How to Troubleshoot Canon Printers

See if your Canon printer has its indicator lights flashing in a specific pattern and then consult your manual to see if there is a corresponding error code. Follow the instructions in the manual for how to fix the associated problem, or continue on with more troubleshooting if it isn't displaying a specific error code.
Make sure the power cord is plugged into your wall outlet and the USB cable is firmly connected to your computer. Open the top of the printer and do a quick visual inspection to see if there is a piece of paper stuck in the paper feed.
Restart your computer and attempt to print off something new in case the computer has stopped recognizing your printer or the print queue has stopped responding due to a software error.
Navigate to your computer's 'Control Panel' and click on the 'Printers and Faxes' option. Click on the 'Add A Printer' button if your Canon printer isn't showing up in the list. Follow the on-screen instructions so that your computer will run a test to try to detect the printer.
Try uninstalling and re-installing the Canon software that came with your printer and then navigate your Web browser to their official Web page and download the most recent version of the software driver.
Open the Canon printer software and choose the 'Properties' or 'Options' tab. Click on the option to 'Test Alignment' or 'Clean Print Heads,' depending on which version of the software you are using. Wait for the printer to finish its alignment and then print off a test page. Check to see if the test page printed properly and then contact Canon for repair or replacement options if it still isn't working properly.

How to Ping a Printer for a Mac

Click the 'Finder' icon in the Dock at the bottom of the window.
Highlight 'Applications' from the 'Places' list on the left side of the 'Finder' window.
Open the 'Utilities' folder and then double-click the 'Terminal' icon. An empty command prompt window will appear.
Type 'ping' followed by a space and then the IP address of your network printer. For example, if your printer's IP address is 10.1.1.7, you would type 'ping 10.1.1.7' into the command prompt.
Hit 'Return' on your keyboard to run the command.
Wait for the ping results to start loading in the window and then hold down the 'Control' and 'C' keys to halt the 'ping' command. If the results say the device responded to the data bytes, it means your network printer is online and connected.

How to Fix Shadow Letters on a Brother MFC

Turn on the MFC-685 and wait for it to become silent, indicating it is done warming up. Place paper in the printer's input tray, if some paper is not already present.
Press the 'Ink' button on the printer's control panel. Use the arrow buttons on the control panel until you highlight 'Test Print' on the printer's display screen, and then press the 'OK' button on the control panel.
Use the arrow keys on the control panel to highlight 'Alignment' on the printer's display, and press the 'OK' button. Press either the 'Black Start' or 'Color Start' button to begin printing the alignment page.
Examine the printout to see if section 5 matches section 0 the best in both the 600 and 1,200 dpi sections. Press the '1' button on the printer's control panel if section 5 does match section 0 the best in both the 600 and 1,200 dots per inch sections.
Press the '2' button if another section matched section 0 better. Press the number of the section in the 600 dpi section of the printout that matches section 0 the best, and then press the number that matches the best out of the 1,200 dpi section of the printout. Press the 'Stop/Exit' button on the printer's control panel to finish checking and adjusting the printer's alignment.

How to Increase the Memory of an HP Laserjet 6P

Push the 'Go' and 'Self Test' buttons on the LaserJet 6P control panel simultaneously. The printer prints a test page showing the current configuration. The configuration shows any expansion modules for fonts that are currently installed. Turn the printer off.
Remove all cables from the back of the LaserJet 6P.
Press the latch on the right side of the LaserJet 6P to release the top lid. Lift the lid of the printer.
Press the latch on the left side of the LaserJet 6P to release the cover on the left side. You should see two indicator arrows next to the release latch. Pull the cover toward you until the two arrows line up, and then lift the cover off of the LaserJet 6P to reveal the three memory slots.
Position a memory module so that the cutout in the module faces down. Slide the metal contacts on the bottom of the module into an empty memory slot at an angle. After inserting the contacts fully, tilt the module until it stands upright. The metal clips on the sides of the memory slot grip the module when it is installed properly. Repeat this process with each LaserJet 6P memory module that you want to install.
Replace the cover over the left side of the LaserJet 6P, and lower the top lid.
Replace the cables on the back of the LaserJet 6P, and turn the printer on.
Print a second test page to confirm that the LaserJet 6P recognizes the new memory.

How to Change Printer Settings to Wireless in the HP 4580

Press the 'Setup' button on your printer and select the 'Network' menu.
Choose your wireless network name from the available wireless list.
Enter your wireless network password.



Disconnect the printer's USB cable on the rear of the printer.
Click the green 'Start' menu on your desktop and choose 'HP' from your program's menu options.
Enter your printer model number and select 'Add Device.'
Click on the connection tab and select the 'Wireless' option. Select 'OK' and close the window.

How to Make My Brother MFC Printer Wireless (5 Steps)

Connect the Ethernet port of the MFC printer to one of the Ethernet ports of your wireless router. Verify that the Internet modem, the wireless router and the MFC printer are all powered on.
Open your computer��s Start Menu by clicking the 'Start' button on the taskbar. Click ��Devices and Printers.�� Click ��Add a Printer�� at the top of the screen.
Select the second option to install a wireless or network printer. Highlight your MFC printer from the list of printers your computer detects within range. Click ��Next.��
Install the print drivers associated with the MFC printer. Insert the installation CD that came with the MFC printer if prompted. Give your computer permission to search for the drivers online if you do not have the installation CD. Click ��Next�� when you receive the confirmation message that the computer installed the drivers separately.
Type in the name you want to associate with your MFC printer in the space provided. Click ��Next.�� Choose whether to share your printer with others on a network. Click ��Next.�� Choose whether you want the MFC printer to be your default printer on your computer. Click ��Finish.��

How to Make Laser Printer Toner Last Longer

Compare the stated page yields on remanufactured and name brand toner. While third party and remanufactured toner is generally cheaper, the name brand cartridges could be a better value if they yield more pages.
Clean the area underneath the toner cartridge on a regular basis. Once a week, remove the toner cartridge and set it aside, then use a soft cloth or a small vacuum to clean the area where the cartridge sat. This will remove any paper dust and toner residue that could foul the paper path and cause you to waste paper and toner.
Use the print preview function before sending your documents to the printer. Sometimes the document does not look like you expected it to and if you print the document you waste that paper and the toner. Click on the 'File' menu and choose 'Print Preview' to see the document exactly as it will appear on the page. This gives you a chance to make any needed changes and avoid wasted effort.
Print in draft mode whenever possible to save on toner costs. To print in draft mode, click the 'File' menu and choose 'Print,' then click the 'Properties' button. Change the DPI setting to a lower value by clicking on the 'Print Quality' box.
Remove the toner cartridge from the printer and shake it vigourously, both up and down and from side to side. Shake the cartridge when you see the print beginning to get lighter. This will move the remaining toner powder around and help it last longer. Depending on your printer model and printing volume, you can get anywhere from an extra day to an extra week of printing by shaking down the cartridge.
Use the duplex feature of your printer if it is available. Duplexing prints on both the front and back of each page, helping you save both ink and paper.