Cannot connect wireless printer to wire router.

[BarkingGhostar]

Samsung ML-1865W wireless printer
TP-Link Archer C1200 wireless router

Router is configured for DHCP service using 192.168.0.100 to 192.168.0.199, respectively.
Router has a WAN IP of 192.168.1.XX, which is served by a Pace Residential Gateway (AT&T Fiber).
Router has DHCP Reservation of 192.168.1.YYY --> Printer MAC.
Router WPS is hard-disabled and I cannot enable it.
PS for Setup has a host IP of 192.168.1.ZZZ and can ping router, gateway, etc., but not printer IP.

Using the Samsung Easy Wireless Setup software on a PC nearest to the printer, I connect the USB cable and launch the software to perform a Setup-by-USB. I give the name of the wireless network, select Infrastructure, choose WPA2, etc., and then the network key (presumably the WPS PIN?) and it never connects.

After two days of trying I learn how to get the printer to printout the networking config on the printer and learn the MAC address and DHCP-assigned IP, which I mentioned above. But I cannot ping it, the printer (host) IP doesn't show up in the TP-Link routing table, etc. and the Easy Wireless Setup continues to fail.

The router is on the second floor above the garage and I can communicate with it via cell phone from the basement on the opposite side of the house. So, when I am suggested the problem is a weak signal I just doubt it. And the PC that the printer is connected to via USB (for the setup) can communicate just fine with the router via Ethernet.

I do not know why I cannot enable WPS on the router, but some reading on the web suggested to eliminate the threat of brute-force attacks. So, I am not sure why this isn't working. It was working before when the printer was connected wirelessly to an ancient Linksys WRRT54G but that died two nights ago after a decade or more of service.

 

[ch33zw1z]

Use the WPA2 passphrase, not the WPS pin. WPS is flawed and should be disabled and ignored.

Also, the printer should end up on the 192.166.0.x if that's what the router is giving out.

 

[BarkingGhostar]

I saw from the printer configuration printout (using the press WPS button for 15 seconds) that it got setup on the 192.168.0.X address, but the port on the setup PC fails to successfully create via the Easy Wireless Setup software. If I create the port manually under the printer properties menu, I still cannot ping the IP and cannot print. I also tried using the passphrase but that didn't work either. I have another TP-Link router not being used that has a print server USB port and I may try setting it up that way.

 

[ch33zw1z]

I don't use the USB when I config printers unless necessary. The printer should pick up IP via DHCP on the LAN, you'll see it as a client in the device list of the router, add it as a printer from the pc with the IP. You can also get to the printers web interface with the DHCP IP.

I add a DHCP reservation in my router for printers, so their IP doesn't change

 

[BarkingGhostar]

When I bought this printer a while back it clearly stated the initial configuration required it to be connected by USB to a computer and the use of included software. Now, without that how would a brand new printer know which network to talk to, let alone a given network know it should talk to said new printer? I reasoned this at the time of purchase is why the usb/sw route was needed.

 

[ch33zw1z]

Ah yes, your model has no LAN Port.

So two steps.

1. Get it on the network using the software, ensure the router sees it as a client.

2. Add it as a printer based on IP. If you've completed step 1 ok, then take a screenshot of the printer port and post it.

In case you couldn't tell, I don't tend to rely of manufacturers software all that much, but in you case, you have to for at least the wifi config.

 

[Ketchup]

When I bought this printer a while back it clearly stated the initial configuration required it to be connected by USB to a computer and the use of included software. Now, without that how would a brand new printer know which network to talk to, let alone a given network know it should talk to said new printer? I reasoned this at the time of purchase is why the usb/sw route was needed.

Actually, the manual says "we recommend a USB cable." If you are setting up the printer on a newer system, especially if that system is running Windows 10, I seriously doubt you need the CD that came with it for anything since your printer has an IP address that is on your local LAN and the OS probably has the driver baked in.

What OS are your running?

 

[BarkingGhostar]

Combination of MacOS and Windows 7 Professional. I also run Linux, but no printers are installed by choice.

I have another TP-Link Archer C1200 not being used. I was thinking of sticking in the room for USB connectivity on the router. Not sure how I should setup the network.

 

[Ketchup]

So what is the printer's ip address? For troubleshooting purposes, remove the reservation from the router and see if anything on the network can ping it.

Edit: Ok, so it looks like you set the ip address yourself unless you are using their wifi direct. Still, if you are giving it an available IP address in your router's range, I don't see a reason not to choose the "wireless network connection" during setup. Just double-check your router and make sure that address is still available.

 

[Ketchup]

Try this: remove the reservation on the router, run the samsung setup for it being a wifi device. Once it connects, then give it a reservation.

 

[BarkingGhostar]

I only made the reservation after discovering that an IP address had been assigned to the printer by the TP-Link. I happen to pressed and held the WPS button on the printer for +15 seconds and got an automated printout from the printer regarding its configuration and it stated its assigned IP was 192.168.0.111. This told me some sort of communication had taken place between the TP-Link and the printer. On the setup PC I then opened the printer properties and went to the port tab and modified the IP address there from the old IP address (assigned by the old and now dead router). But when I powered down the PC, disconnected the USB cable and powered back up, trying to print a test page failed. I even went through the process of removing the printer driver, etc., and starting from scratch and again failure.

I'll have to wait until morning as I am soon to move into work mode.

 

[Ketchup]

Is the router seeing the printer and showing the same address, .111, for it? Can you at least ping the printer? Starting to appreciate my last two HPs, which just came with static IPs and made the "find" test very simple.

 

[BarkingGhostar]

OK, yesterday was a whirlwind of getting nothing done on this and I'm going on two hours of sleep.Yey!

Anyway, no, I cannot ping the printer's IP address and the router is not seeing the IP in the host log. That is the mystery. Somehow it got the router to assign an IP from it (and not the residential gateway) and yet it is unreachable. BTW, I now see that Samsung (ahem, HP) has sub-$100 pseudo-laser printers with Ethernet built in. I wonder if that would be a better route.

 

[Ketchup]

Or just plug it into one of the printers via USB and use Windows to share it over your network. Not worth losing sleep over.

 

[BarkingGhostar]

That would only work if the computer it is directly connected to and shared were on 24x7. None of my computers are on when we are not using them. BTW, I tried the USB port on the router configured as a switch down in the study. I can print through to it just as easy as i could if the printer were directly connected to computer. Also, I can ping that pseudo-switch LAN IP since I set it up statically on the router--the Pace Residential gateway doesn't offer DHCP reservation. And while everything behind the original router on the 192.168.0.x network can ping the pseudo-switch on the 192.168.1.Y I cannot print to it. At this point I am wondering if a native network-ready printer is my only hope. I really had hoped the TP-Link router, configured as a switch or router, would have just assigned an Ip to the USB port but that was obviously asking for too much. I guess these printer products are really for the simple-network homes. Ha

 

[sdifox]

Manually set the ip on the printer just to get that variable out of the way. Use an ip out of dhcp range. Remove reservation on router. Then add printer and setup manual port in windows. Don't really need the samsung software if it is just a printer.

Also you should be entering the wifi password and not wps pin.

Also, on the printer monitor software enable tcpip monitoring.

 

[pcgeek11]

I had the same issues with a TP Link Router and after a week of cursing and talking to their useless service department I sent it back for a refund. Purchased an Asus Router that actually works properly with a wireless printer. After that nightmare I wouldn't buy another TP Link Router.

 

[BarkingGhostar]

pcgeek11, I am starting to think you are onto something here. BTW, there is an IP address assigned to the printer and it seems to be keeping this IP even when power is removed. This is something that shouldn't be and past history was every time the brownout took place (printer not on a UPC at the time) it would get a new Ip from the DHCP. Still, evidence has it that the IP address now seemingly hard set came from the TP-Link but any attempt to ping that IP, or send print traffic to the printer fails. I removed reservation and cannot setup the wifi WPA without the Samsung software, which fails because it can't get printer to talk to wifi router. Crazy.

 

[pcgeek11]

pcgeek11, I am starting to think you are onto something here. BTW, there is an IP address assigned to the printer and it seems to be keeping this IP even when power is removed. This is something that shouldn't be and past history was every time the brownout took place (printer not on a UPC at the time) it would get a new Ip from the DHCP. Still, evidence has it that the IP address now seemingly hard set came from the TP-Link but any attempt to ping that IP, or send print traffic to the printer fails. I removed reservation and cannot setup the wifi WPA without the Samsung software, which fails because it can't get printer to talk to wifi router. Crazy.

Sounds exactly like the same issue I had. Get an Asus Router... or anything but a TP Link.