Jeff Liebermann wrote:
> On Tue, 21 Apr 2009 11:24:11 +0100, "Ret." <xxx> wrote:
>
>> I have a simply home network using a Medion laptop with draft n
>> wireless LAN capability. I use this with a Linksys WAG160n router
>> and this part of the network works perfectly.
>>
>> A few months ago I bought an Epson SX600FW wireless printer to use
>> with the network. I set the printer up ok - and was able to print
>> wirelessly to it without problem. A short time later, however, I
>> found that the printer had 'vanished' from the network and I was
>> unable to print to it.
>
>> The only way I
>> could get it back was by re-booting the router - but once again,
>> within a matter of hours, the printer went AWOL again.
>
> The *ONLY* way was to reboot the router? Did you try to reboot the
> printer or laptop?

Yes - neither made any difference.

>
> How many hours? 1, 10, 100, 1000 hours?
> What's the power save timeout on the Epson printer?

On occasions the connection will remain for a couple of days - on others,
just an hour. There doesn't seem to be any set period.
>
> Give the Epson printer a static IP address. It's in the wireless
> config for the printer, somewhere. This way, you're not relying on
> the router to deliver a DHCP assigned IP address to the printer or for
> the router to reassign the same IP address when the printer goes into
> power save mode. Select an IP address that is NOT inside the DHCP
> assigned IP address range, which appears to be 192.168.1.100 thru
> 192.168.1.151.

Linksys advised me to use 192.168.1.10 - the problem remains.
>
> An alternative to this is to use a pre-assigned DHCP address that is
> tied to the MAC address of the Epson network interface. However,
> looking at the online emulator:
> <http://ui.linksys.com/files/WAG160N/1.00.09/>
> this feature is not present.
>
>> I first spoke to Epson tech support but they claimed it must be a
>> router problem.
>
> The first step to solving a problem is to assign the blame. In
> situations where there are multiple pieces of hardware or software
> involved, it's always the other vendors fault. Please consider this a
> fundamental law of nature.
>
>> I have now had three on-line chats with Linksys tech support about
>> the problem.
>
> You have my sympathy. Recovery from talking to tech support can be
> accelerated by engaging in non-computer related violent activities. I
> favor cutting or splitting firewood when at home, and smashing a
> computah into its fundamental component parts with a large hammer,
> when at the office.

LOL!! Yes - good suggestions!

>
>> The first two times my firmware was out of date by a single version
>> and the they merely told me to update to the latest firmware and try
>> it out. Neither of these solutions worked.
>
> Good advice. I've recently experience problems with creative firmware
> updates, beta versions leaked out of support, and different versions
> on the web/ftp sites. What version do you have actually installed?
> <http://www.linksysbycisco.com/ANZ/en/support/WAG160N>
> <http://downloads.linksysbycisco.com/downloads/WAG160Nv1-EU-ANNEXA-ETSI-1.00.12-code.zip>

1.00.12

>
> I dug through the Epson US page for info on the Epson Stylus SX600FW
> printer, but didn't find anything. I switched to the UK Epson site,
> and found it. There seems to be recent (April 7) network config and
> driver updates at:
> <http://esupport.epson-europe.com/ProductHome.aspx?lng=en-GB&data=YZnBT5wk60ZmILDgc0l2mbKZ12SnCwS2&tc=6#34>
> Also, the "event manager" looks interesting if it will record
> connectivity "events".

Great - I'll download and install those updates.
>
>> During the latest chat with Linksys, a couple of days ago, they
>> suggested creating a static ip address for the printer. I did this,
>> following their instructions, but once again, within a matter of
>> hours, the printer had vanished from the network and I was unable to
>> print to it.
>
> Hmmm... that was also my suggestion.
>
>> Pinging the printer from both the laptop and the router, following
>> the loss of connection, fails.
>
> Was this ping failure with a static IP address? That should ALWAYS
> work but only if the wireless client in the printer remains connected.
> Leave the static IP address in place as it simplifies testing.

Yes - it was with the static IP address. I'll do as you suggest and keep the
static IP.

>
> As long as the wireless client in the printer remains connected to the
> router, you should be able to ping the printer. With a static IP, the
> only thing left to fail is the wireless connection *FROM* the printer.
> The connection cannot be initiated from the router side. If the
> printer goes to sleep, or disconnects the wireless link from the
> printer end, there's nothing you can do at the router or computer end
> to wake it up.

This would appear to suggest that the printer is not at fault because when I
lose the printer from the network, the only way I can get it back is by
re-booting the router.
>
> My guess(tm) is that this is what's happening. If the printer goes
> into power save mode, the wireless link disconnects and remains
> disconnected until you do something on the printer end, like take it
> out of the snooze mode. Did you try this? When the printer goes
> comatose, and you have a static IP address, can you tap something on
> the front panel of the printer to wake it up? If so, does it work
> after you do that?

The printer does go to sleep after a period of inactivity - although the
disconnection does not appear to be associated with this - sometimes the
connection can remain for a couple of days. I can indeed wake the printer up
from its control panel - but this does not re-make the connection - only
re-booting the router does that.
>
> It seems that the WAG160N has some logging features:
> <http://ui.linksys.com/files/WAG160N/1.00.09/setup.cg

i@next_file=Log.htm>
> Enable the logging and see if it shows anything useful.

Will do.
>
>> This problem is driving me nuts!
>
> Insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly, and expecting different
> results. Calling support 3 times qualifies.
>
>> Anyone *any* ideas to help me with this?
>
> 1. Check the power save setting on the Epson. Shorten the timeout to
> make testing easier.
> 2. Get a wireless sniffer that will sniff client traffic and see what
> happens when the printer goes comatose. When alive, it should be
> belching keep alive packets. If these cease, the router will think
> the printer has gone away and drop the wireless link.

I'm afraid you've lost me here. A wireless sniffer???


> 3. Check the setting for the printer in the driver configuration on
> your laptop. There might be a timeout setting.

I'll do that.

> 4. See if it works any differently with a wired ethernet connection.

OK.

> 5. Get a different printer. They're cheaper than your time is worth.

LOL! But I already got rid of a perfectly functioning wired printer (passed
on to a relative) in order to buy the SX600fw!
>
> This might be worth digging through:
> <http://www.fixya.com/tags/epson_sx600fw>

I'll take a look.

Thanks for all your advice.

Ret.