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Thread ID: 148976 2020-05-02 10:07:00 Unable to print through a TPLink RE305 Range Extender johnd (85) Press F1
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1468484 2020-05-02 10:07:00 Hi,

I have recently installed a TP-Link RE305 range extender that works well except for printing. We have a HP OfficeJet Pro 8620 printer that works fine off my two computers (Linux Fedora and W10). These two PCs are connected with ethernet cable. My wife's W10 laptop is connected via the TP-Link range connector and it cannot ping the printer. If you connect her laptop via cable or connect via the main WAP, it is fine. So it appears that the TP-Link Re305 is at fault.
Any ideas would be appreciated.

Regards
John
johnd (85)
1468485 2020-05-02 23:38:00 Had this exact problem a few months back.
The Solution (it was a brother printer but that doesn't matter) First download the actual software, the full setup, the inbuilt drivers in windows don't contain all required drivers only the basic where as HP's do, uninstall the printer software from the laptop, then after rebooting reinstall again but Via the extenders connection. The "tricky" part was even though the software did pick up the printer it still wouldn't print, until it was uninstalled again, and manually enter the Wireless printers IP address during setup, then it worked fine.

Its all to do with IP Addresses / MAC address. Have a read: Inkjet-Printing/Not-able-to-print-via-range-extender (h30434.www3.hp.com)
wainuitech (129)
1468486 2020-05-03 03:07:00 Thanks Wainuitech. I read the bit somewhere about MAC addresses to but did not think a new driver would have any effect on this. Will try.
John
johnd (85)
1468487 2020-05-17 03:18:00 So - eventually I have got around to fiddling with this. i downloaded the full driver for the printer from HP NZ and installed. I could not seem to get it to find the printer at all via the extender. I have run out of time with it at the moment - will give another try some other time.
Thanks
JOhn
johnd (85)
1468488 2020-05-17 15:38:00 How is this printer attached? On the actual network via ethernet/wifi? or as a print server via USB to the router?

The extender may have created a new network rather than continuing being part of the main network. So you may need to look at making sure that the extender continues your main network. Just to test that out, you should see if you can ping any other device on the main network just to see if it truly is a routing issue.

You would want to check the settings in the extender. Things that you could try is turning DHCP off and making sure the gateway points to the router.
Kame (312)
1468489 2020-05-18 08:50:00 The network looks like this:

10361

So the printer is hard wired into the switch. Laptop2 can ping other network nodes via the TPLink extender but not the printer (and hence as expected the printer is not accessible via the extender but everything else is). Laptop 2 can print via "SSID1". It does appear to be some kind of MAC addressing issue - will investigate further in due course.

Thanks
John
johnd (85)
1468490 2020-05-18 09:34:00 The network looks like this:

10361

So the printer is hard wired into the switch. Laptop2 can ping other network nodes via the TPLink extender but not the printer (and hence as expected the printer is not accessible via the extender but everything else is). Laptop 2 can print via "SSID1". It does appear to be some kind of MAC addressing issue - will investigate further in due course.

Thanks
John Just a thought - are you positive the printer has a static IP address ??

Suggest you try this ( solves many problems) Download IP Scanner, you can run it as portable or install. Since Laptop 2 can see / ping every other Node, its possible the printer changes somehow.

IP Scanner Downloads -- https://www.advanced-ip-scanner.com/

The Scanner shows every device on your network as well as IP Address and MAC Address.

With this info you should be able to detect where the problem is. "IF" theres a MAC /IP conflict then you'll be able to see where, I Suspect its more of an IP conflict over a MAC.
wainuitech (129)
1468491 2020-05-18 22:19:00 Google "cant ping through wifi extender"
it seems to be a common issue

see link below for some things to test , probably to do with WDS ,( or wireless isolation enabled )
forums.tomshardware.com
1101 (13337)
1468492 2020-05-19 08:37:00 The problem I have is I can work with network settings, addresses, etc but none of that is provided.

It could be the range extender has the same IP as the printer or it is setup as an access point rather than a range extender (repeater/booster). If setup as an access point then this is a seperate network and not part of the main which would possibly explain why virtual mac addresses are created as it would act as a virtual router to bridge the networks (possibly).

I would remove the static IP on the printer and have the router assign its fixed address. (It is so much easier dealing with all static/fixed addresses at one place, you'll understand it when you deal with over 20+ computers, with many fixed addresses).

The extender needs to have DHCP off and that it's gateway is pointing to the router. The IP of the extender again should be set at the router. The reason being is you want all clients connected known by the router.

Other than this, knowing the network configurations/setup of the devices might help.
Kame (312)
1468493 2020-05-19 09:24:00 Hi all,

There does not appear to be anything wrong with the IP numbers (see the revised diagram). The extender does have DHCP off and it's GW is the router.
10365

Interestingly while Laptop2 cannot ping the printer through the extender my cell phone can. Remember that Laptop2 is fully functional except for printing.
johnd (85)
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