Printer problems using Netgear WNDR4300V2 router,

[Gates]

All 4 ports on my router are being used daily. All lights are green and run perfect except for the port for my printer. It's amber. We have three computers connected on this system using the one port on the router. Every day, a printer works off this router. But not the other two. It changes from day to day. If we click the resume button on the printer page, after a while it starts to print but then in that some day the printer becomes not available or can not be found. What's the problem? 

[Gates · Accepted solution]

Good day! I did download the latest firmware. Did not install it yet. Now I am not sure why, but for the last few days the printer has been working well. Don't ask me why?? Thanks for all your info. I guess we will end this one here. If things change, I will install the firmware. tks!! Have a GREAT holiday season!! 

[ElaineM]

Hello @Gates

Welcome to the community!

It might be possible that the cable is the problem. 

Did you try changing the cable?

Amber light means that the connection only runs on 100Mbps instead of 1Gbps. 

[Gates]

Thanks for your reply! Funny you say that. It's the firt thing I checked. So I switched the cable, the printer started printing so I thought I had it fixes. An hour later go to print and no way. NOT printing. The light is always amber. Any other text I can do? The unit is less then a year old, should I return it under warranty? Have a GREAT day! 

[ElaineM]

Will you be able to print any time when you connect your printer directly to the computer?

Did you try different port on the router?

When you print, will the printer status be offline or online?

Having an amber light is not a problem unless your printer is capable of 1Gbps of speed.

What's the brand of your printer?

[Gates]

1) If connected direct, no problem printing. #2) Just did try a different port. Light is still amber and now the warning comes up as "Looking for printer". So not the port. #3) Not sure where you would get the info of "offline or online"?? #4) It an epson Workforce 40. About 2 years old. The so called funny thing is that all three printers maybe OK to print now and later today, no good. There is alway the one printer that will print, but we do not have the same info to print on all printers, so it's a pain in the .... Please advise. 

[ElaineM]

Perhaps, best way is to uninstall and reinstall the printer. 

In this way, it will be a clean slate. 

[Gates]

After everything else not improving things, I decided to try something else. Start all three computers completely before starting the printer. NO success. Now I have uninstall and reinstalled the printer. We will see how it goes in the next few day. It was said in the previous emails that the amber light ment slower speed available. Can that be upgraded so to reach a higher speed with such printer? Epson workforce 40??? 

[ElaineM]

As I have checked, your printer is only capable of up to 100Mbps of speed and that's the reason why the LAN port is amber.  

[Gates]

Hi! I did uninstall the previous printer  and have now reinstall the new printer. Still the same problem.  Some day we connect in the morning, then no longer connected during the day. We reconnect by pressing the "resuem print" button, it's good for a while and then gone again. What a pain! Thank for trying to help!! 

[ElaineM]

How is the printer configured?

Did you have it configured as TCP/IP?

There are actually no other settings on the router that we can adjust to help resolved the issue of disconnection.

[Gates]

If correct TCP/IP is only for PC computer setup. We are all Mac. Not sure what is happening. We came in this morning, printed several sheets, at about ten, three sheets to print and printer error come on saying "looking for printer". So click "Pause" a few times and it prints. For how long, NOT sure?? 

[ElaineM]

You can still use TCP/IP setting on Macintosh computers.

Perhaps, try a different router and see if you will be able to experience the same problem.

[Gates]

I had anothe brand of router. I had no printer problems, had a problem with staying connected with each computer. I toll to purchase Netgear because they where the best for Mac systems. I guess they are not. Not sure how they can send a man to the moon but not be able to build a proper router for a small office like mine?? 

[ElaineM]

Try to update the firmware to the latest or reinstall the firmware if you already have the latest one then do a factory reset after.

[Gates · Accepted solution]

Good day! I did download the latest firmware. Did not install it yet. Now I am not sure why, but for the last few days the printer has been working well. Don't ask me why?? Thanks for all your info. I guess we will end this one here. If things change, I will install the firmware. tks!! Have a GREAT holiday season!! 

[ElaineM]

Thank you for the update!