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Susja

macrumors regular
Original poster
Feb 22, 2017
201
7
Hello
I’ve bought MacBook Air and wanted to add printer but for some reason fail.
My printer is Cannon PIXMA MX410 and I want to correct via Wi-Fi
I tried WPS and “paraphrase” methods. In both cases it confirmed that printer was connected but I don’t see printer in System Preferences-Printer app.
I tried to add it directly in Printers and Scanners app but it failed to locate driver or list printer .
I am completely stuck. Could someone please help me?
I have three MacBooks in my home and all are connected except this one.
Any help would be appreciated
Thanks
 
I have macOS 12
I do not see any drivers for this MacBook on Cannon website
Hence I didn’t install
I expected that it will connect automatically using WSP method like it worked for me before
Thanks
 
My mistake. That driver page says there are either no drivers for your MacBook, or they are part of macOS. At this point, I'd just be guessing since you got it working with your other machines.

Reset the printing system?

 
I tried to reset printing system but failed because I don't have any printers connected
 
Yes with wireless printer you first have connect a wire to it, go into the printer settings and set it up join your network! Your router has to see it before your wirelessly connect to it!
 
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Folks,
Thanks for reply. Likely I need to buy USB-C to USB adapter. Otherwise how could I connect MacBook to printer ?
I will definitely try to connect it wired first. I only suggest that my printer is too old and Canon does not have drivers anymore for this new MacBook .. will see ..
 
I have macOS 12
I do not see any drivers for this MacBook on Cannon website
Hence I didn’t install
I expected that it will connect automatically using WSP method like it worked for me before
Thanks
over at the canon comm forum, someone has been using gutenprint successfully for the Pixma-410

 
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Folks,
Thanks for reply. Likely I need to buy USB-C to USB adapter. Otherwise how could I connect MacBook to printer ?
I will definitely try to connect it wired first. I only suggest that my printer is too old and Canon does not have drivers anymore for this new MacBook .. will see ..
Oh, I assumed that this printer was like mine and also supported a wired connection. If it did, it's much easier to configure the wireless settings in a browser. It doesn't look like it does though.

There can be many reasons why it's not successfully connecting to your wifi. I've known a few printers that had really terrible WiFi hardware that will disconnect, have trouble if you use multiple access points with the same wireless name, or have trouble if you have both 802.11n and 802.11g.

Most recently, I found that my printer kept disconnecting because it did not support 802.11kv correctly, and would try to connect to a further access point. Good luck
 
Yes with wireless printer you first have connect a wire to it, go into the printer settings and set it up join your network! Your router has to see it before your wirelessly connect to it!
You bring up a good point. The printer has to be on the wireless network before it can be connected to the Mac. But a wire isn't usually required. Joining wifi is often accomplished through the printer control panel.
 
Folks,
you confused me :)
1. Should I buy usb-c to USB adapter and connect MacBook to USB port of printer?
2. My printer is on wireless network and connected to 2 other MacBooks. It sees this laptop but simply failed to establish a connection
3. Not clear to me what you meant by setting printer “in browser”. How to do it in browser?
4. Maybe it’s Monterey issue and how to handle it?
 
Folks,
you confused me :)
1. Should I buy usb-c to USB adapter and connect MacBook to USB port of printer?
Of course you can do this as a last resort to print if wirelessly does not work.

2. My printer is on wireless network and connected to 2 other MacBooks. It sees this laptop but simply failed to establish a connection
You mean the printer sees the laptop? Usually it's the other way around - the laptop looks for the printer. If you can get the IP address of the printer, try entering it directly the the Add Printer screen.

System Preferences > Printers and Scanners > [+] Sign (Add Printer) > [Globe Icon] and enter the IP address directly. Try the different protocol choices (AirPrint, IPP, LPD, etc.) until one works.

3. Not clear to me what you meant by setting printer “in browser”. How to do it in browser?
I realize now that printer you are trying to set up is like 10 years old, and some features won't apply to you. Many network enabled printers will have a built in web-server, so if you go to Http://<printer-ip-address> you'll be able to login and change the settings of the printer or see diagnostics and stuff.

4. Maybe it’s Monterey issue and how to handle it?
Maybe? What version of MacOS are the two other computers that are able to print on?
 
see post#9 in this thread for the monterey driver issue
Thanks for pointing me.
I followed instructions and downloaded gutenprint but it failed to install ...
No luck so far ...
BTW: I found my printer IP address and tried to add it in System Preferences - Printers and Scanners - (globe) but it also failed for all protocols
 
interesting. did you give the password for installation?
the gutenprint driver installed ok on my 12.3.1 monterey,
but i can't test further without another unsupported printer.
 
well ... it didn't ask me for any password.
I simply went to this site: download and then tried to install it.
I asked me for the password and after that it successfully installed.
But I don't see any printer added in my case. I go to Printers and Scanners but don't see any printer added. Then I try to add it manually but it can't 'autoselect' driver. Maybe my procedure is wrong ? Something else other than installation should be implemented? I don't have experience with it ... sorry
 
Unfortunately, I don't have anything to help you with. Wifi connections can be very finicky. I've had this problem hooking up printers via wifi in the past. Wouldn't take. Then retry, over and over and finally, voila!

Unfortunately old printers lose support just like old computers and need to be junked. Environmentally it is not good, but as systems advance, these peripherals just can't be updated. I remember I had the great HP 6MP laser printer years ago. Slow but great prints! Then Apple dropped serial port support. The printer became useless in one fell swoop.

Time to consider a new printer?
 
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Were something that blow people and many network security people ANY printer made after 2006 will have a Wiki interface to printer built in by International efforts! so just put in networked (wired or wireless) printers IP to get to printer wiki to change things! Near the end (before retirement) as System Engineer I warned the Society the ch guys about the printer wiki so so long but they always blew me off! So I went into wiki and prevented their computers to print and waited for response! Less then two days later the finally got my numeruoius messages and locked it down (after I added their computers back to printer! My boss though what I did to wake them up was funny!
 
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well ... it was brilliant idea ...
I located IP address of my printer and was able to ping it.
After that I was able to open Web interface and get to Network Configuration interface but I don't see how it could help me to connect a printer :)
Likely user should know what and how it should be configured and that's why I tried to use simple WPS method initially but failed.. could you advice ?
Thanks
 
I'm not sure if the wireless printer situation is affected by the new Apple Silicon. I've never had any problems printing wirelessly from any of my Intel Macs. I still use my 2019 Mac Pro and my wife's 2017 Macbook without issues, but none of my four M1 Macs can find the drivers or print after numerous attempts. This current print situation is one reason holding me back from fully transitioning to Apple Silicon. Or I may just have to purchase a new printer that has airprint built in.
 
I've got response from Canon that the vendor stopped release drivers for my model for macOS 12.2.1 Monterey
Likely that explains why I don't have an issue with this printer to connect from other MacBooks in my home running older version but fail for 12.2.1.
That's sad and I don't have any workaround ... sounds that this laptop will stay without printer
 
worst case, you could turn on printer sharing on one of the computers that can see the canon printer.
 
Well … it’s interesting idea
If I understood you correctly I could share my printer from one of the MacBooks that I have and which able to print?
After that I should be able to print from my MacBook Air running Monterey?
in other words I will print from MacBook Air but printer will not be directly connected to it,correct?
 
i did a little playing after i got home today.
if i enable printer sharing on my mac studio for a networked photo printer,
on my m1 laptop, it appears in the printer and scanner system pref as bonjour printer@macstudio
when i select add printer.

might still need the GutenPrint installed to control the printer.
 
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