Printer issues since adding Expander
mvmone
Enthusiast - Level 2

Hi all,

I recently added the WCB3000N expander. It seems to work great, but since adding we've been experiencing spotty wireless printing. It seems that any machine that connects to the wireless expander upstairs, isn't passing the print job along to the wireless printer downstairs. Is there some extra step I need in order to get them talking? If they walk downstairs with their laptops, and reinitialize the print job, it works. 

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Re: Printer issues since adding Expander
CRobGauth
Community Leader
Community Leader

Next time you try it, check IP address of laptop (and default gateway) while on expander wireless and then when on router wireless.

Not familiar with expander, but if it were to create new subnet, the two may not be able to talk together.

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Re: Printer issues since adding Expander
TomH121
Community Leader
Community Leader

My Dell PC's and Printer...Downstairs

My WCB3000N  ....         Upstairs

Took My iPad2...    Upstairs

Both on same WiFi ...Router Downstairs near Pc's and Printer

Was able to print from iPad Downstairs and Upstairs No problems

Both my PC's  always prints wirelessly Downstairs

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Re: Printer issues since adding Expander
jonjones1
Legend

@mvmone wrote:

Hi all,

I recently added the WCB3000N expander. It seems to work great, but since adding we've been experiencing spotty wireless printing. It seems that any machine that connects to the wireless expander upstairs, isn't passing the print job along to the wireless printer downstairs. Is there some extra step I need in order to get them talking? If they walk downstairs with their laptops, and reinitialize the print job, it works. 


The problem is your devices are connecting to the router and not the extender.

In our house we have an extender but when I set it up I gave it lets say a name simular to my home connection. so if mywifi ssid is jerkyboy_2.4G & jerkyboy_5G

I name the extender as jerkyboy_2.4G_ext & jerkyboy_5G_ext

To log into the extenders wifi ssid should pass the job along to the printer que for it to print. When I am not in extender range I use the original ssid that does not have the EXT on the end.

An extender must be named differently on the primary network. otherwise there will be conflicts.

Good Luck

PS I can print down the street from our home with no problems. so just use the proper ssid

Re: Printer issues since adding Expander
mvmone
Enthusiast - Level 2

Thanks for the responses. I've logged into my Extender and attempted to change the SSID by adding _EXT to the name. Unfortunately, it throws an error saying it's an invalid ID. I then tried something else and it gave me this message: "under WPA only or TKIP only, WPS2.0 will be disabled" Do I have plug a laptop directly into the extender to update this? I'm doing this via my main desktop machine that's connected directly to my Actiontech router. 

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Re: Printer issues since adding Expander
mvmone
Enthusiast - Level 2

Also noticed that the printer's IP doesn't show up on the extender's devices list. 

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Re: Printer issues since adding Expander
jonjones1
Legend

@mvmone wrote:

Thanks for the responses. I've logged into my Extender and attempted to change the SSID by adding _EXT to the name. Unfortunately, it throws an error saying it's an invalid ID. I then tried something else and it gave me this message: "under WPA only or TKIP only, WPS2.0 will be disabled" Do I have plug a laptop directly into the extender to update this? I'm doing this via my main desktop machine that's connected directly to my Actiontech router. 


When I added my extender I had to physically be at the main router. I use a Netgear extender. The process was easy. I plugged in my extender, I pushed the connect button and my screen on the computer said connection successfully done. I had only done it once and I can unplug it and move it anywhere I like. No more pairing necessary.

the EXT is added by the router not manually by the user. The extender has to obtain the IP address.

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Re: Printer issues since adding Expander
mvmone
Enthusiast - Level 2

The router has assigned an ip to the extender. I see it in my device listing. That's not the issue. Unless it's changing or something. Should I assign a static ip to the extender? If so, how would I go about that?

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Re: Printer issues since adding Expander
jonjones1
Legend

@mvmone wrote:

The router has assigned an ip to the extender. I see it in my device listing. That's not the issue. Unless it's changing or something. Should I assign a static ip to the extender? If so, how would I go about that?


That should not be necessary. If the device sees the IP then it should be able to uuse the device on that network. Sometimes the device is on the 2.4 G and the device you want to use the printer is on the 5G this may be the problem. Someties my air printer usage is showng "No Air Printers Found" I simply change the band and they pop up.

Don't know if this will work for you.

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