooting techniques via Apple support.

I can print just fine when it's plugged directly into my powerbook or ibook, but I can't even "see" it when it's plugged into the AE. In fact, every time I plug it into the USB and hit configure it basically "locks" up the entire AE and I have to re-boot to get internet again.

Anyway - I'm assuming my AE USB is just shot, but thought I'd check.

I'm running 10.4.8 on both my machines (ibook G4 and powerbook G4). My AE is V5.6, I believe.

Thanks in advance.
 
Where are you hitting "configure"? You should just have any Airport printer appear in the list of printers available from the print dialog in any program. It should be zero configuration.... So I'm not quite sure what it is you're doing next after plugging it in.
 
Thanks.

Yes, I tried doing that at first (just plugging into the USB) but I couldn't "see" it on any printer options regardless of the program.

I then plugged the printer directly into my ibook USB and it worked just fine. In fact, I could then "see" it as a print option from my powerbook (via appletalk?).

However, when plugging directly into the AE(xtreme) USB I get nada.

That's when I tried to troubleshoot and ended up in the Airport Admin Utility configure area....but to no avail.

So, the printer works. I can print wirelessly when it's plugged into either of my machines. But I can't print (or even see it as an option) when I plug it into the AE.

I also have an airport express that I stream music to, if that matters?

Thanks anyway.
 
JoeJoe said:
So, the printer works. I can print wirelessly when it's plugged into either of my machines. Bit I can't print (or even see it as an option) when I plug it into the AE.

I also have an airport express that I stream music to, if that matters?

Thanks anyway.
Click to expand...

semantics-confused on wireless printing when plugged into your machines.

Maybe this is really elementary, but you have plugged it into the airport and then gone to printer setup utility in your utilities folder and added the printer there? I'm guessing that is where you had your lockup problems you talked about, but you never specified going the add a printer route, so thought I'd check.
 
is it wireless capable?

It may not be capable of "talking" to the airport. I looked on canon's site for the description of your model and did not see any reference to any wireless capability.
Under their model PIXMA MP450 specs it specifically mentions;

"6 Bluetooth v1.2 with optional Canon Bluetooth Unit BU-20. Bluetooth operation depends on the devices and software version used. Operating distance is approximately 10 meters but may vary due to obstacles, radio signals, locations where radio interference occurs, magnetic fields from microwave ovens, device sensitivity and/or antenna performance."

There is no mention of wireless capability in your printers specs. It may be a simple oversight, but I doubt it, most companies would boast about those abilities but certainly may "overlook" an inability when listing specs.

I was disappointed to learn that my new hp c3180 was not compatible with my airport extreme, even though they both have usb ports they do not play together. At least hp provided a list of its printers that would work with the airport wireless setup (of course I had already broke everything out and set it up, and sent in for the rebate {by snail mail of course, grrrr, with associated proof of purchases, grrrr, but thats another thread, grrrr}). I believe Lexmark also listed their compatible printers as well (I believe I located the hp link in apples support pages somewhere).
I suspect we are in the same boat, without wireless printing:eek: . But there may be someone here that knows much more than I on the topic.
 
A quote from apples support concerning wireless printing;

"Wireless printing over USB requires Mac OS X v10.2.7 or later or Windows XP or Windows 2000 and a compatible printer."

Of course there is no handy link to a list of compatible printers:(

Note 3 located under;

"AirPort Extreme Base Station (no modem) - Technical Specifications"
 
Up through Panther, there was a very limited list of exactly which printers work with Airport on the Apple website. With Tiger, that list was pulled, for unclear reasons. Although most printers should work on Airport. And again, I really don't think you need to do any of that configuration stuff. It should just show up in the printer selection box of the print dialog.

There used to be a trick that would widely expand the number of printers that work on Airport. This is dredging back a ways.. I haven't heard of this issue since the Panther days... but I will try to find it.
 
You may have already been here, if so then disregard.

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107418

They do specifically state at the bottom of the page though;

"Still not working?

If your printer still doesn't work with AirPort printer sharing, you should contact the printer manufacturer for additional support. For example, there are lists of AirPort-compatible printers on the Lexmark and HP websites."

A quick search in canon estore gets nothing for "airport"

Hate to continue to sound so pessimistic, I really do hope you find a solution or workaround (as in connecting to your other computer seems to do for you, that means I will have to set up my desktop for wireless and connect the printer to it to use it wirelessly from my laptop, hmmm, better than no wireless printing at all, which is what I have now). wish I had a better answer. I think a quick email or call to canon might tell you if it is capable of wireless in some way.
 
Thanks, guys(or gals!)....

you've given me tons to work with.....it's up to me now!

:)
 
I purchased my MBP C2D and printer at the same time (as well as the airport extreme), same order. Yes I was disappointed as well. But I can't get to upset, I really don't expect every manufacturer to list every device that is compatible with each other device with each other device with each other device etc (you see where I'm going). There is a name for what ailed me when i bought these items (with visions of a new computer, wireless internet, wireless printing, screaming speed etc) but I forget. short version, I knew what I wanted to do and each of these items was capable of performing the task, they just couldn't do it together:cool: . I just didn't take the time to do a little (lot) research. Good luck.
 
I have same problem

JoeJoe,
I don't think you have a bad USB port. I recently purchased an MP530 and experienced the exact same situation. As soon as you plug the USB into the Airport, you lose all internet access, and the Airport is effectively locked up.
Have you gotten any further in your research?
-Andrew
 
Working now...update firmware

All I had to do was get the latest Airport Extreme firmware from apple. That fixed it.
-Andrew
 
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