Epson SX510W Printer not connecting wirelessly to PC or Laptop. Why?

[#1]

Hi.
    Have been enjoying PlusNet for over a year. All well. No problems. Consistent broadband, etc. Last year, when I got my new PlusNet router I set everything up with very little problems. Even my Epson SX510W printer setup, wirelessly, with a breeze!
          Since then, though, I had a problem with broadband disconnection (turned out the Belkin adaptor had had enough and kerputted on me......good, in a way, as I bought a new NetGear WNA3100 and all things work so much more efficiently, especially no more 'drop outs' of signal.Happy!)
          Then, just after the new year I had multiple Trojan infections - was my fault! I opened a file that I had downloaded and, eventhough my anti-virus told me to delete it, I pressed the wrong key and let them in!!! After a month of cleaning, then having to do a clean reinstall I am back, up and running with a, slightly, better PC.
          I have been reinstalling my programmes, one by one, and clearing out crap that was not needed any more. Now, I am at the stage of reinstalling my Epson printer........and it is having none of it! Have, even, tried installing it on my HP Pavilion dv9000 laptop. Not having it either! What is it that I am not doing correctly? It's got to my fault, hasn't it?!?
          My PC is:-
Shuttle XPC SB83G5M. Intel Pentium 4 CPU. 3.0 GHz. 1.5Gb RAM. Intel 82915G/GV/910GL Express Chipset Family. Running MS XP Home on SP3.
          My LapTop is:-
Hewlett Packard HP Pavilion dv9000. Intel Core2. CPU T5500 @ 1.66GHz. 2.0Gb RAM. Running MS Vista Ultimate 32-bit SP 2.
          The router is:-
Thomson 585v7.
        I have tried a couple of methods that I seen on other sites but neither have worked: The setting up via just using the printer, on-board screen settings and the Epson installation disc. Things to point out are:-
When setting up via the printer on-board method it shows that it has made Wi-Fi connection after I input my Wireless Key. After that, though, there is no connection between printer and PC. Same if I try this method with my laptop. When following the installation disc method it works fine up to the 'Connection' section. After it asks me to connect the USB to the printer and PC then turn the printer power on, this is fine as well. It opens a firewall in my AVG and sets it. Makes the 'handshake' and this is positive as well. Leaving it to make the connection (during the 5 minute period that it says may happen) it, eventually, says it is unable to make any connection and to try some steps. Same happens when I try to setup on my laptop.
          Any ideas, help, etc would be very appreciated. It worked before but, now, I'm hitting my head against a brick wall!
regards,
van der Linde

[#2]

Hi,
I recently had a similar problem installing a new HP wireless printer (that is being returned but that is another story!) The wireless connection installed correctly and I could use a web browser to check out the printer settings but could not get the printer to actually print!
After a few hours of trying the automatic settings I went back to the old method of installing a printer manually. Go into control panel and select printers and faxes. Choose to add a new printer but note that a wireless printer is not classed as a network printer because it is not connected via a print server. The wizard will not find the printer (mine didn't anyway) so it asks you to set up the printer manually, click next and choose to create a new port, and the type of port should be "standard TCP/IP Port" The printer should then be found on the network and the wizard will ask you to install the necessary drivers as usual.
Hope it works for you...

[#3]

Thanks, for the advice, Molestomp.
Have tried but it didn't follow the same route as you laid out. After opening, "Add New Printer" the window showed and immediately began scanning for any printers available. The Epson SX510W was found straight away so I decided to follow this path and agree with it and clicked on "Next". The next screen showed that the printer has been installed with the appropriate drivers. I clicked on "Next" and the screen said I had "Successfully Added ...." the Epson printer. I clicked on "Print Test Page" and ..........an error screen appeared showing there was a communication error. Bugger! I tried this method once more and the same thing happened.
        I decided to start again but, this time, clicked on "The Printer That I Want Isn't Listed" while a scan was being done and the Epson printer had already been found.
        On the next screen, "Find A Printer By Name Or TCP/IP Address", I ticked the button that said, "Add A Printer UsingA TCP/IP Address Or Host Name".
        On the next screen, "Type A Printer Host Name or IP Address", I left DEVICE TYPE as "TCP/IP Device", filled in the HOST NAME OR IP ADDRESS as that of the IP Address found on my Epson and left the Port Name blank.
        On the next screen,"Searching for TCP/IP" it began searching before, quickly, changing to another screen that said, "Additional Port Information Required". I left the DEVICE TYPE as "Generic Network Card", and clicked "Next".
      The next screen began searching before it said, "Install The Printer Driver". I found the appropriate driver and clicked "Next". I clicked on "Next" for the following screen, saying to leave the recommended driver (as I had, already, updated this today).
      The next screen said, "Printer Sharing". I want to share it with my PC so I clicked on the appropriate button as well as leaving the default name. I didn't fill in "LOCATION" or "COMMENTS". I clicked "Next".
      The next screen said I had "Successfully Added ......" the Epson printer. I clicked to print a test page and.............. another communication error message!!!
      Any other ideas..........???

[#4]

Does your router see the printer (and your PC, if wireless)?
If it's not a big inconvenience, I'd just connect the printer to the "main" PC with a piece of USB cable.
I've found that wireless to wireless transfers tend to be flakey.

[#5]

Hmmm
I can't try the HP again at the moment as it's boxed up ready to go back.
I've ordered a replacement that's due end of next week and if you're still having problems I'll post a more detailed list of the steps I have to go through.
Good luck ...

[#6]

I had similar problems when re-installing an Epson Wi-Fi printer on a Windows 7 laptop but I downloaded the latest software from the Epson site and that 'just worked' (though the printer was already working on other machines).  Might be worth a visit to: http://www.epson.co.uk/Support (though I can't find the model number you gave (SX510W)).

[#7]

@Walker23.........
Yep, the name of the printer is ambiguous: The CD Installation disc, etc says 'SX510W' while the name on the printer and its serial plate say,'SX515W' !!!
Just as an afterthought I have removed the Epson from my HP laptop (using CCleaner to do this and all registry details) as well as from my PC. I have been running my PC (while operating some other work) while trying to install the Epson on my laptop. It occurred to me that there could be some kind of conflict going on......could there be?!?
Basically, my PC is connected to my Thomson router via a NetGear WNA3100 wireless adaptor.
My laptop is connected to the Thomson router via its internal 3945 Wireless Network Adaptor.
Running both machines at the same time could be the reason why the printer LCD monitor is telling me different setup details when trying to install on the laptop. Same when I have tried to setup the Epson on my PC.....I have my laptop working away on various jobs.
I will turn off one the machines and try again using the method that Epson Support have just sent me.
I will update on what happens .......... !!! 
Van der Linde

[#8]

It's my job to sort out people's computer problems so I have installed a fair few wireless printers.  Some are easy to install, others less so.  I can only make some general observations in this case.
The wireless connection is from the router to the printer.  It really does not matter how the computers connect to the router (wired or wireless) or how many computers are active on the network.
Once the printer can connect wirelessly to the router (i.e. once told the SSID and password) you should be able to install it as a network printer on any computer.  There should not be any need to use any installation software to do this.  The installation software adds printer monitoring utilities and the ability to scan to the computer on an all-in-one but (in all but maybe a few cases) it isn't necessary for basic printing.
Some printers require that you install them as a USB device, connect via USB then use the connection to set up the wireless.  My heart sinks when I encounter this because it is cumbersome, time consuming and should not be necessary if the installation procedure had been better designed.

[#9]

I've still had no joy following the instructions given me by Epson: It was just a general setup guide linked to their web site. Although, I must say, at least the Epson was picked up (at last!) by my laptop BUT it would not print a Test Page when asked to do so. Nor, even, would the Epson Scan when it looked for my printer. I had to manually add it. Even then it did not prove positive when pressing the Test button.
I did send a message to PlusNet to ask for any input but have told they cannot advise with a third party product...........
Any other input would be hugely helpful.
Van der Linde

[#10]

Quote from: ReedRichards

Some printers require that you install them as a USB device, connect via USB then use the connection to set up the wireless.

I'm with you on this RR - they can be a right royal PITA!
Whenever there are problems this (USB connection) is the first thing to try, it often highlights other simple issues. 

[#11]

When I first used my wireless Epson printer I followed the instructions and connected it to a PC with a USB cable - I was amazed when it picked up not only the Wi-Fi SSID from the PC but also the wireless key without asking me to enter the information (potential security risk?).
I have since changed routers (a few times) and have always simply used the printer's control panel to find the correct network and manually enter the wi-fi key, If I need to reinstall the printer on any PC I now use the Epson software (I have always struggled to get the right network configuration using the Windows 'add printer' option) to install the driver and make an additional connection to the printer (do not set each one up as though installing the printer from scratch).

[#12]

I have only been trying to set the printer up on my laptop at present, as I am still faffing around with work on my PC. Once the work is out the way I will be attempting to install the printer on the PC as well. But, in the meantime.........
If I 'clean install' the Epson (which, I mean, is to remove the product, associated programmes then check registry before rebooting) I can follow the procedure of using the Installation Disc (just to copy the relevant programmes that Epson have suggested to me and not the entire disc setup) then to install the printer via the LCD screen. This easily searches, and discovers, my network without any problems. I have done this using both methods, either auto or manual. Both confirm and it shows there is a Wi-Fi connection by the green LED on the printer.
I have performed the above procedures using a USB cable and without. Each time it shows the printer is connected and is available.
I, also, followed the Epson advice to remove the USB after the set up then to change the Port Settings. This takes it from a physical port (USB enabled) to a Wi-Fi port. This has to be done manually as it cannot find the printer when searching.
This is where I hit a brick wall.
Basically:-
The printer searches and confirms my network via its onboard LCD screen.
Confirmation via green LED.
Printer sets up on the laptop.
Cannot print a Test Page.
I am wondering, now, if the problem stems from the correct settings my printer has searched for. These should match exactly what is found on my Thomson Gateway web pages, right?
The SSID is correct and matches what is on the Gateway as well as what I have on the original, supplied printed sticker. Begins 'PlusnetWirelessAXXXXX'.
The Security method shown on my Gateway says 'WPA-PSK TKIP+AES' and has a 10 digit, alphanumeric code, which matches my printed sticker as well. I enter this code into my printers LCD screen under 'WPA (AES)'. Is this correct?
The IP Address in my Gateway shows it is 91.125.1.238. I would imagine this is what I enter into my printers LCD screen?
The Subnet Mask on my printers LCD screen says it is 255.255.255.0. How can I verify that this is correct, as I cannot find the Subnet Mask setting in my Gateway?
What other settings should be matching in my Gateway so these are the same ones entered into my printers LCD Settings?
Van der Linde

[#13]

The IP address is incorrect, I can only assume that's your EXTERNAL IP, you need the internal one (typically 192.168.....), if you have the option on the printer to use 'Automatic'/'DHCP' or similar then use that and the router should assign an address in the correct range.

[#14]

I find that printers don't always cope well if the router gets restarted and assigns a different IP address (by DHCP) to the one they had before.  So I am more inclined to set a fixed IP address for a printer than use DHCP.  192.168.1.20 should do for the Thomson router if the default settings have not been changed.  255.255.255.0 is correct (with the same proviso).

[#15]

Fair comment ReedRichards though I still prefer to leave the printer on auto/DHCP and set the router to 'always assign the same address' for that connection.