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Printer Present For Real



 
 
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  #1  
Old October 22nd 19, 07:17 PM posted to alt.windows7.general,microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
Mandy
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Posts: 1
Default Printer Present For Real

For Win XP and Win 7 Question

How do I know if a printer is actually there.
In Printers And FAXes it say all are ready but that is bogus.
I know one is off and is is "Ready". Haha.

Is there some printer ping or other test.

No, I do not want to print a test page since I will have to walk a mile
to see if it prints. Yes on the same LAN.
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  #2  
Old October 22nd 19, 07:34 PM posted to alt.windows7.general,microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
Mike Easter
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Posts: 1,064
Default Printer Present For Real

Mandy wrote:
How do I know if a printer is actually there.


What is the specific network printer?

--
Mike Easter
  #3  
Old October 22nd 19, 07:44 PM posted to alt.windows7.general,microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
Paul[_32_]
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Posts: 11,873
Default Printer Present For Real

Mandy wrote:
For Win XP and Win 7 Question

How do I know if a printer is actually there.
In Printers And FAXes it say all are ready but that is bogus.
I know one is off and is is "Ready". Haha.

Is there some printer ping or other test.

No, I do not want to print a test page since I will have to walk a mile
to see if it prints. Yes on the same LAN.


Printing is "a state of mind".

It's not a real thing, according to Microsoft.

The architecture has a "spooler". If you bring up the monitor,
it shows the spool status. If the spool has items in it, it is
at that point that the status of the printer is ascertained.
The printer could be a remote (networked) device. It could
be offline, or not visible. The monitor for that (virtual)
printer should have a status, indicating that printing is
"stuck" because the device is "not there".

As a consequence of this, you're really asking a question
about how the spooler knows the designated printer is present.

https://web.archive.org/web/20140526...hitecture.aspx

As an example, the comment text here points out the flaky
nature of something as simple as communicating via RPC
with the other computer and reading the printer. It's not
really reading a printer, it's reading the spooler.

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/win...cs/readprinter

Someone here, tries to get some information from a printer.
Apparently, the printer has to be set in "bidirectional mode"
(a term from the parallel port era, even though the bus
used for modern printing could be USB, which is bidirectional).

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/...r-winspool-drv

In the comments section here, you can see the focus is still
on "remote" implementations. To get printer status, you
need a "job number", implying "status is only a state
of mind" and you're not allowed to actually "touch" the
printer, due to the hands-off approach.

https://www.codeproject.com/Question...Printer-method

It suggests the only "code path" is the "spooler path".

Unless you go the Device Manager route, and that doesn't
allow checking any actual devices. You can only query
whether there are driver files present, and Device Manager
stack related stuff. There's no "test" button in there.

If there's a way to do this, it's well buried, probably
in the "write yer own spooler code" article :-/

Even the "printing ink" status is convoluted. My printer
(in hardware), had invoked its evil "cartridge is empty"
feature, after cleaning the heads. The spool status
did not indicate any problem. It was only during the
next print attempt, that the status of the cartridge
came back as a failure, and that's when I knew
"cartridge was empty". The light was flashing on the
printer, but its "non-ready" state was only available
in software, when the next job was queued in the spooler.
And that's a local USB printer, too.

Maybe if there was a printing method which did not use
the Windows spooler, you could get this info.

Paul
  #4  
Old October 22nd 19, 07:47 PM posted to alt.windows7.general,microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
Mike Easter
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Posts: 1,064
Default Printer Present For Real

Mandy wrote:
Is there some printer ping or other test.


I believe that if a printer (presumably any network printer) is 'on',
that it will echo a ping to its IP. But, a printer could be 'on' -
powered up and network connected - but still not be 'ready' to accept a
print job.

So, the ping echo would 'simply' represent 'network aware' status.

Specific printer utilities could give more info.

--
Mike Easter
  #5  
Old October 22nd 19, 07:57 PM posted to alt.windows7.general,microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
Jeff Barnett[_2_]
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Posts: 298
Default Printer Present For Real

Mandy wrote on 10/22/2019 12:17 PM:
For Win XP and Win 7 Question

How do I know if a printer is actually there.
In Printers And FAXes it say all are ready but that is bogus.
I know one is off and is is "Ready".Â* Haha.

Is there some printer ping or other test.

No, I do not want to print a test page since I will have to walk a mile
to see if it prints.Â* Yes on the same LAN.


I have a few printers connected via my home network. I use my browser to
connect to their address, e.g., "198.168.0.4". Then I can set options on
my printer, request its status or its supply status, etc. My printers
are all from HP and the network connect and control stuff is standard
operating procedure. If it doesn't answer when you try to connect you
know it is unplugged or off. If it does answer, your status peeks will
tell tell you if its ready to go, busy, out of paper, jammed, or you
name it. I presume these capabilities are available on other than HP
printers that connect via networks wired or wireless.
--
Jeff Barnett
  #6  
Old October 22nd 19, 08:03 PM posted to alt.windows7.general,microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
Jeff Barnett[_2_]
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Posts: 298
Default Printer Present For Real

Jeff Barnett wrote on 10/22/2019 12:57 PM:
Mandy wrote on 10/22/2019 12:17 PM:
For Win XP and Win 7 Question

How do I know if a printer is actually there.
In Printers And FAXes it say all are ready but that is bogus.
I know one is off and is is "Ready".Â* Haha.

Is there some printer ping or other test.

No, I do not want to print a test page since I will have to walk a
mile to see if it prints.Â* Yes on the same LAN.


I have a few printers connected via my home network. I use my browser to
connect to their address, e.g., "198.168.0.4". Then I can set options on
my printer, request its status or its supply status, etc. My printers
are all from HP and the network connect and control stuff is standard
operating procedure. If it doesn't answer when you try to connect you
know it is unplugged or off. If it does answer, your status peeks will
tell tell you if its ready to go, busy, out of paper, jammed, or you
name it. I presume these capabilities are available on other than HP
printers that connect via networks wired or wireless.


This is a PS to the above: Set your router to give the same IP address
every time to the printer. That enables you to create a shortcut in your
bookmarks for that printer. Essentially this allows you to recall the
printer's name rather than its IP address. You'll appreciate that
convenience as you age.
--
Jeff Barnett
  #7  
Old October 22nd 19, 08:54 PM posted to alt.windows7.general,microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
NY[_2_]
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Posts: 37
Default Printer Present For Real

"Jeff Barnett" wrote in message
...
Set your router to give the same IP address every time to the printer.
That enables you to create a shortcut in your bookmarks for that printer.
Essentially this allows you to recall the printer's name rather than its
IP address. You'll appreciate that convenience as you age.


Most network printers that I have set up require a static/reserved IP
address. My Epson SX515W configured itself on Printer Properties | Ports to
use "Standard TCP/IP Port" with the IP address that the printer was
allocated when it was detected. When I rebooted my router and the printer
was given a different IP address by DHCP, communication stopped. I had a
choice of configuring the printer to use a static IP address or configuring
my router's DHCP to reserve the same IP address for the printer; I chose the
latter because devices with static IPs are a clash waiting to happen! I do
the same for my security cameras so I can browse to them by IP from my phone
and can configure port-forwarding to access them from outside my LAN.

  #8  
Old October 23rd 19, 09:09 PM posted to alt.windows7.general,microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
Paul[_32_]
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Posts: 11,873
Default Printer Present For Real

Boris wrote:
"NY" wrote in :

"Jeff Barnett" wrote in message
...
Set your router to give the same IP address every time to the printer.
That enables you to create a shortcut in your bookmarks for that

printer.
Essentially this allows you to recall the printer's name rather than

its
IP address. You'll appreciate that convenience as you age.

Most network printers that I have set up require a static/reserved IP
address. My Epson SX515W configured itself on Printer Properties | Ports

to
use "Standard TCP/IP Port" with the IP address that the printer was
allocated when it was detected. When I rebooted my router and the

printer
was given a different IP address by DHCP, communication stopped. I had a
choice of configuring the printer to use a static IP address or

configuring
my router's DHCP to reserve the same IP address for the printer; I chose

the
latter because devices with static IPs are a clash waiting to happen! I

do
the same for my security cameras so I can browse to them by IP from my

phone
and can configure port-forwarding to access them from outside my LAN.



Hmmm...got me to thinking.

Yesterday I swapped out wireless routers. The old Dlink 524, after many
years of faithful use, wouldn't hold the WAN connection anymore. I pulled
out a brand new Linksys/Cisco WRT54G router. (I have two of them from
when other first adopters didn't even bother to open the boxes, and moved
on to something newer.) I now at least have better security.

The Dl 524 was also used to connect over the home network to print
wirelessly to a Brother HL-2270DW mono laser printer. This printer is
capable of printing wirelessly, or via USB or ethernet. It was set up
wirelessly when first purchased in 2011 so I could print from laptops
around the house.

I printed out the network configuration from the Brother printer, and it
showed "IP 192.168.0.98, (set manually)".

I set up the 'new' WRT54G, which handed out IP 192.168.1.106 via DHCP, but
the printer didn't recognize it. Wired devices did, however. I followed
Brother's instructions on how to change the IP, but couldn't even get into
the browser based settings. I had to completely uninstall all Brother
drivers and software, and reinstall, to get the printer to find and
connect to the WRT54G.

Now, when I print out the Brother network configuration, it shows "IP
192.168.1.106 (via DHCP)".

Your comment that everytime you had to reset your router caused a
disconnect with the statically set printer IP, got me thinking, that ever
since I originally set up this Brother printer, I had reset (power down,
power back up) the Dl 524, and the printer had always shown that it's IP
was 'set manually, yet the printer never lost connection.

I wonder why.


There are other ways a printer can "broadcast" its presence.

https://support.brother.com/g/b/faqe...printable=true

Paul
  #9  
Old October 23rd 19, 10:59 PM posted to alt.windows7.general,microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
Paul[_32_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 11,873
Default Printer Present For Real

Boris wrote:
Boris wrote in
.198:

Paul wrote in :

Boris wrote:
"NY" wrote in :

"Jeff Barnett" wrote in message
...
Set your router to give the same IP address every time to the

printer.
That enables you to create a shortcut in your bookmarks for that
printer.
Essentially this allows you to recall the printer's name rather than
its
IP address. You'll appreciate that convenience as you age.
Most network printers that I have set up require a static/reserved IP
address. My Epson SX515W configured itself on Printer Properties |

Ports
to
use "Standard TCP/IP Port" with the IP address that the printer was
allocated when it was detected. When I rebooted my router and the
printer
was given a different IP address by DHCP, communication stopped. I

had
a
choice of configuring the printer to use a static IP address or
configuring
my router's DHCP to reserve the same IP address for the printer; I

chose
the
latter because devices with static IPs are a clash waiting to happen!

I
do
the same for my security cameras so I can browse to them by IP from

my
phone
and can configure port-forwarding to access them from outside my LAN.


Hmmm...got me to thinking.

Yesterday I swapped out wireless routers. The old Dlink 524, after

many
years of faithful use, wouldn't hold the WAN connection anymore. I

pulled
out a brand new Linksys/Cisco WRT54G router. (I have two of them from
when other first adopters didn't even bother to open the boxes, and

moved
on to something newer.) I now at least have better security.

The Dl 524 was also used to connect over the home network to print
wirelessly to a Brother HL-2270DW mono laser printer. This printer is
capable of printing wirelessly, or via USB or ethernet. It was set up
wirelessly when first purchased in 2011 so I could print from laptops
around the house.

I printed out the network configuration from the Brother printer, and

it
showed "IP 192.168.0.98, (set manually)".

I set up the 'new' WRT54G, which handed out IP 192.168.1.106 via DHCP,

but
the printer didn't recognize it. Wired devices did, however. I

followed
Brother's instructions on how to change the IP, but couldn't even get

into
the browser based settings. I had to completely uninstall all Brother
drivers and software, and reinstall, to get the printer to find and
connect to the WRT54G.

Now, when I print out the Brother network configuration, it shows "IP
192.168.1.106 (via DHCP)".

Your comment that everytime you had to reset your router caused a
disconnect with the statically set printer IP, got me thinking, that

ever
since I originally set up this Brother printer, I had reset (power

down,
power back up) the Dl 524, and the printer had always shown that it's

IP
was 'set manually, yet the printer never lost connection.

I wonder why.
There are other ways a printer can "broadcast" its presence.

https://support.brother.com/g/b/faqe...rintable.aspx?

c=us&lang=en&prod=nc7100w_all&faqid=faq00000232_00 0&printable=true
Paul

I did notice that that article said SSDP was disabled by default. The

HL-
2270DW reports itseld as Model NC-7800W.

I looked at all of the printer settings and found no SSDP setting to
toggle on or off.

At any rate, I looked at my records, and when first installed on

2/14/12,
the IP was 192.168.0.98 set manually. Yesterday, the IP was still
192.168.0.98 set manually. Are you saying that if the printer is SSDP
capable, the printer would 'tell' the router what IP it insisted on

using?
Thanks.


By the way, the printer is set up in infrastructure mode. The router is
connected to a Windows 7 machine via ethernet. There are other desktops,
one Windows 10, one XP, connected the LAN ports.

Four Windows 10 laptops connect to the router (wirelessly).

All pcs can print to the printer.


When there are alternative protocols on a LAN, they allow other
ways of discovering devices.

For example, if I'm a printer, and I am given an IP via DHCP,
I can announce in a loud voice "I'm a printer and I'm at 192.168.0.98".

A "name" server is a server task running somewhere, that records
these announcements. Maybe a freshly booted computer yells out
"Who's out there", and the nameserver can say "I heard a printer
over on 192.168.0.98 and his name is Fred". so rather than
all discovery mechanisms working in one direction, there are
alternatives.

I think if one of those name serving things is working,
you get a nice looking icon in the devices section.

Half way down this page, is a screenshot from Windows 7,
showing detected devices. There's even an Apple iPhone
in one of those shots - how did that get there ??? :-)

https://www.sevenforums.com/tutorial...m-icons-3.html

I don't think WinXP does it with quite that much style.

Paul


 




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