Printer and Scanner Support

Most printer problems are not the printer

When a printer stops working, it is usually something between the PC and the printer: the network address changed, a driver broke, or the Windows Print Spooler service crashed. All of that can be fixed remotely. dijitul support starts with a remote session on an affected PC and works outward. See remote IT support for how sessions work, or IT support for the full service.

We work with all the common office brands, whether the printer is owned outright or on a lease, and whether it connects by cable, Wi-Fi or USB.

Printer showing offline

The most common cause is a changed IP address. After a router replacement or power cut, the printer may pick up a new address from DHCP while every PC is still looking for the old one. We fix this permanently by setting a DHCP reservation on the router, then updating the printer port on each PC.

Other causes include the printer having dropped off Wi-Fi (common on 2.4 GHz in busy areas), SNMP status reporting wrongly marking it offline, or the printer having gone into deep sleep. See Wi-Fi support if it is a wireless printer that keeps disappearing.

Stuck queues, spooler crashes and drivers

Print Spooler

The Print Spooler is the Windows service that manages print jobs. If one job is corrupt, the whole queue jams. We stop the service, clear the spool folder at C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS, and restart it. If it keeps crashing, a faulty driver is usually to blame.

Drivers

Since the PrintNightmare vulnerabilities in 2021, Microsoft tightened Point and Print rules, so standard users often cannot install printer drivers themselves. That is why you may see a prompt for administrator credentials. We install the correct driver centrally, or use the manufacturer's universal driver or Windows' built-in IPP class driver where it supports your model. Mixing old Type 3 drivers with newer ones across PCs is a frequent cause of 'works for some people'.

Scan to email and scan to folder

Multifunction printers send scans by SMTP. Scan to email often breaks when the mailbox password changes, MFA is switched on, or Microsoft tightens how apps authenticate to Exchange Online. We reconfigure it using a supported method such as an SMTP relay connector in Microsoft 365, or a scan-to-OneDrive or SharePoint option if your printer supports it.

Scan to folder breaks when a Windows update disables the old SMB1 protocol or a password expires on the share account. We update the share and the printer settings so scans land in the right place. See Microsoft 365 support.

Preventing printer problems

A few settings stop most printer calls before they happen:

• Reserve the printer's IP address on the router so it never changes.
• Use one driver version on every PC, ideally deployed centrally, rather than whatever each person downloaded.
• Connect busy printers by cable instead of Wi-Fi where possible.
• Update the printer's firmware from the manufacturer, which also closes security holes.
• Change the default admin password on the printer's web page, since many are left open on the network.

We can apply all of these in a single remote session.

Macs, hardware faults and cost

Macs usually print best using AirPrint, which needs no driver. If a Mac shows the printer as 'paused' or prints garbage, we remove and re-add it with the right protocol. See Mac support.

We do not repair printer hardware such as fusers, rollers or paper feed faults, and we do not supply printers or toner. If the problem is physical, we will tell you and point you to the manufacturer or your lease company.

Remote printer fixes are £45 an hour + VAT, 30-minute minimum, then 15-minute blocks. On the Complete plan at £99 a month + VAT, printer problems come out of your included hours. See the pricing page.

What it costs

Support plans from £25 a month + VAT, or £45 an hour + VAT for one-off fixes. Pick a plan if you want it looked after every month, or pay by the hour for a one-off job.

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