photo stops printing when printer <>computer connection is wi-fi

[Paul W.]

I have an Epson 1430... when I'm printing a 68 MB photo, and my printer is connected via a USB cable, the print connects without a hitch. But when the connection is wi-fi, the print connects only halfway and then stops. Smaller text files, in the KB range, are easily handled.

My room is rather crowded - for now the printer is temporarily connected by cable in the middle of the room.

Thoughts, anyone? Thank you!

 

[stratman]

You are not the only one with this issue of difficulty printing large files wirelessly but not with small files wirelessly.

The larger the image size being spooled from your computer to the printer over a wireless connection the more likely you are to have problems with successful printing. That 68 MB file may be many times larger after it is converted into a file the printer can understand.

Unless it is a problem with the function of the printer's wifi itself then look to things that may be blocking or interrupting the wifi signal. Examples of this may be

• your wireless router/modem not functioning properly.
• Signal interrupted by another wifi signal (neighbors' wifi signals). Changing the channel that your wifi uses to one that the neighbors are not (or using less) may help. A decent primer on wifi signal and how to measure it with a free app inSSIDer can be read here.
  
• Electrical device such as a refrigerator, microwave, baby monitor, remote control toy or device, electric knife, or many other electrical devices may interrupt your wifi signal. Move the printer somewhere else to minimize or avoid those electrical signals.
• Physical objects, from walls to floors to ceilings to windows to furniture, etc, can block wifi signals. Move the printer somewhere else to minimize or avoid physical impediments, including raising/lowering the printer closer to the wireless router/modem and raising/lowering the wireless router/modem or printer. Try different locations for the printer and/or wireless router/modem.
• Depending on how weak the wireless signal is, you may need to extend/boost the wireless signal with another device such as a repeater or a mesh network to get more signal to the printer.

 

[Ink stained Fingers]

all of the above applies as explained by @stratman , and there is another point to consider and investigate - which of the WLAN standards 811n, ac or other are actually supported by the printer and the router , it may be possible to change the mode and frequency band - 2.4 or 5GHz via a manual setup. I had similar problems with the transmission speed printing via WLAN, it dropped the effective speed significantly although the WLAN devices were only a few meters apart. And a cable receiver sitting close by was generating some interference as well.

 

[mikling]

And......I had given up on printing with wireless on Epson a few years ago because the problem of low print speed existed after trying three different routers...text or large text files were OK. It appeared to be a buffer problem as small images were OK. I suspect it was a protocol issue as to how the buffer is handled. Not being a network expert, I simply gave up. Other wireless printers from Canon were fine but the Epson did not like something. Spent too much time on it. Ended up connecting the printers by either USB or Ethernet on the same router. Connecting older Epsons even by Ethernet can be no joy.

My rarely used 1430 IS wireless now though. It works fine with the same router that was a problem with the R3000 and XP610. It could be circuit related, firmware related change? but it is possible to print wireless ok with a 1430. The XP610 is a newer model than the 1430, but the 1430 was purchased after the XP610. There is no explanation to these things at times. Well there is an explanation but it is beyond mere non network people like myself.

 

[Ink stained Fingers]

I tried as well changing the printing mode in the printer properties - not spooling the data but sending them directly to the printer , I had the impression that this improved the performance but only for a few days for some unkown reasons, and then the same problems came back. Since I'm using only Epson printers and a Brother MFC I don't know whether WLAN connected Canon printers would show the problems.
And I tried another setup for a while - I'm using USB print servers to connect several printers to some computers via LAN, these print servers emulate USB via LAN, and you can print from several computers to several connected USB connected printers. This works (almost) flawlessly via LAN, there are a few hiccups releasing and connecting a printer from one computer to another. I uses a WLAN print server as well for a while which was working, I did not get intermittant stops and breaks of print jobs, but printing overall was pretty slow, the printer was printing a few lines - waiting for data and then printing a few lines again, but it did even 2GB spool files for posters on a Pro 7600, the transmission via (W)LAN is invisible to the user, he just sees the printers connected locally to virtual USB ports. Scanning works as well via such print server connection, even connection to an USB drive stick. I can print as well from a WLAN connected notebook to the available printers, the printers appear as locally connecte USB devices, the transmission via TCP/IP is done by the print server software you need to install on every computer

 

[mikling]

It could be windows itself! Back then it was Win7. I'm a 10 now! ................................Windows, not looks.

 

[berserk]

I had that problem with a 3880 on a wifi repeater.
Solution - for me for that very printer AND driver in windows go to printers-->properties-->advanced, there chose
1/Buffer printing jobs
2/Chose to start print job direct
3/Chose - Print buffered documents first
4/ Activate advanced printing function

Also in "port settings"-->config there I had to chose the "LPR" setting (that is - "hight Speed Printing RAW " in EpsonNetPrint was too much)

Restart OS!

When pressing print it might take some time before the actual printing starts.

(Microsoft had some notes on that problem.)

As 3880 do not have WIFI-drivers I downloaded EpsonNetPrint from the Epson site.

 

[Paul W.]

Thanks to all of you... I've passed these on my tech person, some of your replies are beyond my abilities. I'm also trying to redo my work space... it's a small room. If I can figure out a different arrangement of my desk I may be able to simplify and use a USB cable.

 

[The Hat]

I may be able to simplify and use a USB cable.

USB cables are best, Wi-Fi can be the pits…

 

[PeterBJ]

Thanks to all of you... I've passed these on my tech person, some of your replies are beyond my abilities. I'm also trying to redo my work space... it's a small room. If I can figure out a different arrangement of my desk I may be able to simplify and use a USB cable.

You can extend the USB connection beyond the five metres that is the limit when using a single cable. You can add a range extender cable or a powered hub so you can connect more cables in series. You can even add more than one range extender cable. I think @The Hat knows much more than I about this and might have a suggestion.