D-Link Forums
The Graveyard - Products No Longer Supported => D-Link Storage => DNS-323 => Topic started by: chaz_lehmann on May 29, 2010, 12:32:08 PM
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One of the primary reasons I purchased a DNS 323 as opposed to other network storage options was the print server.
My printer is a Brother HL-1440. When I first installed it according to the instructions in the DNS-323 manual I had no problem. It worked for a day or two perfectly. Now, about a week later, it works only for brief happy moments in the midst of hours of rebooting, reinstalling the printer, etc.
Nothing seems to be working right now.
I'm using Windows 7 (64-bit). The printer window for the networked printer will show printing about 30 seconds after I send a job to it and continue to show that for about two minutes, then it switches to pause. Nothing prints.
I've tried all of the following:
*clearing the print queue.
*power cycling both the DNS 323 and the printer (together or individually)
*uninstalling and reinstalling the printer
Suggestions?
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Does the printer work properly when connected directly to the computer?
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Yes. Perfectly.
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I'd have to lay this at the feet of the printer or print driver. I've currently run a brother HL-5140 on mine, and I was running a Canon MF3110 and before that an HP PSC-750. All of these printers worked perfectly on the print server of the DNS-323 under a variety of firmware versions over the span of almost three years.
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So, it's the printer/driver's fault even though the driver I'm using now is identical to the driver I use when the printer operates perfectly when attached to the PC? This isn't making sense to me. I did just check to make sure that the driver is up to date. It is.
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You're forgetting you're using a networked printer vs. a locally attached printer, it's not the same thing. Canon is infamous for issues with networking, I had all sorts of driver issues with my Canon before I got it working. It worked fine connected directly to the machine.
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So, is "it's an issue with the driver" the last word or is there a way I can go about trying to solve the problem?
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Someone posted elsewhere that they got the printer to work using an XP driver (but they were running Vista 64). So I've tried every 64 bit driver for the HL-1440 going back to XP with no luck.
I'd appreciate other suggestions on what to try.
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Well, for my Canon printer, I resorted to using a generic driver for a totally different printer which works. :)
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How did you figure out which generic driver to use?
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Trial and error! :D
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Although I have no personal experience with a networked Canon printer I'd be tempted to agree with gunrunnerjohn - what he is describing there is very similar to my experience with HP printers, right down to the trial and error method of finding a driver that works.
What he has not mentioned, maybe he hasn't experienced it, is that this "pattern" holds true even for other print servers - I've installed many different brands of print server in the last decade and the printer drivers have been the biggest bugbear.
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Yep, for some reason, USB printers just don't like to deal with being connected to a print server. I didn't have any issues with my HP PSC-750 apart from the obvious that I couldn't use the scanner remotely, but I know lots of people that have had issues getting USB print servers to function correctly.
It's best to start with generic "network" drivers if they're offered, and not the full-up installation package like HP provides.
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Many modern printers are bidirectional which does not adapt well to print server usage. Some work well if this function is disabled.
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First thing I do, but that doesn't solve the issues I've seen. :)
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Not really the point but, you can pick up wireless deskjet printers for next to nothing these days... at least they are designed to work this way. :)
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That's what I have for a color printer/scanner on my system, the HP C7280, works great for all the machines and allows me to scan and FAX as well from the network. :)
The two laser printers work through two of the NAS boxes to allow us all access.
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I've also got a HP colour deskjet/scanner/copier - may even be the same model. Happy with mine except the 20,000 HP software apps that are eager to install. HP Update Updater, HP Real-time Ink Monitor, HP Real-time Ink Monitor Update Wizard, HP Ink Monitor Monitor, HP Paper Buying Guide 2010 Edition Lite..... OK, it's not that bad. I made the last one up. :)
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HP usually offers two drivers - the full package to which you refer, containing both driver and applications, and a second "driver only" package (which typically has to be downloaded from their website)
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Indeed it does and I usually opt for the driver only package. Except I wanted to use the scanner software and found the executable to do it, but it wouldn't launch properly without installing the full blown software. I think last time I did it I was given the option of which software I wanted to install so that's always nice. As it happens last time round I just installed everything :)