Driver Print: Cannot Connect to Printer

How to Connect to a Printer

Issue:

On a  computer that is running Windows Vista or a later version of Windows, when you try to create an EveryonePrint Driver Print printer, you may receive an error message that resembles the following:

"Windows cannot connect to the printer. Check the printer name and try again. If this is a network printer, make sure that the printer is turned on, and that the printer address is correct."

This article exposes some of the issues that might prevent IPP or IPPS from working on Windows.

Cause 1:

This error usually occurs when Windows feature 'Internet Printing Client' is not enabled on the client computer.
Please refer to these pages for information how to setup 'Internet Printing Client'

Cause 2:

If you have correctly enabled Internet Printing Client and still get the error, check that the device description in EveyonePrint Admin -> Devices doesn't contain the "&" sign; this will cause an error in the printer addition process.
As a quick fix, simply remove this "&" sign or replace for example with "+" : Printer B&W => Printer B+W

Cause 3:

If you're using secure IPP (over HTTPS) you may face some issue when using a self-signed SSL Certificate; check this MS KB article for detailed information: When attempting to add an IPP printer over HTTPS, you receive an error.

Cause 4:

IPPS connection is not possible from ex Windows 7, but it's OK with Mac/Linux:

Windows 7 (and older Vista/XP) uses TLS V1.0 to make the SSL connection. Windows 8/10 and Mac/LINUX use newer TLS V1.2.

On some occasion TLS V1.0 has been disabled in active network equipment, like proxy server, for security reasons; enabling TLS V1.0 again may solve the IPPS connection for older Windows OS.

Resolution:

Ultimately, to verify that there is no connectivity or network issue preventing the IPP connection from the Workstation to the EveryonePrint server, you can test the following:

  • Verify in EveryonePrint Admin -> General settings that Debug is enabled
  • Select the Driver Print device URL like: http://srv-eop:631/ipp/r/34b09489102935/173BBF0E
  • Open this URL in a Web browser -> you should get a blank page
  • Check <eop-install-dir>\logs\eopwebservice.log file for these 3 lines
INFO | jvm 1 | 2016/05/26 15:14:13 | 2016-05-26 15:14:13,445 [13515521@qtp-2196493-6] DEBUG servlet.IppHanvdlerServlet service - Servletpath: /r/34b09489102935/173BBF0E<br />INFO | jvm 1 | 2016/05/26 15:14:13 | 2016-05-26 15:14:13,445 [13515521@qtp-2196493-6] DEBUG servlet.IppHandlerServlet service - RequestURI: /ipp/r/34b09489102935/173BBF0E<br />INFO | jvm 1 | 2016/05/26 15:14:13 | 2016-05-26 15:14:13,445 [13515521@qtp-2196493-6] DEBUG servlet.IppHandlerServlet service - Query: null

If you find these three lines in the log file, it means that you have successfully confirmed that there are no communication issues between the Workstation and the EveryonePrint IPP server.