Another great article from our friends Printer Services in Victoria who have some advice if you’re experiencing slow or failed printing.
We all have come across it, there is a document that needs to be printed right now as you are standing in front of the printer waiting as it takes ages to print out. You are trying to print out what should be a simple print job and the printer just keeps processing and processing or even doesn’t even get that far.
Here are some of the common network related issues that can cause this issue when you print.
Network settings
Get the right drivers
With Windows 10 especially it is becoming more prevalent that operating systems will auto install printers via the Plug and Play settings. While this is great for getting you up and printing quickly, it does lead to printing issues as the generic drivers that are used are generally striped down and simple versions of the manufactures drivers. This means that options can be missing and the drivers’ ability to process a job is slower or of a reduced compatibility. It is always advisable to go to the printer manufacturers site and download the latest drivers if you are having issues.
WSD Port
Wireless and network printers are great as you don’t need to have the printer on the desk next to you. The setup of these options has been made easier with the implementation of WSD which is a protocol that is designed for automatic discovery, setup and control your printer. The downside to this is that the system sometimes fails and doesn’t send jobs to the machine accordingly every time. If this is happening, then changing the printer port to a specified TCP/IP address can solve the problem. It is advisable to talk to you IT department or provider if this is the case.
Routers and firewalls
It is a good idea to also investigate the brands of router and firewall that are being used on your network as the compatibility between them and your printer can cause slow printing or delays. It can be the case that the router is putting a lower priority on the print jobs and putting them to the end of the network traffic queue or even blocking the jobs all together. Sometime changing the port speed of a router can solve handshaking issues between the printer and router solving slow printing issues.
With all these possible issues it is advisable to talk to your network or IT support contact before trying to make changes as an incorrect change can affect the network and leave you unable to print at all.