Canon Wireless Printers Are Getting Stuck In Reboot Loops (theverge.com) 85
Over the last day or two, there have been a growing number of reports by people who own certain Canon Pixma printers that the devices either won't turn on at all or, once turned on, get stuck in a reboot loop, cycling on and off as long as they're plugged in. The Verge reports: Verge reader Jamie pointed us to posts on Reddit about the problem and Canon's own support forum, citing problems with models including the MX490, MX492, MB2010, and MG7520. Some believe their problem is due to a software update Canon pushed to the printers, but that hasn't been confirmed yet. In response to an inquiry from The Verge, corporate communications senior director and general manager Christine Sedlacek said, "We are currently investigating this issue and hope to bring resolution shortly as customer satisfaction is our highest priority."
Until there is an official update or fix, some people in the forums have found that disconnecting the printers from the internet is enough to keep them from rebooting, with control still possible via USB. To get the printers to work while maintaining your connection to the internet and their connection to local network devices, one reply from a customer on Canon's support forum suggests a method that many people report has worked for them.
Until there is an official update or fix, some people in the forums have found that disconnecting the printers from the internet is enough to keep them from rebooting, with control still possible via USB. To get the printers to work while maintaining your connection to the internet and their connection to local network devices, one reply from a customer on Canon's support forum suggests a method that many people report has worked for them.
Buy products you don't own (Score:5, Insightful)
This is the pathetic and unsurprising consequence of companies selling you products while retaining control on it.
Please call !! (Score:2)
Re:Buy products you don't own (Score:4, Insightful)
Yep, because we all know stuff we own has never broken, has never had bugs, has never had faulty firmware updates. We never in all of history had motherboards die when applying firmware updates. My car has never needed to go to the shop due to recall for a faulty ignition switch.
Never ever. /sarcasm.
Now to be serious: There is nothing at all, zero, zip, nada, preventing this from happening to a device you "own" either, especially when you install new drivers / firmware to get some added functionality or fix a bug.
Re:Buy products you don't own (Score:5, Insightful)
You're both right: yes, devices and software have always been faulty. But the dude is right too in that, once you find the fault and shortcoming don't affect you, or you found workarounds that don't affect your workflow, you could elect not to update, to keep what you knew you had instead of hoping you'd get something better at the risk of getting something worse.
Nowadays, you have to work extra-hard to keep vendors from updating YOUR computer and YOUR printers without YOUR consent, even if YOU don't want to for various reasons that makes sense to YOU That much is true, you can't deny it.
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It's best to put devices like printers on a special segment of your LAN that doesn't have internet access.
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Yep, because we all know stuff we own has never broken, has never had bugs, has never had faulty firmware updates.
And there exist eg. PC mainboards with a dual BIOS, where if flash update fails, you set a jumper, hold a key during bootup or whatever, machine boots normal using the 'good half', and you re-apply the flash update. Or boards where firmware IC is socketed, so that a failed update could leave the board technically 'bricked', but with the problem reduced to popping in a replacement chip (as opposed to shipping device back & forth, or needing technician on-site).
Not to mention complexity of firmware in
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Indeed I have such a board. It's not the only solution either, a more popular one is BIOS USB Flashback which allows you to flash firmware when the UEFI image is completely hosed. Heck on some boards it allows you to do it without a CPU or memory present.
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(1) You retain control over when you update.
You're projecting here. You can disable updates, we're not talking about Windows 10 here. Again, nothing to do with ownership. The GP is 100% off topic here since there's nothing about this story that implies device "ownership" is in any way affected.
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I avoid faulty firmware updates by waiting a few weeks and seeing if the eager beavers have problems of not. If it isn't net connected and does what I want, I skip the updates entirely. I keep the old version around in case I need to go back.
In the specific case of a printer, I don't let it out of my LAN. I don't need or want it to phone home and I certainly don't need for the neighbor's kids to print something.
If I do want an update, I do it during downtime, not right before or during a critical period whe
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If it works don't fix it applies. These updates were pushed to working devices. I only "fix" my stuff if it is absolutely unavoidable because I really can't be arsed to spent time to fix what wasn't broken. Unlike companies like these, that push updates to fix their spy software, apply the UI styling of the week or to update the copyright year, potentially breaking or removing things in the process.
There is nothing in it for me to "risk" updating software when my workflow is unimpacted, and this is exactly
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If it works don't fix it applies.
Please don't spread that anti-vaxx stuff here. There are plenty of fixes which need to be applied to perfectly "working" devices. There's also countless fixes for "working" devices which address hidden problems you've just not experienced yet either.
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There should be consequences. Canon should cover people's costs from using print shops or buying a replacement printer while they fix this bug.
Finally,the one thing that aborts a printers work (Score:5, Funny)
Itself.
That's some achievement (Score:1)
These things stink of winprinter (the "specifications" only talk about what requirements my computer must have, not how to talk to the printer), so how much firmware is in there anyway? What is in there to get stuck in a reboot loop?
Usually better to go for a printer that can be meaningfully talked to regardless of computer doing the talking, ie get a PostScript printer. And that doesn't get updated behind your back.
Laziness strikes again (Score:2)
disconnecting the printers from the internet is enough to keep them from rebooting, with control still possible via USB.
We have multiple people working from home who complain they can't print from their wireless printer while on VPN. The simple solution? Plug the damn USB cable in. It will work 100% of the time.
But, but, my printer's wireless!
Well then, I guess you have a problem. You can either make things as complicated as possible, or do what we tell you and make a simple, direct connection.
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My MFC-8690 is actually larger than my laptop, and I am really not a huge fan of toner dust, and whatever else that thing emits, in my office, so why the hell would I want to lug that over here?
That solution might work for people who have the time, patience and money to print their crap on an inkjet printer.
Re:Laziness strikes again (Score:4, Insightful)
If you have multiple people with this problem, isn't the simple solution to configure the VPN to not route traffic for their local 192.168 addresses, which is what almost home networks use?
Sounds lazy on the part of the admins.
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A split tunnel VPN is not much harder to configure than a full VPN. The problem is, some companies have policies prohibiting split tunnel VPNs. I know of a company that does this because their cyber security insurance ended up costing less money by not allowing split tunneling.
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Split tunnels preclude 100% traffic inspection by definition, hence the reason some organizations do not allow them (and why it would reduce Cyber insurance premiums).
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Re: Laziness strikes again (Score:1)
Re: Laziness strikes again (Score:2)
I would explain to them that apparently working from home is not working for them so they need to start working from the office.
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And then the good employees go to work for your competition and the deadwood stays with you forever.
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Yes, a good IT team will constantly be exploring ways to help their teams be more productive (within various constraints). Telling people to deal with a problem instead of researching how to solve it is not good practice. When someone writes:
Well then, I guess you have a problem. You can either make things as complicated as possible, or do what we tell you and make a simple, direct connection.
.. what I see there is someone who has already decided it's too much hassle to solve the problem right, and considers the employees a nuisance rather than an asset who need expert support from IT to succeed. As various posts above point out this is a problem that can be
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If it was my printer and for some odd reason I was using your overly paranoid VPN, I'd invite you to haul your ass over here to do that USB connection and tell you to bring the carpentry tools you'll need to run the cable.
VPN's that want to intercept traffic on *MY* LAN do not run on *MY* workstation.
tl;dr : bug seems to be a DNS-related issue (Score:5, Informative)
Workaround summary:
Re: tl;dr : bug seems to be a DNS-related issue (Score:1)
It looks more like the problem is that with the original used-to-work DNS configuration the printer is able to resolve the IP of a Canon resource that it wants to talk to. An update site, perhaps, or a place to send printer use metrics data⦠who knows?
Once the printer has the IP it tries to make a connection and it fails in an unusual way thatâ(TM)s giving the printer fits. A certificate failure, perhaps, or maybe a 404 or 500 SERVFAIL. Doing something foolish like crashing or forcing a rebo
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An update site, perhaps, or a place to send printer use metrics dataæ who knows?
Updates are handled through the PC software (I had a pixma mx series printer) so it's not updates. It has to be for metrics, low ink, some of that spyware shit. So it's for functionality that you don't need or probably even want.
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It's not DNS.
There's no way it's DNS.
It was DNS.
No USB cord? (Score:2)
I wonder if these printers included a USB cord? I don't own any of these models, but it seems like the trend for quite a while has been for many printer manufacturers to push wireless down everyone's throat with no USB cord. When you get home with the printer, there's no cord, so you install the bloatware software to for wireless printing, and then the printer company has software taking up resources on your PC.
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And since the average consumer doesn't have an idea how to keep a devide that is attached to the router from also accessing the internet, it's trivial to just push whatever "update" you want to your device, just in case someone finds a way to thwart your anti-competitive "my ink or the highway" spiel.
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They stopped shipping USB cables with printers long before they were wireless. Most people replacing their printer didn't need a new cord so they could trim a few pennies on their costs by not including it.
This bug will soon be fixed. (Score:2)
"It looks like people can simply deny internet access to the printer and make it work. This is a serious bug. It means they will be able to use the printer without making additional payments to us. We should fix it soon. LTE chips are cheap, internet access will let us get a copy of everything printed, which we can monetize too. So fix it asap. No internet, no printing."
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Re: This bug will soon be fixed. (Score:2)
Any examples?
I had a canon pixma (Score:3)
It died. And a new print head cost almost as much as another shitty inkjet. still haven't made a run to dump my trash electronics because the local transfer station is a shit show and I haven't figured out where else to go yet, so it just sits around collecting dust in the garage.
I joined the cult of Brother, got a mono laser MFC and it works properly. Hooray.
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Brother is one of the few companies that don't make a fuss about either using third party ink/toner nor has a problem with you wanting to use it 'til it's actually empty. And while, yes, they now, too, try to pull a fast one on you, there's plenty of easy ways to kick it into printing again with an "empty" cartridge.
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Not true anymore, latest Brother printers have cartridge chips like the other brands unfortunately :-(
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hopefully they're as easy to bypass as any other. pretty sure this printer explicitly advertised working with refills, though. anyway usually you just get a $5 stick-on chip which I can live with.
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The HardHack enthusiast in me can only say "challenge accepted".
TBH, I kinda like that printer makers give me something to play with for free.
Re: I had a canon pixma (Score:3)
This is true the last Brother ink jet I got won't work with generic ink. The two Brother lasers I have still work with $10 toner carts though.
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After all this generic printer talk it's nice to see the actual printer mentioned.
I still have my pixma after many years. It's running on wireless OK. Works great with third party ink.
There was a driver update for my Mac a few years ago. It didn't run. Every year or two I look for a newer driver and none has been able to install. Perhaps I am lucky because the original software still works.
"pushed to the printers"? (Score:3)
Could we please not just gloss over that little tidbit right there? What kind of right does a printer have to even access the internet, let alone download something without user interaction?
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Why does it need the internet? The manufacturer needs some way to deliver the "TRIGGER LOW INK" message.
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I don't think so.
Let's see what other printers are being offered...
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What kind of right does a printer have to even access the internet
Well if you're talking about your old dotmatrix from the 80s then none. If on the other hand you're talking about a modern device with wireless connectivity and cloud printing, then ... every right.
Some people expect more of their printer than to have to require tethering to their PC.
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Fine, then have it listen to connections from the local network. And if I'm so inclined, let other machines that need to access it VPN to my location and use the printer.
But why the fuck would the printer open an active connection to some server on the internet?
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they support internet printing, for one thing.
I know, I don't care about that shit either
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The point is, the printer should maybe, if at all, accept connections. I do not see any reason, though, for the printer to open one whatsoever.
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In order for internet printing to work without people having to know anything, it has to connect to a central server so they can find it there. Otherwise you have to get into ddns and upnp. That's fine for you or me, it's not fine for joe average.
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Fine, then have it listen to connections from the local network.
I think you don't know how the cloud works, or what cloud connected printers do.
And you also don't seem to know the capabilities of 99.9% of users. Your solution is unworkable. You mentioned VPN. What do you think your Amazon reviews will say?
1 star: Doesn't work.
1 star: Too complicated.
1 star: Who thought this was a suitable product for a home network?
5 star: Finally a printer that is as complicated to setup as compiling my own Linux kernel. EDIT: 1 star: recommended printer to my mother who couldn't figur
Some Brands Better Than Others (Score:4, Interesting)
But the industry is mostly beyond redemption in terms of customer service.
I have been buying Brother printers since they seem to be more friendly to Linux. I recently had an issue where their gen-u-wine ink chip in my toner cartridges would fail to identify the toner so the printer would not print. After some investigation, I found that the chip had a tiny battery that had failed. So I'll chalk that up to bad design. Removing the battery and replacing it with one that worked from an old spent cartridge solved the problem. Having to remove the chip and then hot glue it back into place was a PITA, but I guess I should consider myself "lucky" that they allow 3rd party toner to work (for now).
Obligatory link (Score:2)
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Wireshark it (Score:3)
Samsung (Score:2)
Similar happened to my HL LaserJet (Score:2)
My old xFinity router started having problems, so xFinity put in a new one. This was a next-generation device with much newer firmware. Everything seemed to work; it was only when I went to scan a document all hell broke loose. The printer would initialize, start itâ(TM)s wireless connection then instantly reboot.
Long story short, I disabled the WiFi on the printer and configured a spare Raspberry Pi as a transparent bridge between the printer and the WiFi. Works perfectly; saves us from buying a new p
Re: Similar happened to my HL LaserJet (Score:3)
Should have added the Raspberry Pi needed a crossover Ethernet cable between its LAN port and the printers LAN port, but most people would have guessed that :)
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Crossover cable ? What is this, 1998 ? I guess most printers are still stuck with ancient 100 Base-T implementations. 1000Base-T did away with the need for crossover cables in 1999. And that's no longer needed for NBASE-T - 2.5/5/10Gbase-t either, which was introduced in 2016.
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Crossover cable ? What is this, 1998 ? I guess most printers are still stuck with ancient 100 Base-T implementations. 1000Base-T did away with the need for crossover cables in 1999. And that's no longer needed for NBASE-T - 2.5/5/10Gbase-t either, which was introduced in 2016.
You're right; however it is way cheaper to repurpose a Raspberry Pi and buy a crossover cable than it is to replace a color laser MFC. The printer was first released back in 2010 (or thereabouts), and for a color laser MFC it was cheaper than its competitors. Today I'd buy a Brother color laser MFC, because their price point rocks. But no matter how you cut it, a crossover ethernet cable arriving from Amazon tomorrow is way kinder on the household budget than a new MFC. And with the crossover cable and a R
Re: Similar happened to my HL LaserJet (Score:2)
Oh, absolutely, I agree. I have a Brother MFC-L8850CDW. It's still 100base-T. It's plugged in to a wired switch with a regular cable, though.
My Canon Pixma Pro 100 is in a room that's not directly wired to the LAN. The Wifi support sucks badly. I had an A3+ print take 30 minutes once. Wifi was the bottleneck. It kept connecting to the most distant AP at sub-megabit rate.
I now use a wirelessly bridged Unifi AP in that room, as well as a regular gigabit switch. The printer is plugged in to the switch with a r
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Not happening on my iP8700 (Score:3)
The biggest shock to me is that this article makes it clear that some Canon printers apparently have updates pushed to them as I'm positive the iP8700 I have now and the old MX920 I used to own can't do that. I would just remember about once a year, usually around November, to look for updates on the Canon website and manually install them. Not having updates pushed to it is no doubt while I don't have any problems with my iP8700.
Fix the print clusterfuck (Score:2)
Advanced technological society is repeating Roman sewers introduction of roundworm and hookworm parasites which failed to improve public health as consequence.
Decades printer drivers, printer inks and print technology has injected consistent time-suck inconvenient bricking, reboots, replacement and service, in not wholesale trashing printers. Fucking parasites!
Get your shit fixed, figured out or go to hell!
Highest Priority - yeah, right... (Score:2)
Had essentially the same experience with . . . (Score:1)
. . . an HP printer.
Finally performed a factory reset, then manual update. Problem solved.
priorities (Score:2)
Is this why I have to wait for the *fourteenth* flash of a certain small light while holding down two other buttons in order to make a simple configuration change?
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Office Space it! (Score:3, Insightful)