Trouble accessing printer though AP

[lobosdoc]

Hi all - I'm currently running a home network with two RT-AC88u ASUS routers on Merlin's 384.6 firmware. I have one connected directly to our cable modem on the first floor, and configured as a router. The second is set up in a problem spot area of the house on the second floor, configured as an AP. It is currently reporting an RSSI of -64. I have our DirectTV receiver plugged directly into the AP via ethernet, as well as our security camera DVR. There are no ethernet connections to the main router. My printer is set up to work wirelessly, and is a Brother HL-3170CDW.
I have my printer set up in the area that uses the AP. Via the router directly, I can use the printer just fine, though it's very slow because the connection is poor. Initially when I set up the AP, it worked great for several days, however despite no clear reason I can see, for the last several days, I've been unable to connect to it. When the printer is connected to the access point, I can't see the printer, or reach it by browser or ping, even though it reports being connected. I've gone through every setting I can think of - I do not have isolation enabled on the main router (and don't see any options for it on the AP menu), and have tried setting static IPs, limiting frequencies to 20 mhz on the 2.4 ghz band, turning on and off the guest network, and resetting the printer's network settings multiple times.
Everything else is working fine - internet access for computers connected wirelessly to either router works fine, and the DirectTV and DVR which are connected via eithernet to the AP are accessible from the LAN or WAN.
Anyone have any ideas? Thanks,

Eric

 

[CaptainSTX]

If your printer has an Ethernet port and is in the same room as the AP connect the printer to the AP and set it up as a networked printer.

My experience Wifi connected printers are always a PITA.

 

[lobosdoc]

Would be an easy fix, but unfortunately there’s no easy way to run a cable, as AP and printer are in different rooms. Appreciate the suggestion though.

If your printer has an Ethernet port and is in the same room as the AP connect the printer to the AP and set it up as a networked printer.

My experience Wifi connected printers are always a PITA.

 

[Grisu]

setup a guest SSID on AP and connect printer to that (to change its safed config).

do you use easy passwords and SSID, only characters and decimals not more than 15.

 

[ApexRon]

1. Hi all - I'm currently running a home network with two RT-AC88u ASUS routers on Merlin's 384.6 firmware. I have one connected directly to our cable modem on the first floor, and configured as a router. The second is set up in a problem spot area of the house on the second floor, configured as an AP. It is currently reporting an RSSI of -64. I have our DirectTV receiver plugged directly into the AP via ethernet, as well as our security camera DVR. There are no ethernet connections to the main router. My printer is set up to work wirelessly, and is a Brother HL-3170CDW.
   I have my printer set up in the area that uses the AP. Via the router directly, I can use the printer just fine, though it's very slow because the connection is poor. Initially when I set up the AP, it worked great for several days, however despite no clear reason I can see, for the last several days, I've been unable to connect to it. When the printer is connected to the access point, I can't see the printer, or reach it by browser or ping, even though it reports being connected. I've gone through every setting I can think of - I do not have isolation enabled on the main router (and don't see any options for it on the AP menu), and have tried setting static IPs, limiting frequencies to 20 mhz on the 2.4 ghz band, turning on and off the guest network, and resetting the printer's network settings multiple times.
   Everything else is working fine - internet access for computers connected wirelessly to either router works fine, and the DirectTV and DVR which are connected via eithernet to the AP are accessible from the LAN or WAN.
   Anyone have any ideas? Thanks,
   
   Eric

   Please clarify the network design:
   Cable Modem ---> RT-AC88u ---> AP RT-AC88u ---> printer
   1. What is the physical connection and IP network for RT-AC88u ---> AP RT-AC88u? If WiFi, what is the SSID?
   2. What is the SSID and IP network for AP RT-AC88u ---> printer?

 

[CaptainSTX]

Would be an easy fix, but unfortunately there’s no easy way to run a cable, as AP and printer are in different rooms. Appreciate the suggestion though.

If you don't get any better or simplier solutions to solve the problem consider taking an old router and convert it to a wireless bridge and plug your printer into a LAN port on the bridge. The advantage of repurposing the router is that if it has external antennas (or even internal antennas) it probably will get a stronger WiFi signal than the printer. I have an Linksys 54G running DD-WRT and it works well for for extending my network on occasions when I need to.

 

[lobosdoc]

setup a guest SSID on AP and connect printer to that (to change its safed config).

do you use easy passwords and SSID, only characters and decimals not more than 15.

Tried that - but same end result - can't reach the printer, even though it says it's connected. The SSID is Lobos, password is alpha-numeric 10 character.

 

[lobosdoc]

1. 
   Please clarify the network design:
   Cable Modem ---> RT-AC88u ---> AP RT-AC88u ---> printer
   1. What is the physical connection and IP network for RT-AC88u ---> AP RT-AC88u? If WiFi, what is the SSID?
   2. What is the SSID and IP network for AP RT-AC88u ---> printer?

Cable modem connected to RT-AC88u (router mode) via ethernet
Wifi connected RT-AC88u (access point mode)
SSID is Lobos
IP network is 192.168.1.x (192.168.1.1 main router) and AP is set for DHCP (I also tried assigning it a fixed 192.168.1.2 address both on the router and AP, but it didn't make a difference)

 

[lobosdoc]

If you don't get any better or simplier solutions to solve the problem consider taking an old router and convert it to a wireless bridge and plug your printer into a LAN port on the bridge. The advantage of repurposing the router is that if it has external antennas (or even internal antennas) it probably will get a stronger WiFi signal than the printer. I have an Linksys 54G running DD-WRT and it works well for for extending my network on occasions when I need to.

Sounds like a good idea - if I can't get this working, I may do that... The only down side is one more spot to check when the network isn't behaving correctly...

 

[lobosdoc]

Just for the heck of it, I put another printer, a Canon MX860, in the room to connect via the AP. Just like the Brother printer, it says it's connected, but it's completely inaccessible when connected to the AP. Works fine when it's connected directly to the router...

 

[ColinTaylor]

@lobosdoc Sorry, can you just clarify something for me. The device that is the "Access Point" - Is it actually an access point (i.e. connected to your main router with an Ethernet cable), or is it a repeater (connected to the main router by WiFi)?

 

[lobosdoc]

Yes, you're right Colin - I've been saying access point, but the second AC-88U is in *Repeater* mode, not access point. It's not connected with ethernet, but wirelessly.

 

[ApexRon]

Granted I just skimmed all the posts but I didn't find what your trying to print from. I assume it is a computer of some sort running Windows. If so, delete/remove the current printer definition and drivers from the Windows system, reboot the system and add the printer back, preferably with drivers from manufacturer. I know that when I used to have a Windows computer the printer support was extremely challenging.

 

[lobosdoc]

Granted I just skimmed all the posts but I didn't find what your trying to print from. I assume it is a computer of some sort running Windows. If so, delete/remove the current printer definition and drivers from the Windows system, reboot the system and add the printer back, preferably with drivers from manufacturer. I know that when I used to have a Windows computer the printer support was extremely challenging.

Print jobs are coming from two laptops running Windows 10, one running Windows 7, as well as several iphones and ipads. On my laptop (windows 10) I have reinstalled the printer multiple times, to no avail...

 

[ApexRon]

Doesn't look like Canon MX860 supports AirPrint. So how are you trying to print from IOS devices?

Have you tried turning off the firewall of the repeater router?

 

[lobosdoc]

Doesn't look like Canon MX860 supports AirPrint. So how are you trying to print from IOS devices?

Have you tried turning off the firewall of the repeater router?

Canon isn't being printed to from i-devices, only the Brother HL-3170CDW. I don't see any firewall options on the repeater's menu - am I missing something?

 

[ColinTaylor]

I don't see any firewall options on the repeater's menu - am I missing something?

Repeaters (and access points) don't have firewalls because there's no routing involved.

 

[ColinTaylor]

I keep coming back to this statement:

Initially when I set up the AP, it worked great for several days, however despite no clear reason I can see, for the last several days, I've been unable to connect to it. When the printer is connected to the access point, I can't see the printer, or reach it by browser or ping, even though it reports being connected.

So something must have changed. Firmware update, printer settings, etc? Are you sure the printer is configured for infrastructure mode and not WiFi direct?

Using whatever button combination is appropriate, get the printer to print out it's network configuration settings. Confirm that it is getting the correct IP address and that the IP address is the same as those used by your clients. Windows has a tendency to hard-code a printer's IP address, so if that changes...

 

[ApexRon]

I keep coming back to this statement:
So something must have changed. Firmware update, printer settings, etc? Are you sure the printer is configured for infrastructure mode and not WiFi direct?

Using whatever button combination is appropriate, get the printer to print out it's network configuration settings. Confirm that it is getting the correct IP address and that the IP address is the same as those used by your clients. Windows has a tendency to hard-code a printer's IP address, so if that changes...

Here is the how to for what Colin suggested and I agree with. Make sure that you can ping the printer's current IP address.

 

[lobosdoc]

Here is the how to for what Colin suggested and I agree with. Make sure that you can ping the printer's current IP address.

I can't ping the address of either printer - get destination unreachable. But both printers connect, pull an IP from the DHCP server, and do not list any errors. I'm not able to see the address windows is reaching out to - it doesn't list the IP, rather a vague WSD port name which cannot be edited. Both printers are set for infrastructure. The minute I turn off the repeater and have them operate through the main router, they work fine, albeit they take forever and sometimes jobs have to restart due to poor connections - but once the repeater enters the mix, the printers can see the network, but the other devices on the network can't see them. Temporarily, I configured an old AC52 into a media bridge connected wirelessly to the repeater, and connected the Brother directly to the AC52 via ethernet. Now it works, is pingable, and can be accessed by the web interface.

Here's what the Canon says:
========================================
Network Information
========================================
----------------------------------------
General Info.
----------------------------------------
(01)Date. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . : 2018/Sep/11 13:21:17
(02)Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . : Canon MX860 series Printer
(03)Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . : Canon MX860 series Printer
(04)BJNP Port Name. . . . . . . . : CNBJNP_001E8F75940A(192.168.1.129) Wireless
(05)Scanner . . . . . . . . . . . . . : Canon MX860 ser_001E8F75940A
(06)Card Slot . . . . . . . . . . . . : Not mapped
(07)Fax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . : USB FAX
(08)BJNPFAX Port Name . . . . . . : CNBJNPFAX_001E8F75940A(192.168.1.129) Wireless
(09)BJNP Port Monitor Version . . . . . . : 2.5.7.30
----------------------------------------
Application Info.
----------------------------------------
(11)Port Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . : USB001
(12)BJNP Port Name. . . . . . . . . . . . : CNBJNP_001E8F75940A(192.168.1.129) Wireless
(13)BJNP PortMonitor Version. . . . . . . : 2.5.7.30
(14)Application Name. . . . . . . . . . . : Canon IJ Network Setup; Set Printer IP Address(Wireless)
(15)Application Version . . . . . . . . . : 2.5.7.30
(16)Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . : Canon MX860 series Printer
----------------------------------------
NIC Info.
----------------------------------------
(21)Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . : Canon MX860 series Printer
(22)Firmware Version. . . . . . . . . . . : 1.040
Wireless LAN
(23)Wireless LAN Enabled. . . . . : YES
(24)Standard. . . . . . . . . . . : 802.11g
(25)MAC Address . . . . . . . . . : 00-1E-8F-XXXXXXX
(26)Network Type. . . . . . . . . : Infrastructure
(27)SSID. . . . . . . . . . . . . : Lobos
(29)Encryption ON . . . . . . . . : YES
(30)Encryption Type . . . . . . . : AES
(31)Authentication. . . . . . . . : WPA2-PSK
(32)Attached Information. . . . . : 10 character Passphrase
(33)Link Status . . . . . . . . . : Active
(34)Signal Strength . . . . . . . : 100%
(35)Link Quality. . . . . . . . . : 100%
TCP/IP
(36)Mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . : Auto
(37)IP Address. . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.6
(38)Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
(39)Default Gateway . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
(47)Admin Password ON . . . . . . . . . . : NO
Printer Access Control
(48)MAC Address Enable. . . . . . : NO
(49)IP Address Enable . . . . . . : NO
(50)Device Status . . . . . . . . . . . . : Available
Printer User Name
(51)Wireless Name . . . . . . . . :
(53)Card Slot Enable. . . . . . . . . . . : YES
(54)Default Name. . . . . . . . . . . : 75940A000000\canon_memory

Here's what the the Brother says:
<Protocols>
TCP/IP Enabled IPv6 Disabled
NetBIOS/IP Enabled APIPA Enabled
LegacyAuth Enabled WebBasedManagement Enabled
Telnet Enabled SNMP Enabled
LPD Enabled Raw Port Enabled
POP3/SMTP Enabled WebServices Enabled
TFTP Enabled CIFS Enabled
mDNS Enabled LLMNR Enabled
SNTP Enabled Proxy Disabled
Brother Online Con. Disabled

<IP Settings>
IP Address 192.168.1.68 (via DHCP)
Subnet Mask 255.255.255.0
IP Gateway 192.168.1.1
Boot Method AUTO
Boot Tries 3
IP Filter Disabled

GW Timeout (sec) 21
DNS Address config AUTO
Primary DNS Server 8.8.4.4
Secondary DNS Server 208.67.222.222

NetBIOS Name BRN30055C8F26AF
WINS Address Config AUTO
Primary WINS Server 0.0.0.0
Secondary WINS Server 0.0.0.0