Windows 7 - Network printer going offline
I have a home network with few computers on it. The computers with Windows XP can access my network printer (Canon MF4370DN) 24x7 w/o any problem (even the printer is on standby/sleep mode). The computers with Windows 7 show the same printer offline (same situation when those computers had Windows Vista on them). I have searched this forum and saw some similar discussions but none of them can fix my problem, such as disable bi-direction or SNMP. The printer settings between Windows XP and Windows 7 are the same (bi-direction and SNMP enabled). Although I did not checksum printer drivers, I saw them having the same size and release date. I could restart print spooler, but it went offline again in a moment. I don't think I should restart anything to make my printer working either. The network printer is pingable from any computer 24x7. Please advise.
June 11th, 2010 4:04am

Hi, This issue also can occur by incompatible printer driver. To troubleshoot the issue, please perform the following steps. 1. Remove the network printer first. a. Click Start button and choose Devices and Printers. b. Right click on the network printer and choose Remove printer 2. Re-create a network printer. a. Click “Devices and Printers”. b. Click “Add a printer”. c. Choose “Add a local printer” and click on “Create a new port”. d. Select “Local Port” and click “Next”. e. Type in "[\\computer name\printer name]" (without quotation marks) for the Port Name and click “OK”. Example: If the computer you wish to connect to is named ComputerA and the printer is called PrinterA then the path would be \\ComputerA\PrinterA f. Please select a correct driver from the list. If the model is not listed, please click the “Windows Update” button. Wait for the process finishes and try to find the driver again. Hope this helps. Novak
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June 14th, 2010 10:27pm

I followed your steps and printer is working fine now. In step 2.d, I select "Standard TCP/IP Port" instead of "Local Port". For step 2.f, I clicked "Windows Update" and the old Canon drivers were gone from the list. I selected "have disk" and get drivers from x64 directory on CD. Printer went offline after I manually enabled the SNMP. I disabled SNMP back afterward. Looks like the the CD installation might be bad. Thanks
June 19th, 2010 11:52pm

While I acknowledge that this works, that this is even an issue that hasn't been solved is beyond me. I have a laptop and am constantly moving in and out of my home network. So if I have to remove and re-add my printer every time I want to print is ridiculous. FIX THE PROBLEM!!!
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January 9th, 2011 9:22pm

Hello, I have similar problems. I move my labtop between home and work. If my computer has been set to sleep at home, then companny printers appears offline. The only way I can get them online is to do a slow restart :-( Leo
March 16th, 2011 5:54am

I'm always amazed by the number of inapplicable or truly bad answers you see on fora such as this. I have the same problem with Win 7 x64 and an old IBM Network Printer. It has been working flawlessly for a year and a half, and suddenly, the printer appears offline to Windows 7. Turning off SNMP solved the problem, but there was never a problem before. What changed? Nothing except Windows updates. Same driver, same printer, same cabling. Microsoft - Too many people are reporting this symptom for it to be an anomaly. Find the root cause and make a fix available. Thanks
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July 12th, 2011 2:49pm

Window 7 is terrible on network sharing. Wonder if Window 8 can get better. It's seem XP is the best so far.
February 28th, 2012 4:20pm

Problem found to be a new ip address for printer due to relocating computer to a jobsite, then returning. Home lan was disconnected and later reinstalled. Deleting and adding printer again solved the problem. Both of my printers are hard wired. Similarly, with my color printer I can get it to print a setup page telling the ip address on the lan to use in configuring port. Can use the server path method outlined above ... I have to use this method on older legacy printers using a parellel cable off another xp machine on my lan. May I suggest not kicking Microsoft, the answers are out there and can be confusing or hard to find sometimes. I have been using W7 virtual machine xp mode too ... it works well. The printers were a problem until I discovered the network path method. Solved the issues of printing from W7 VM XPM thru my lan to a legacy printer on an xp machine. Server path method: Example: If the computer you wish to connect to is named ComputerA and the printer is called PrinterA then the path would be\\ComputerA\PrinterA
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August 12th, 2012 6:06pm

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