[SeriesofTubes]

Issue: ALL PCs can no longer print to the network printer

Tools:

Bell internet modem
D-Link Router
several PCs (Windows XP)
Sharp MX printer/scanner/fax

The printer/fax/scanner and the PCs are all connected to the D-Link router via ethernet cables.

HOw it happened:
Recently everything was working fine and dandy, until people were having trouble connecting to the wireless routers internet. I decided to reboot the router. Upon rebooting the router and then powercycling the Bell modem, none of the PCs had internet access.
They were still connected to the LAN but the WAN was out.
To resolve this, on EACH computer I went to the network connection properties and changed the Internet Protocol TCP/IP properties. Originally each computer was set to use a particular IP address but I changed the settings to obtain and IP address automatically as well as obtain DNS server server automatically.
Once this was done on each PC, the internet was back and running.
However
That is when the printer no longer printed from files on the PCs.

What went wrong?
How can I print again?

Edited by SeriesofTubes, 11 February 2010 - 11:57 AM.

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did the ip address of the printer change? most network printers have the ability to print a configuration page from the front panel of the printer...print one and make sure that the IP is what you expect it to be

[dsenette]

did the ip address of the printer change? most network printers have the ability to print a configuration page from the front panel of the printer...print one and make sure that the IP is what you expect it to be

[SeriesofTubes]

I don't see that setting. Is there any other way to find out the printers IP?

[Gashlad]

I don't see that setting. Is there any other way to find out the printers IP?

You rebooted the router and set everything to DHCP, that is the problem. You need to assign a static IP address.

You should not have your printer if it is networked via wired Ethernet or Wireless on DHCP. DHCP is a network service that give your machines and other devices an IP address when they boot up. If you go to your D-Link Router, go to the DHCP configuration page. It should say that you have something like 192.168.1.x and that you have x (x is the number of machines that would be given a dhcp address) amount of leases. So if X were 10 then DHCP would use addresses 192.168.1.2 -11 and you can use addresses 192.168.1.12-254 for any Static IP addresses you need because they are not part of your DHCP pool (addresses Dhcp is giving out).

The printer should allow you to print off a configuration page which includes IP address, subnet and default gateway. You should then be able to set a static IP address, subnet and default gateway to something outwith your DHCP pool.

If your not sure of the subnet or default gateway a quick ipconfig /all will give you that info.