Printer Ports : Help!

[Kelly_Liscious]

I am having a problem with my printer.

It seems it does not want to print any thing.

I have already downloaded the program on to my computer.

I have the software working it just does not seem to be communicating with my printer.

I have a question concerning some thing called a "port".

I got a list of ports when I was downloading the software and just picked one not realizing what it does or if it was the right one.

Can some one shed some light on my computer problem.


Before I become even more frustrated!

 

[Cathleen]

I don't know much but ...

The port is on the computer, it is where you'll connect the printer to the computer. Many times it is LP 1 (port 1) or Comm1. When I've installed printers I let the install sort of guide me through it - meaning I use the defaults it choses.

You could uninstall the printer then reboot and try again. But the port is how both items communicate to each other.

There are others that'll probably be around later to give you the right answer.

 

[Kelly_Liscious]

I don't know much but ...

The port is on the computer, it is where you'll connect the printer to the computer. Many times it is LP 1 (port 1) or Comm1. When I've installed printers I let the install sort of guide me through it - meaning I use the defaults it choses.

You could uninstall the printer then reboot and try again. But the port is how both items communicate to each other.

There are others that'll probably be around later to give you the right answer.

Cathleen,

I followed the directions and did every step but it seems some thing is still wrong.

I have re booted several times and it still tells me that there is an error of some sort and does not print.

I had to step away from the computer because I was in danger of just throwing every thing out the window.



But I will go now and check to see about my "ports".

Thank you very much for your advice.

 

[sassy_girl1963]

Hi!

I have no clue if this is your problem, but I had trouble getting my printer and computer to talk to each other - I finally thought it might be the printer cord - so went and bought a new cheap one - and lo and behold! then now will speak to each other.....lol

So if your printer cord is old, you might want to try that. Check with the store to see if that does not work if you can bring it back, that way you are not out of the money.

Good luck!

 

[Tele2047]

If it's a newer printer then it probably uses a USB port. If you downloaded the drivers for the wrong port then you'll have to install the ones it uses.

 

[Kelly_Liscious]

sassy_girl1963 and Tele2047,

Thank you for your replies and let me say that my printer does use a USB cord and I bought a new one the day before, so I know that the cord is not the problem.


A little while ago I tried to print and the error message I got was

"Printer is not responding".


The printer is now back in the box along with all the cords and other junk it came along with, I will no longer be trying to see what is wrong. I will be calling a computer tech person some time later in the week.

Its best I do this, if not the printer would be back in the box in a bunch of broken pieces.

I do not have such patience.

 

[SweetErika]

Have you been to the support/troubleshooting section of the manufacturer's website? I'm not sure what brand you have, but companies like HP have instructions to fix just about anything.

You could try (this has worked for me before): If you have XP, I'd do CTRL+Alt+Del, and make sure no printer program is running (if so, end all of them). The, go Start>Control Panel>Printers, select the printer, and delete it. Then, restart, plug your printer into the outlet (NOT the computer), turn it on, attach the USB cable to the printer, and then plug it in your computer. You should get a "new hardware detected" popup, and it should take you from there.

Sometimes Windows is screwy and mistakes my printer for offline. In that case, I open the print job manager, and ensure it's set to print from port USB instead of 'Offline'

Weird Harold knows most of this stuff backwards and forwards, so if he's not here shortly, PM him maybe.

 

[Weird Harold]

Thank you for your replies and let me say that my printer does use a USB cord and I bought a new one the day before, so I know that the cord is not the problem.

If your printer is a USB interface and you told the driver it was on a LPTx port or COMx, then the driver is looking in the wrong place for the printer.

When I last intalled a printer, I let the installation program search for it -- just make sure that the printer is on when the program searches for it.

From where youare at the moment, I'd go to the Printers icon in the control panel and remove all of your printers and to the System icon/Device manager to remove a possible "unknown device" listing for the printer.

Then once you've removed all references to the printer from your system, connect it, turn it on, and then reboot -- Windows should detect it as new hardware and instll it automatically; it may ask for the loction of the driver ".INF" file, but it shouldn't ask you any technical questions about ports.

Finding and removing the "unknown device" listing in the Device Manager is important because if the printer was initially mis-identified windows will continue to mis-identify it until you remove the erroneous identification.

Also if you're using Win XP, make sure you're logged in as an administrator so you can make changes to the system configuration.

 

[Mary Hall]

My printer software never asks for ports

 

[Kelly_Liscious]

To each and everyone of you who replied

I would like to thank you for taking the time and trying to make me understand what is wrong with my printer.

But, I have already placed it back in the box and I am waiting for one of my tech friends to come on over and install it for me.

I did not give up, I did make an effort and tried but after some stressful moments and cursing like a sailor I just felt it was better I placed that thing back in the box.


But again, thank you for your help. :flower: