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Printer is printing garbage / no output / many blank pages

DJ
  • Updated

Problem Overview

If the printer gives no output or garbage output (symbols, many blank pages etc.), it's likely that the incorrect driver has been auto-detected.

Search Printer Specification

Firstly, check the specification for your printer via the manufacturer's website or CNET.com. When searching through the specification, check for the supported 'PDL', 'Emulation' or 'Supported languages'.

The printer must be compatible with one or more of the following:

  • PDF 1.3+
  • PCL6
  • PCLXL-JeyReady
  • PCL5c
  • PCL3GUI
  • PostScript3
  • Airprint
  • PWG
  • PCLm
  • ZPL (label)
  • EPL (label)

Printer Specification Search Example

Say the printer I'm looking to troubleshoot is the Brother MFC-L3770CDW, I'd firstly check Brother's website and search for the MFC-L3770CDW specification. After finding the specification, I'll look for either one of the PDL, Emulation & Supported languages keywords.

In this case after searching through the spec, Emulation was the name chosen by Brother, which presents the following:

mceclip0.png
An example of finding supported languages within a Brother printer specification.

Fortunately, PCL6 is a language supported by this printer. Given I only need one of these supported languages, I can continue fixing the issue.

Force Driver Type

If the printer is currently set to 'Autodetect' in the directprint.io admin console, then forcing the printer driver type will usually solve the problem. To force a driver type to a printer, do the following:

  1. Navigate to the printer list (Printer network -> List printers).

    mceclip4.png
    Selecting printer list within the admin side navigation.

  2. Select 'Actions' -> 'Edit' for the printer that's not functioning correctly.

    mceclip5.png
    Selecting the edit button for my malfunctioning printer within the Actions column.

  3. Under the 'Printer Driver' drop-down, select the supported PDL/Emulation/Language that you determined from your investigation of the printer specification. Whenever possible select the '....as octet stream' version of the driver.

    mceclip7.png Selecting a supported language within the printer driver dropdown.

  4. If the 'Include PJL header...' option is shown ensure that it is enabled (checked). If it is not shown, continue through the following steps.
  5. Hit the green Update printer button at the bottom of the form to save your changes.
  6. On the client hit the refresh icon next to 'Active printer list' to force a config refresh.

mceclip8.png
Clicking the refresh button within the directprint.io client.

For most HP, Ricoh and Kyocera printers selecting PostScript3 as octet-stream will fix output issues.

If the printer supports multiple PDLs, cycle through the PDL list using the procedure above until you find a working configuration.

If you succeed please consider dropping us a note to let us know which configuration worked for this printer, so that we can add it to the model specific guide.

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