Canon Pro-10s Error 6910

[Simon Knight]

Hi all,
"To err is human, but for real screw ups use a computer!"

I connect to the Pro-10s using USB and until this morning I have not made any changes to the as supplied default settings. Re reading the links provided above and other similar I found through internet searches I concluded that the reference to "moving the printer to a new location" might be an oblique reference to Electromagnetic Interference. So I switched off all the WiFi in the house and ran the Canon supplied utility that allows the selection of a network connection - selecting do not use, which I hope means USB only.

The printer has switched on and completed a cleaning cycle and printed a test page with no problems. So three possible actions appear to have restored the operation of the printer : 1) Switched off over night and unplugged from the mains supply. 2) Removal of all nearby WiFi signals - computer, router and upstairs repeater 3) Selecting "Do not use Network Connection" in the Canon IJ Network Tool application.

I think that 1) may be discounted as eight hours should not do any more than say 30 minutes unplugged as while its possible for a capacitor to hold a charge for many days it seems unlikely that Canon will have employed one to hold settings in memory. 3) This appears to just disable the Wired LAN given that the blue WiFi light is still on. The "On Screen Manual refers me to the "On line Manual" which is all well and good except that I have disabled my internet connection - thanks Canon!. So that leaves item 2) in my list.

To recap the hypothesis, in item 2), is that local WiFi radiation is being received by the printer and causing its processing to in effect crash. I also have a Laser printer on a wired network and from time to time it reports a network error that requires a power down, this is often accompanied by the output of dozens of pages of garbled text. So it is possible for devices to be confused by signals they are unable to correctly resolve. Or it could be as simple as it is sitting waiting for a response that is never sent.

I shall re-enable the internet and search the online manual to discover how to disable the WiFi. Tomorrow I shall have a long conversation with Canon to discuss EMI, WiFi, metal cases and the usefulness or otherwise of error codes such as 6910. Wish me luck.

best wishes and thanks
Simon

 

[The Hat]

Boy am I glad I only use USB cables with 4 Hubs and leave the Friggin Wi-Fi alone, and when I turn the printers on they all work and the only interference they get is from me...

 

[Simon Knight]

"I only use USB cables" well that was my plan but .... and as I said RFI is only a hypothesis, time and Canon will tell.

 

[palombian]

"I only use USB cables" well that was my plan but .... and as I said RFI is only a hypothesis, time and Canon will tell.

Glad you located and solved your problem.

Personally I avoid Wi-Fi for permanently installed printers, but - if available - a direct network connection is superior to USB.

 

[Simon Knight]

By direct do you mean connection via a wired LAN which in my case would mean via a router?

 

[palombian]

By direct do you mean connection via a wired LAN which in my case would mean via a router?

Your Wi-Fi box IS a router and probably has free network ports.

 

[Simon Knight]

Err we seem to be at cross purposes here. I have tried and rejected printing over WiFi in the past with another printer. There are to many ways that it can go wrong often due to distance between components i.e. not to far and not to close.

My question above was directed towards your use of the word "direct". I have not tried it but I guess my computer could be configured to act as a server. However I believe, from the dim distant past, that a special mirror type ethernet cable is required to connect two client devices directly together using a single cable. This cable has the line pairs reversed or mirrored. Is this what you were referring to?

In point of fact I don't have a "WiFi" box as such. My ADSL / router did use to transmit wifi but that side of the equipment failed and was disabled. A Wifi extender/repeater is used on the first floor and this is connected via Mains voltage modems mostly to support the "needs" of my teenager. These modems transmit a lot of RFI so may be part of the problem I have seen with the printer - although this is just an unproven theory at present. It requires that I believe that Canon have supplied a machine that stops working if it is unable to connect to a WiFi signal and furthermore is unable to reject unwanted signals. I live out in the country yet my computer receives up to five different WiFi base stations from neigbours. In a city environment the signal density is likely to be much higher so I would expect that the printer should be more robust.

Getting back to ethernet v USB connection for connecting to the printer. I wonder if you notice improvements in data transfer speeds as this would indeed be an advantage along with longer cable lengths when compared with USB.

best wishes
Simon

 

[palombian]

If you do not have the possibility for a wired network connection, use the USB.
I experience no data speed problems with the PRO 9500 II (it is a slow printer, and I do not think the PRO-10 is substantially faster).
Also there is less need to share a dedicated photo printer.
It is no problem either to have such a printer in the same room due to cable lenght limitations (I have a 5m cable, but longer should be possible I believe).

Otherwise you could add a little switch in the cable between your ADSL box (wich is a router connecting all your home devices with the internet and with each other, at that point there is no difference between a wired and a wireless network connection) and the first voltage modem to have additional wired network ports.
In both cases you need a wire to the printer.

My Maxify is configured as a network printer. My PC does not need to be switched on to use the printer from other devices.

 

[Simon Knight]

Hi all, I thought I would share the reply I have just had from Canon UK re Lack of support code number 6910:

"Thank you for your query, your query has been escalated to the high level of technical support.

I am sorry to hear you have been experiencing issues with your printer, please accept my apologies for frustration or inconvenience caused.

The error 6910 will occur when there is a WIFI radio frequency interference, this could be due to your own router or a neighbouring router. By disabling the IPV6 will give you a more reliable connection."

I have written back saying that it would be nice if they published their codes and asking for a reference to the document. The advice on the Canon site in Asia hints at RFI being a problem by suggesting moving the printer elsewhere.

Simon