WiFi Network EPSON printer some...times not reachable in Win10.

Hi,

Current State of my Home Network:
--------------------------------------
I've got a Home Network with a tp-link WiFi router, two Windows 10 Home (latest version) PCs (laptops, WiFi only) and an EPSON Network Printer.

Both Win10 PCs and the Network Printer are all WiFi connected to the router; so all traffic goes over the router.

Both Win10 PCs are identical in hardware, firmware and both got Norton 360 Premium installed. Norton Smart Firewall is ON, but Norton VPN is OFF, on both of them.

On the first PC the printer has been added to Norton's Device Trust list by its name and IP (as they appear on my router's dashboard); In Norton, I've also put the local WiFi on Full Trust.

(For all that go to[My Norton] dashboard > Device Security > Open > Settings (at top) > Firewall > General Settings > Network Settings > then Network & Device Trust)

On the second PC nothing has been added to the Norton's Device Trust list. Nonetheless, both PCs behave exactly the same with respect to printer access.

The Windows Security pane on both Win10 PCs shows all green, all OK I presume.

Image hereafter represents my Home Network.


Same Problem/Behavior for both PCs:
--------------------------------------------
Most of the time the printer is visible in the Win10 Network pane (This PC > File Explorer/Network (left side)); the printer is then reachable. Note that all other home network devices are ALWAYS visible and accessible in the File Explorer/Network, never cause any problems.

But, ... sometimes (sporadically) the printer is not visible in the File Explorer/Network pane; in that case the printer is then not reachable either and remains not reachable, even after several restarts of printer, router and computer; that occurs on both PCs.

The only option that seems to solve the printer problem is to run a Norton Full Disk Scan on the system partition (takes 20 minutes) followed by a restart of the PCs. Only then the printer re-appears in the File Explorer/Network and subsequently becomes accessible for printing.

How come that the printer becomes accessible only after a Norton Full System Disk Scan? On both PCs? Is my question.

I've done just about anything Norton instructed me to do to let the printer pass Norton, but still I need to run a Disk Scan to get the printer back!?

What could be the underlying cause of that? Is it really Norton that is the culprit, or could it be Win10 after all that blocks the printer access somehow?

Anyone with similar experience?

Thanks

PS: I got a Win7 laptop too and when WiFi connect the printer is never! reachable. But I can live with that as the Win7 laptop is always cable connected and, apparently, then always! has access to the printer, even with VPN on, never any problems with Ethernet cable. The main focus however are the Win10 PCs.

I cannot comment on your network and security setup. In the past I had an issue with a network printer. Sometimes, a print job did not start when the printer was in a sleeping mode. Solution was not using the standard printer install, which installs the printer to a WSD port, but install the printer as a TCP/IP printer.

Oh, I forgot to mention; the printer on all PCs is on the TCP/IP port 192.168.1.101 and I fixed that local IP address in the router. But your remark, PiKo, triggers me a question.

=> Is there any printer communication protocol for being known as passing relatively easy through Smart Firewalls and other security apps in Windows?

I've done some tests before with other ports like WSD and EpsonNet Print Port but those communication protocols too caused the same problems (with Norton); so I left it on TCP/IP. Problem in my case is that I have to wait for a day or so -- or even longer -- till the printer isn't reachable to perform a new test. Testing can be time consuming.

During such connection failure, I would ping the printer via IP (using the other PC). In case of a return, the problem is probably Windows related. In case of no return, the printer lost contact with the network and the problem is probably not Windows related.

For the time being the printer is reachable because the last Norton System Disk Scan is less than 24 hours ago. I've just done >ping 192.168.1.101 a few minutes ago and all is OK. At next failure I'll do that pinging (again). I've been pinging before during a connection failure and as far as I can remember all packets where lost, but I did not know what to conclude from that: Is it Windows or Norton? I'll do the ping again at next failure. Thanks PiKo for the tip.

I am sure that you realize that a WiFi network is prone to disturbances from the outside world, so that a sporadic breakdown is not surprising. The strange thing however is the way to reestablish the network. Rebooting is not sufficient, but a Norton scan seems needed. I assume such scan is a virus scan and I assume also that at the end there is no notification that the scan corrected something.
That leads me to a suspicion that it is not the scan, but that the time is needed for reestablishing the network. If so, you may think at a negotiation time between the two PC's which one governs the network, or in other words which has the master browser. That would implicate that file sharing and possibly printer sharing play a role.
I am wondering whether your printing is some mix between direct printing via the router and printing via the other PC using printer sharing. It could also explain your difficulty to set up WiFi printing with your W7 PC.
When I am on the wrong track, ok, but it is the only track I can think of.

A lot of tests and still difficult to interpret them. I would suggest another approach. I assume that via a WebUI you have access to your router and that you get there an overview of the devices, connected to your home network. Since your PC might be part of the problem, I would use an independent device: smartphone or tablet. On the WebUi of the phone, PC's and printer should be visible.
In case of a printing problem, just have a look. If access to your router is normal. then the router is not the prime suspect. If your PC's are visible, then your PC's are not the prime suspect. If your printer is not visible, it is the prime suspect. Switch it off, wait several minutes and switch it on. If it does not show up quickly it suggests some malfuntioning of the printer.
Question: did you give your static IP number via the router or via the printer?

Hi,

I just did a test again with the W7 and the two W10 PCs on the same desk. All seems to be OK ... for the time being.
The printer is always! reachable on the W7 PC as W7 and the router are cable connected.
In the router dashboard all devices are visible when those devices are on. When a device goes into sleep or is turned off, they disappear from the dashboard relatively quickly (order of a few to several seconds).

Mobile phone test:
---------------------
I've opened the router dashboard (Chrome browser W7 PC) and did a specific test with my mobile (smart phone) just to see how fast the router really is.
When the mobile is WiFi connected to the router then the dashboard shows a Tx/Rx value = 65 / 6.0
That Tx/Rx value went from 65/6.0 to -- -- in a couple of seconds after turning off the mobile's WiFi.
The mobile's Name, MAC and local IP address disappeared from the router's dashboard 7 to 8 seconds after turning off the mobile's WiFi.
Did that test several times and the results were more or less the same each time.
Conclusion: the router is relatively responsive with respect to turning WiFi devices ON/OFF.

PC test:
---------
=>Turning OFF the printer using the power on/off button:
1) Immediately and simultaneous cleared the printer icon in the Network pane in all three PCs in less than second or so,
2) Another second later cleared the printer's Tx/Rx value to -- -- in the router's dashboard.
3) Another 15 to 20 seconds later the printer's Name, MAC and local IP addresses were cleared from the router's dashboard.
NOTE: I've done the test pulling the power plug in stead of using the power button on the printer; above results where the same!!?? (Does that mean that the printer's build-in power supply unit has a large capacitor bank or something ...?)

=>Turning ON the printer:
1) Printer icon shows up in the router's dashboard some 25 to 30 seconds after printer's display is operational.
2) Then, another second later after the appearance in the router's dashboard the printer icon appears in the Network pane in all three PCs.

---------
We know that the router responds within 7 to 8 seconds (slowest case) to the mobile's WiFi on/off.
So the longer delay (max 30 seconds) of the printer's on/off, might suggest that the delay comes from the printer itself; but that is definitely not conclusive.
Nonetheless, the delay in itself is not really that relevant in my case; as long as the printer comes online within a reasonable time span, that is enough...

For the past month or so I often experienced that if one of the W10 PCs could not reach the printer, the other W10 PC did print/scan without any problem. And from the W7 I could/can always! print/scan.
Also, during times when one of the W10 PCs could not print, the printer was always on the router's dashboard.
So I've always been under the impression that the printer and router were OK, and that the problem had something to do with Norton 360, or with something in Windows, or a combination of Norton/Windows.

The printer has a fixed IP address and I've done that through the router, not the printer.
After your tip, I've then introduced the same fixed IP address (and Subnet Mask & Gateway) into the printer's dashboard (setting: Obtain IP Address), and that seems to have an effect.
The ON delay of the printer before appearing on the PC's Network pane is now 20 seconds, in stead of the 30 sec before; let's see what the effect of this will be on the printer's reachability in the W10 PCs.

Today all seems OK with the printer's reachability on both the W10 PCs.
So I'll see how this evolves and if I got troubles, I'll be back to this forum...

Thanks again PiKo for the tips and insight

Clear observations, and now wait till the issue occurs.
I assume that the LAN connection and the WiFi connection of the printer have different IP assignments.