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Fiber installed and can't see wireless printer.

WeatherWeasel

WeatherWeasel

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Oct 28, 2019
354
145
Des Moines, Iowa
Our DSL went out and I had CenturyLink install a fiber line and modem. I can connect to the internet and etc fine, but the issue is the Brother printer, it doesn't show up in the printer list.

I have a Dell that can see the installed printer, but with the iMac and the laptop, nothing is showing. I have reinstalled the drivers but still no view.

So I called Centurylink and their advice was connect my computer with an ethernet cable to the printer. However they are clueless as to why the Dell can see the printer and print but not the mac. It is darn frustrating

The modem is the C4000BZ . I have it connected obviously , but again when I go to the system preferences, open up the printers/scanners I do not see this printer. I am trying to connect Brother HL 3170CDW.

I am asking for help with this thing.

I can if needed run a ethernet cable from that printer to a switch and connect wired, but would that allow my wife's laptop to see that printer?

So two questions. One why can't I see the printer on the printer list and 2 the ethernet.

I could see the printer when I had DSL and yes, I reset the network connection and reconnected to the new modem.
 
Have you actually tried printing from the Dell? Sometimes it shows good but when you go to print it will error out. I know it sounds goofy but what you’re describing almost makes it sound like your printer isn’t on the network possibly due to swapping the modem and I know some printers are picky when it comes to WPA security. For example, my Brother doesn’t connect to WPA3 networks only WPA2, same with one of my smart TVs.
 
Sheepish-Lord said:
Have you actually tried printing from the Dell? Sometimes it shows good but when you go to print it will error out. I know it sounds goofy but what you’re describing almost makes it sound like your printer isn’t on the network possibly due to swapping the modem and I know some printers are picky when it comes to WPA security. For example, my Brother doesn’t connect to WPA3 networks only WPA2, same with one of my smart TVs.
Click to expand...
I have tried from the dell. I have a Linksys switch, 6 port that I used with the dsl connection. So here I am in ethernet hell. I connected the Brother to the switch, the iMac as well. I can now see the printer. I was able to print with that arrangement, plus my speed on the net is about 960 both ways. Wifi about 300, we will go hard wired.

Now for the wife's macbook air. No ethernet port, so I am going to add an adapter to that and have a cable into the modem as well and hopefully it connects and she can print, or she has contemplated jumping ship and getting a pc lap unit.

Still I am rather ticked at Centurylink not coming out to help with the settings. This modem has both 2.4 and 5 ghz channels at the same time so it might have attached to one of the wifi channels. Trying to buy a new printer that has more up todate guts is tough, Brother is still out of stock. Lordy, at 74 almost 75 I don't need a project, but it seems I do..

They also screwed up my phone line. I have 2 lines, one the house phone the other fax (was daughter's but mine now) and instead of wiring in the land line , they switched them so the advantage no one can call us. Well, back to solving problems. I ordered a longer cord to the modem so I can put the switch elsewhere on my cluttered desk
 
If you buy another printer make sure it also supports Apple AirPrint. The brother laser jet I have does which means I can print to it from any Apple device, including phone, no drivers needed.
 
Sheepish-Lord said:
If you buy another printer make sure it also supports Apple AirPrint. The brother laser jet I have does which means I can print to it from any Apple device, including phone, no drivers needed.
Click to expand...
I have been trying as we work the one we have to death. We have the HL3170CWD. wife is a college professor and prints student work on it. It works fine, but the toner bills , ARGHHH. It just won't show up in the printer list. The Dell shows it, but not with either computer. I don't know what it is, I have the drivers, but it doesn't show up as a selection to connect to other than my ethernet thing now. I have looked but Brother is always out of stock and Amazon or anyone either is higher priced or out of stock.
 
i'll bet the issue is the existence of both a 2.4 and 5 GHz networks with potentially the same SSID. rename the two networks and see which ones your printer and computers are actually attaching to.
 
lcubed said:
i'll bet the issue is the existence of both a 2.4 and 5 GHz networks with potentially the same SSID. rename the two networks and see which ones your printer and computers are actually attaching to.
Click to expand...
I asked Cent Link to be able to do that, of course not, So we will see. Sure a shortage of compatible computers for the mac. I almost had feelings to ditch the laptop and spring for a PC again.
 
more than likely, the brother printer (if's it's old enough), won't play nicely with the 5 GHz network.
 
lcubed said:
the new version, HL 3270CDW, has full 12.x support and drivers
Click to expand...
I found it on Amazon and ordered it. It gets a real workout when school is in session, wife is one of those English professors and prints all of her online student's work. Then she can grade them.

I am going to be glad anyway, I purchased a 25 foot ethernet cable and it stinks, smells from something it is made of. Having a printer that works with the Fiber will eliminate that smell.
 
WeatherWeasel said:
Our DSL went out and I had CenturyLink install a fiber line and modem. I can connect to the internet and etc fine, but the issue is the Brother printer, it doesn't show up in the printer list.

I have a Dell that can see the installed printer, but with the iMac and the laptop, nothing is showing. I have reinstalled the drivers but still no view.

So I called Centurylink and their advice was connect my computer with an ethernet cable to the printer. However they are clueless as to why the Dell can see the printer and print but not the mac. It is darn frustrating

The modem is the C4000BZ . I have it connected obviously , but again when I go to the system preferences, open up the printers/scanners I do not see this printer. I am trying to connect Brother HL 3170CDW.

I am asking for help with this thing.

I can if needed run a ethernet cable from that printer to a switch and connect wired, but would that allow my wife's laptop to see that printer?

So two questions. One why can't I see the printer on the printer list and 2 the ethernet.

I could see the printer when I had DSL and yes, I reset the network connection and reconnected to the new modem.
Click to expand...
I had the same problem with my brother printer when I replaced my router. I had to reset the network settings on the printer, it had the old IP address from the previous router and that address was outside the valid IP address range of the new router.
 
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Joestanxx said:
I had the same problem with my brother printer when I replaced my router. I had to reset the network settings on the printer, it had the old IP address from the previous router and that address was outside the valid IP address range of the new router.
Click to expand...
I have the new settings on the printer. Brother said the printer won't work with the new modem for apple macs. So a new one is coming, Now to figure out what is giving off this acrid smell. I wonder if it degassing from the ethernet cable?
 
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