Detecting Xerox Laser Printer

[Ed989]

I have a Xerox Phaser 6130N network laser printer. I have it connected to two computers through my router and it has been working perfectly (one PC has Vista, the other has XP). Recently, I accidentally unplugged the printer while moving some stuff around. When I plugged everything back in, Vista told me that the printer was "offline". Now I cannot get either computer to recognize that there is a network printer available. The Add Printer wizard can't find the printer, and even when I use the installation CD, the printer is not found on the network. I don't know what the problem is. When I try to ping the printer, the request times out, and I cannot access the printer's settings through my web browser by entering the IP address like I used to do. I have turned my firewall off and reset all the network settings on the printer back to default, but my computer still cannot find it. Any ideas?? Thanks.

-Ed

[ktkendall]

First thing to check is for link lights on the printers NIC, and the switch port the printer is connected to. It's better to start there especially when you consider the cause of the problem, before you go messing with software. It is likely a physical layer problem, like the cable or the port. Some pins may have gotten bent or the cable end damaged when you knocked the connector out of the port.

[Ed989]

I have solved the problem.......instead of searching for a network printer I created local TCP/IP ports on both computers and entered in the printer's IP address. They are both working fine now. I find it strange that the "Network Printer" option is not the correct one to use since this is a network printer, but it works so I'm happy. Thanks for the feedback.

-Ed

[glc]

When you use a printer with a print server, I recommend the use of a static printer IP and standard TCP/IP ports if the print server is capable of this. When you do this, the printer needs to be installed as a LOCAL printer with plug and play detection turned off - then you add a standard TCP/IP port. Network printer is used when installing to a share from another computer on the network.