How to Troubleshoot Computer to Printer Connections

Walk over to the printer and print a test page directly. The procedure for printing a test page will vary from model to model, so you may need to consult the user guide that came with your printer. For most network printers, you can print a test page by navigating the 'Information' menu on the control panel and choosing 'Print Configuration' from the menu. For many desktop printers, you can print a test page by holding the power button until the page begins to print. If you can print a test page from the printer, but not from the computer, you know there is a communication problem between the printer and the PC.
Remove the printer cable from the back of your printer and the back of your computer. After the cable has been removed, carefully put the cable back into place, making sure that the printer cable is tight. If your printer uses a parallel cable, be sure that it is fully seated on the back of the printer and on the computer. If you are using a USB cable for your printer, be sure that the tab is fully seated in the computer, and that the square end of the cable is firmly connected to the printer.
Power down the printer, the restart your computer. Click on the 'Start' button and choose 'Control Panel' from the menu. Double-click the 'Printers and Faxes' icon, locate your printer, right-click on it and choose 'Properties' from the menu. Click on the 'Print Test Page' button to send a test page to your printer.
Look at the network card on your network printer to see if there is good communication between the printer and the network. You should see a flashing green light on the network card. If there is no light--or if the light is amber or red--the communication is not happening. To test the network communication, remove the network cable from both the network cable and the network port on the wall, then reseat the cable and check the communication again. If the problem remains, you will need to remove and replace the printer's network card.

How to Load Envelopes into a Canon PIXMA PM970 Series Printer

Insure the envelopes are prepared for printing by pressing down on all four corners and along the edges to flatten them down. Flatten the leading edge of any envelope that is curled or puffed up by pressing down on it with a pen until its crease is sharp and defined.
Load up to 10 envelopes into the upper paper tray, print side up and flap side down. Align the envelopes with the bottom of the envelope against the right side of the Paper Support Guide. Pinch the Guide and slide it to the left until it is snug against the envelopes.
Press the 'Paper Feed Switch' located below the 'ON/OFF' switch on the operations panel to select the rear paper feed. The light above the Paper Feed Switch should indicate the Rear Paper Tray has been selected.
Open the print application on your computer. Select the 'Media Type' option. Select 'Envelope,' and under the Page Size option select either 'Comm. Env. #10' or '#10 Envelope.' Under Orientation select 'Landscape' and hit 'Print.'

How to Reset HP 74 Ink Cartridges

Disconnect any USB cables and remove any memory cards from the printer.
Restart the computer.
Open up the printer, unlock the ink cartridge locking clips and remove the cartridges.
Re-lock the empty ink cartridge locking clips and close the printer.
Turn off the printer with the 'Power' button and wait for the printer to shut down completely before proceeding to the next step.
Disconnect the printer's AC adapter from the printer and from the wall outlet or power bar. Wait 40 seconds before proceeding to next step.
Reconnect the AC adapter into the wall outlet and into the printer and wait for the missing ink cartridge error to verify that the printer recognizes that the cartridge is missing.
Re-insert one ink cartridge only and print a test page.
If no errors are found, insert the other ink cartridge and ensure that it is working by printing another test page. If an error occurs due to a defective cartridge, perform the appropriate steps for print cartridge errors listed in the Resources.
Reconnect the USB cable to the computer and to the printer. Test for printer functionality.

How to Resolve Paper Jams in an Oki B4600 Printer

Pull the paper tray out of the printer.
Take any wrinkled or crumpled paper out of the paper tray.
Check the feed area on the bottom of the printer and pull out any paper caught in the feed area.
Place the paper tray back in the printer.
Open the top cover of the printer and pull the image drum out of the printer. The toner cartridge is removed when you lift the image drum out.
Pull out any jammed pieces of paper, taking care to remove all of the paper. If any of the paper is left in the printer, it may cause another jam.
Slide the image drum back into the printer, taking care to slide the tabs into the printer slots.
Close the top cover to resume printing.

How Do I Print Black and White Copies From a Color Printer?

Click on print in your software. The print dialog box should appear.
Choose your printer from the drop-down box at the top of the print dialog. Click on 'Properties'.
Check the gray scale or black and white box. Click 'OK'.
Click 'Print'.

How to Reset a Canon Pixma MP750 Printer

Press the 'On/Off' button on the front of the Canon printer.
Disconnect the AC plug in the back from the Canon printer. Wait 3 to 5 minutes.
Reconnect the AC cable to the printer, then press the 'ON' button again.

How to Connect an HP LaserJet 1020 in a Network

Plug one end of the Ethernet cable into the network port or Ethernet hub for the network. Plug the other end of the Ethernet cable into the Ethernet port in the back of the printer.
Wait for one of the two network lights to illuminate on the back of the printer. If after 5 minutes neither light comes on, replace the Ethernet cable or consult with your network administrator.
Hold the printer's 'Go' button for 5 seconds to generate a configuration page. Retrieve the page from the printer's output tray.
Close all open programs on each computer you wish to use with the printer. Insert the printer's installation CD in the optical drive.
Follow the instructions in the installation software window, which will vary depending on your computer's operating system and the network's configuration.

How to Cancel Automatic Cleaning of a Brother MFC

Turn on your printer and leave it on for as long as you want to prevent the automatic cleaning feature from activating. Whenever you turn off your printer and turn it back on, the automatic cleaning feature activates.
Print something every day to prevent the automatic cleaning feature from being activated due to inactivity. If you do not have anything that needs printing, print a test page. To print a test page, press the 'Ink' button, use the arrow buttons to scroll down to the 'Test Print' option and press the 'OK' button. Scroll down to the 'Print Quality' option, press the 'OK' button and press the 'Color Start' button to print the test page.
Clean the printer head manually from time to time. If you notice that your pages are not printing properly, you can clean your head manually. Doing so will also prevent the machine from cleaning itself automatically. To clean the print heads manually, press the 'Ink' button, use the arrow buttons to scroll down to the 'Cleaning' option and press the 'OK' button. Scroll down to the 'All' option and press the 'OK' button. The printer will now clean itself.

How to Change the Printer in Tally

Press the print icon button from the screen in the Tally program that you wish to print.
In the pop up print box that appears, identify the number of copies you want to print. The default setting is one. If you wish to increase the number, you can highlight the '1' and type in the number of copies you want to print. You can also use the up and down arrows beside the number box to adjust the number of copies you want to print.
In the same pop up box, press the 'Select Printer' button. Locate the printer you want to print to and click on the printer in the list of available printers. Press the Ok button and printing begins. If you want to change the default printer, click on the printer in the printer list and then right click on your mouse. Choose the 'Set as Default' setting in the drop down box.

How to Print Labels From Word to a Zebra Printer

Open the door to the Zebra printer and carefully put the roll of labels into place. For best results you should use Zebra brand labels, but if none are available you may be able to substitute Avery labels or another brand.
Turn the Zebra printer on and print a test page to the printer. This will ensure that the printer and the computer are communicating properly.
Measure the labels that are installed in the Zebra printer. You will need this measurement in order to set up the labels in Word.
Open Microsoft Word, click the 'Tools' menu and choose 'Letters and Mailings' from the menu. Choose 'Envelopes and Labels' and click the 'Labels' tab.
Click on 'Options' and choose the label the same size as the labels loaded in your Zebra printer. You will see the size listed in the description of each label as you highlight each available choice. Once you have found the right size label, type your information, click 'Print' and choose your Zebra printer from the list of available printers.

How to Reset the Samsung CLP

Push the power button to turn off the power to your Samsung CLP-300 printer.
Unplug the power cord from the wall outlet, then from the back of the printer. Wait 10 minutes, then attach the power cord to the back of the printer followed by the wall outlet.
Press and hold “Stop” until the printer starts printing a test page. This will complete the reset process.

How to Create a Virtual USB Printer Port (10 Steps)

Click the 'Start' button and select 'Printers and faxes.' If you don't see this option, type 'Printer' in the Windows Search bar and press 'Enter.'
Right-click on a network printer and select 'Sharing.'
Check the box next to 'Share this printer.'
Enter the name of the printer you wish to use under 'Share Name.'
Move to the second computer and select the 'Start' button, then click the 'Control Panel.'
Click 'Printer' option (if using Vista or above, it will be listed under 'Hardware and Sound.')
Select 'Add Printer.'
Choose to add a printer from the Network and let it search for a list of available printers. If it doesn't find the printer, select 'The printer I want isn't listed.'
Select 'Browse for Printer' and click 'Next.' You can choose the printer from pop-up list.
Press 'OK' to save the printer. A virtual printer port will now be added. You can view the port by right-clicking on the printer icon, selecting 'properties' and then clicking on the 'port' tab.

How to Clean HP Photosmart C4280 Inkjet Printer Nozzles

Turn on your HP Photosmart C4280 and the attached computer. Wait for the printer to finish its warm-up procedures.
Click on 'Start' on the computer's screen, then 'All Programs.' Find the folder labeled 'HP' and click on 'HP Solution Center.'
Select the 'Settings' tab in the Solution Center software. Hover the mouse over 'Printer Settings' so a drop-down menu appears, then click on 'Printer Toolbox' in the list.
Select the 'Device Services' tab and click on the button labeled 'Clean the Print Cartridges.' If after one cleaning you are not satisfied with the print quality, click on 'Clean Again' until you are pleased with the test page.

How to Connect to My Printer Via WiFi (5 Steps)

Click the Windows \'Start\' button and select \'Control Panel.\' Double-click the \'Printers\' icon in the Control Panel. Double-click the \'Add Printer\' icon. The opening screen introduces you to the wizard. Click the \'Next\' button to get started.
Select \'A network printer, or a printer attached to another computer.\' This option is for any machine that needs to connect to a remote printer on the network.
Enter the location of the printer. The syntax to connect to a remote printer is \'\\computer_name\printer_name.\' The \'computer_name\' is the Windows name given to the machine that has the printer connected to it. You can find the computer name by right-clicking the \'My Computer\' icon on the desktop and selecting \'Properties.\'
Click the \'Next\' button. Enter a name for the printer and click the \'Next\' button again. The name you give to the printer is the one you will see in your printer settings.
Click the \'Print a Test Page\' button to send a print job to the printer. Click the \'Finish\' button after a test page prints. You can now use this printer on your wireless laptop or desktop.

How to Change the Font for a Dot Matrix Printer

Check your printer for a “Quality” or “Speed” button. You can find this on your printer’s control panel, usually on the top or front of the printer.
Choose a different quality or speed. When you choose a different quality or speed on a dot matrix printer, the printer will change to a different font to accommodate your request.
Use the “Quality” or “Speed” button to change the font for an entire document, before you begin printing. Each keypress will cycle you through the available fonts.



Consult your printer manual to determine if it will respond to invisible “printer codes” which you can embed in your document. A printer code will not print a character, but will change the font for subsequent characters. If you do not have the manual, check the manufacturer’s website. If the manufacturer's website cannot be found, or if they do not list their dot matrix printers, perform an Internet search for the exact make and model; some websites have posted manuals for older printers which are no longer being made.
Write these codes into your document to change fonts on the fly in the middle of your document. If your word processor will not let you embed printer codes, use a programmer’s text editor, which will allow inclusion of invisible characters.
Print the document to confirm that your printer codes are working properly.

How to Get My Printer Back on My Browser (11 Steps)

Open Firefox, click 'View' in the top menu, then select 'Toolbars' and 'Customize' to open the 'Customize Toolbar' dialog box. Alternatively, right-click the navigation bar in the browser and select 'Customize' to open the 'Customize Toolbar' dialog box. (The navigation bar is the area below the top menu that contains the back, forward, home, history, refresh and stop buttons.)
Find the printer icon in the 'Customize Toolbar' dialog box. Without releasing the mouse button, click on the 'Print' icon and drag it to the navigation bar.
Release the mouse button once you have positioned the icon where you want it. The black vertical line that appears as you move the icon over the navigation bar shows where it will be placed once you release the mouse button.
Click the 'Done' button in the 'Customize Toolbar' dialog box.



Open Internet Explorer, right-click on the menu bar, select 'Customize' and 'Add or Remove Commands' from the submenu. The 'Customize Toolbar' dialog box opens.
Scroll through the 'Available toolbar buttons' list on the left side and find the 'Print' icon.
Select the 'Print' icon and click 'Add' in the middle of the dialog box to add it to the 'Current toolbar buttons' list on the right side.
Select the 'Print' icon in the 'Current toolbar buttons' and click the 'Move Up' or 'Move Down' button on the right side of the 'Customize Toolbar' dialog box to position the 'Print' icon where you want it on the toolbar. Click 'Close' when you are done.



Open Google Chrome, right-click on the 'Bookmarks' toolbar and select 'Add Page' to open the 'Edit Bookmark' dialog box.
Type 'Print' in the 'Name' text box. Type 'javascript:window.print()' (without the quotation marks) in the 'URL' text box. Click the 'OK' button to close the 'Edit Bookmark' dialog box and return to the browser.
Click and drag the 'Print' icon on the 'Bookmarks' toolbar to position it.

How to Install the Canon PIXMA MP270 (4 Steps)

Plug the provided power cord into the slot on the left of the printer. Connect the other end of the power cord into a nearby outlet. Press the Power button to turn the machine on.
Lift the printer cover and secure it in place with the provided support. The cover should be elevated in place, with the scanner showing. Lift the scanner as well to expose the ink cartridge holder. Remove the black (B) and color (C) cartridges from their packages, as well as the orange protective tape.
Insert the black cartridge into the cartridge holder labeled 'B.' Insert the color cartridge into the 'C' cartridge holder. Gently close the scanner and printer cover.
Insert the provided setup CD into your computer's CD-ROM drive. The setup will begin automatically. Select 'Easy Install' from the new screen. When prompted, click 'Install' again to finalize the installation process.

How to Make Enlarged Copies With an HP C3100 Printer

Verify that your HP C3100 printer is on and has paper in the input tray.
Open the top of the HP C3100. Place the document you want to copy face down on the glass so that the edge lines up with the front right corner.
Press the 'Size' button to change the size of the copy output. Select a size larger than 100 percent to enlarge the copy.
Press the 'Start Copy Black' button for a black and white copy. Press the 'Start Copy Color' button for a color copy. Retrieve your enlarged copy from the output tray when the C3100 ejects it.

How to Clear a Paper Jam in a HP Printer

Open up all the doors on your printer to try to find the jam. Take note of where the jam is found, as it will tell you a lot about which part of the printer is malfunctioning. For instance if your paper jams as soon as it comes out of the paper tray, the tray rollers may need to be replaced. If the paper gets stuck under the toner cartridge, that cartridge may not be seated correctly.
Pull out all of the paper trays and then push them in one at a time and send a test page to the printer. Use this method to determine which paper tray is causing the problem. Once you determine which tray is causing the issue pull that tray out of the printer then lift it up to remove it. Locate the rollers on the inside of the printer and carefully remove the rollers from their holders. Replace those rollers, pushing them onto the holders until they lock into place. Then slide the tray back into the printer until it catches.
Open the left door of the printer and locate the fuser cartridge. Flip the blue tabs down to release the fuser, then carefully slide it out of the printer. Look for any jammed paper that may be stuck in the fuser. If the paper continues to jam at the right-hand side of the printer the fuser probably needs to be replaced. Slide the replacement fuser into the printer, then flip the blue tabs down to lock it into place.
Keep an eye on the level of the paper trays. HP printer trays will have a line indicating the maximum amount of paper that the tray can hold, but filling the tray all the way up to the line could cause paper to jam as it exits the tray. Try removing a few sheets of paper so that the tray is not overfilled.

How to Unlock the Scanner on a Dell Printer (6 Steps)

Turn off your Dell printer, if it is on.
Lift the scanner unit on the front of the printer until you hear the scanner's support click and lock. Use both hands to lift the scanner unit.
Locate the scanner's lock switch on the left side of the raised scanner beside the scanner support and pull the lock toward you.
Lift the scanner unit. Push and hold the scanner support back to release the scanner unit from its raised position.
Lower the scanner unit slowly until it is completely closed.
Turn on the printer.