Ethernet-connected printer keeps showing as offline

[Polemic]

We have a DLink DSL-2730B wireless ethernet router into which is plugged, amongst other devices, a Konica Minolta C252 print hub device.

The other computers are desktops, connected via CAT5 cables to the router. I use the wireless connection for my laptop as there are no more ports available on the router and, in any case, my desk is on the opposite side of the room. I am running Windows 7 SP1.

The C252 has a fixed IP address.

The problem I have is that every time I disconnect the laptop from the network, when I come to reconnect the printer shows as offline and I need to uninstall and reinstall it to get the two devices to talk to one another again.

Occasionally (though not every time) when I reinstall the printer the laptop tells me the name is still in use. That may be because I don't leave enough time for the uninstall to propagate because I want to reinstall the thing and get on with my work.

Is there any way I can reconnect to the printer across the wireless network without having to go through this rigmarole every day?

 

[2xg]

Welcome to Seven Forums,

You might want to install the latest printer driver and software from the manufacturer's site to your laptop.

Also, update your laptop's Wi-Fi adapter's driver to the latest.

 

[Polemic]

Hi 2xg

Sorry for the delayed response... have had other issues (technical and real world) to deal with.

The laptop's drivers are all the latest versions for everything. There was a "new" driver for the printer since I'd first installed it, albeit that the "new" driver was dated 2010!

Installed that, no improvement. The firm who installed our router mentioned in might be a MAC address problem, but they want to be paid to look at it and since we're in a remote part of Australia that means $500 in travel fees before they even get here :-/

So... any other thoughts?

Thanks again

 

[2xg]

Just to confirm, is the issue on the wireless side only?

Can you please post a Xirrus Wi-Fi Inspector snip coming from the problematic computer?
http://www.sevenforums.com/network-...ts-before-posting-your-networking-thread.html

 

[Polemic]

Hi 2xg

Thanks for sticking with this

1. It's a wireless issue. The desktop computers connected to the router via CAT5 have no trouble seeing the printer as online and ready even if they are rebooted.

2. Our ISP is Telstra (Telstra Business & Enterprise - Internet Services - Network Services) though both laptop and printer connect to the same LAN via the one modem/router.

3. We're on a DSL connection.

4. The modem / router is a D-Link DSL2730-B

5. The laptop uses Bitdefender for antivirus, Malwarebytes (paid version with realtime protection) and Windows firewall.

6. ipconfig output:

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : Shift_Focus-HP
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Mixed
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : Home

Ethernet adapter Bluetooth Network Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Bluetooth Device (Personal Area Network)
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : C0-18-85-FA-E7-69
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek PCIe FE Family Controller
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 80-C1-6E-53-67-65
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection 2:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft Virtual WiFi Miniport Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 08-ED-B9-21-98-C8
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : Home
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom 4313GN 802.11b/g/n 1x1 Wi-Fi Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 08-ED-B9-21-98-C8
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::a883:6a13:341a:ec6a%12(Preferred)
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.3(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Friday, 28 November 2014 10:04:45 AM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Saturday, 29 November 2014 10:07:32 AM
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 319352249
DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-1A-B1-E0-A0-08-ED-B9-21-98-C8
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 208.67.222.222
208.67.220.220
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Tunnel adapter 6TO4 Adapter:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft 6to4 Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter isatap.{CF9B6299-0CD1-45AE-BF7B-993582AFC8B9}:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #2
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter isatap.{5D0E80C6-522F-4496-B136-55E025A5793D}:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #3
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter isatap.{A74522D6-BDB0-4259-B311-5387CCE0D6B9}:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #5
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 19:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IPv6 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 2001:0:9d38:6ab8:2c99:11b7:3f57:fefc(Preferred)
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::2c99:11b7:3f57:fefc%28(Preferred)
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : ::
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled

Tunnel adapter isatap.Home:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : Home
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #6
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Xirrus output, image attached.

 

[2xg]

Thanks for the latest info. provided. The Xirrus capture looks good but just wondering why you have Open public DNS'es configured (DNS Servers: 208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220) Can you please verify that the Wireless configuration is set to automatic IPs? See image inserted.

 

[Polemic]

Hi 2xg

I'm using OpenDNS because I was having constant problems with the DNS server of the ISP I use at another site (I have two offices, one in the north of the state using Telstra and which has the printer issue, one in the south on a different ISP when the laptop sits in a docking station and thus the printer is hardwired). The second ISP's DNS servers would time out; I changed to OpenDNS and the issue went away.

Yes, "obtain IP address automatically" still applies in terms of having an IP assigned to the laptop over wireless.