Lexmark Printer won't work

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Jezza
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Lexmark Printer won't work

Post by Jezza »

We have a WiFi enabled Lexmark Z1480 printer that has been working great until very recently it just does not want to print any more from either my laptop or my home PC

I have checked the Router and the printer's mac address is shown as connected to the router, done the usual restart but the green on light just flashes rapidly and the WiFi light shows it is connected.

Any ideas where I may start my diagnosis again.
Jerry
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StuartR
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Re: Lexmark Printer won't work

Post by StuartR »

Does the printer print a local test page correctly?

What kind of port do the PCs have for the printer connection? Does it include an IP address or a hostname? Can you ping this address / name?
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Bigaldoc
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Re: Lexmark Printer won't work

Post by Bigaldoc »

Mine isn't wireless, but it is connected to my router by ethernet and is an HP. Every so often, and I've not been able to figure out why because it happens so seldom, the darn thing refuses to print and if I open the print queue, it will say there is a job printing.

It happened, coincidentally, about an hour ago. I deleted the job from the print queue. It seems if I UNPLUG the power from the printer, wait 30 seconds or so and then reconnect, it will get "healthy" again. I have no idea whasssuuup.

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Jezza
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Re: Lexmark Printer won't work

Post by Jezza »

Thanks Stuart and Al,

It currently has an IP address of 10.0.0.6 and I am able to get a ping response. If I try to send a print to it does absolute nothing, the only button (on/off) continues to flash at an accelerated rate.

I can't print a test page at present as the response is "Problem communicating with the printer" even though it is seen to be connected to the router.

Switching on and off does nothing it just returns to flashing
Jerry
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Rebel
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Re: Lexmark Printer won't work

Post by Rebel »

jezza wrote:I can't print a test page at present as the response is "Problem communicating with the printer" even though it is seen to be connected to the router.

Switching on and off does nothing it just returns to flashing
I may be wrong Jerry, but I think Stuart was asking if you could print a test page from the printer itself (via the combination of buttons that the printer uses to print test pages).
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Jezza
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Re: Lexmark Printer won't work

Post by Jezza »

Oh I see, I thought from Printers in Control Panel.The annoying thing about this printer it has one button, on/off so no I can't test that functionality
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Re: Lexmark Printer won't work

Post by Skitterbug »

jezza wrote:Oh I see, I thought from Printers in Control Panel.The annoying thing about this printer it has one button, on/off so no I can't test that functionality
Jerry - Would this page be of any use to you?
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Jezza
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Re: Lexmark Printer won't work

Post by Jezza »

That page is very useful......but the poor old printer didn't print a test page...I have a feeling something is seriously wrong with it :sad:
Jerry
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Re: Lexmark Printer won't work

Post by Rebel »

jezza wrote:That page is very useful......but the poor old printer didn't print a test page...I have a feeling something is seriously wrong with it :sad:
Jerry,
Have a look at some of the results from this search. The thread from "Annoyances.org" looks like it may be helpful.
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Re: Lexmark Printer won't work

Post by StuartR »

jezza wrote:...It currently has an IP address of 10.0.0.6 and I am able to get a ping response...
Can you look at the port settings in your printer properties to see if it is using this IP address. I have seen similar problems to yours where the printer is configured to use DHCP and it was given a new IP address.
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Jezza
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Re: Lexmark Printer won't work

Post by Jezza »

Thanks guys, I have 14 hour day to day so will have a look late tonight
Jerry
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Re: Lexmark Printer won't work

Post by Jezza »

StuartR wrote:
jezza wrote:...It currently has an IP address of 10.0.0.6 and I am able to get a ping response...
Can you look at the port settings in your printer properties to see if it is using this IP address. I have seen similar problems to yours where the printer is configured to use DHCP and it was given a new IP address.
Hi Stuart

Yes the Printer Properties sees the Printer as 10.0.0.6 and it is assigned to the correct MAC Address
Jerry
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Re: Lexmark Printer won't work

Post by StuartR »

jezza wrote:Yes the Printer Properties sees the Printer as 10.0.0.6 and it is assigned to the correct MAC Address
I'm running out of ideas.

Does the printer have a web page you can browse to, how does that look?
Do you have a firewall that might be blocking access to the printer?
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Jezza
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Re: Lexmark Printer won't work

Post by Jezza »

No problems Stuart....I am coming to a theory....could it be the cartridges have run out (rhetorical) and the girls haven't told me or are aware that it has happened? Thing is do I want to spend £25 on cartridges and find it is broken?
Jerry
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Re: Lexmark Printer won't work

Post by StuartR »

jezza wrote:No problems Stuart....I am coming to a theory....could it be the cartridges have run out (rhetorical) and the girls haven't told me or are aware that it has happened? Thing is do I want to spend £25 on cartridges and find it is broken?
That is why I suggested trying a local test print from the printer control panel - assuming it does this.
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Re: Lexmark Printer won't work

Post by stuck »

jezza wrote:No problems Stuart....I am coming to a theory....could it be the cartridges have run out
Here's another thought, I had with an old Epson inkjet that stopped working, declaring to the world 'unknown error'. It turned out this was actually a 'feature' that shut the thing down before some felt pads inside it, that soak up any waste ink, became saturated and ink came seeping out the bottom and making an unholy mess of whatever was sitting on.

However, I was able to find the fix (undo a few screws, clean & dry the pads and use some software to reset the ink counter) for the Epson on the web because of the helpful 'unknown error' message, whereas your Lexmark has just stopped without giving a reason.

Ken

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rory
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Re: Lexmark Printer won't work

Post by rory »

From what I remember of Lexmark printers, the flashing light would indicate a printer issue rather than a connection one. I assume you have checked it has paper, there isn't a paper jam, and that, if one or more cartridges were replaced recently, they were properly seated (and had the covering tape removed!)
Just to eliminate all the obvious things I can think of.. :)
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Jezza
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Re: Lexmark Printer won't work

Post by Jezza »

Thanks Rory and Ken,
I went through the various links on this thread and I am beginning to get a feel that it is in fact an issue with the printer itself as the light immediately flashes when switched on. I now have a wonderful excuse to go for a run this evening to go to a well known PC emporium to purchase the cartridges.
Jerry
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Re: Lexmark Printer won't work

Post by NYIntensity »

I had a HP printer that ran a similar course, it was completely unresponsive until I got new ink for it.

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Re: Lexmark Printer won't work

Post by t8ntlikly »

FWIW Jezza I gave up on HP for printers and recently purchased the Lexmark Prevail Pro 705 it has wireless as well. the wireless works perfectly although it was a little hard to configure. This thing does everything it is supposed to but it doesn't do the dishes!
the only problem that I have had was with the documentation which is quite poor, but their help desk is awesome.
Oh and the CD that came with it only had Vista drivers so I had to go online and download the W7 drivers.

As a side note also, even though I read about this printer, and noticed that it said that it came with regular ink cartridges and not trial ones, and that it also came with the USB cable, I was prepared to purchase cartridges, but! was pleasantly surprised that the cartridges were there.
And a 5 year warrany! :clapping: