Wireless printer won't print?

Question

Using new Acer laptop with wireless router and Vista. During printer setup (Lexmark z1420) it asks for the network key which I am not toally sure if I have the right key (I setup the network but I have no idea what a network key is lol). I have been using the WEP code on the modem. The printer will print if connected with a USB cable but will not print at all wireless. I have turned off my firewall, enabled file sharing and printing, made sure it was the default printer. I have uninstalled and reinstalled a dozen times, and rebooted. When I went into printers it said that the printer was offline. So I went into some "Sharing" setting in the File menu and did something and that changed it to "Ready" but still it won't print. So I called their tech support and the person had a hard time understanding english so he wasted my time. I have never done the whole wireless thing so it's new to me, but I am not a computer newb and I believe I did all the basic troubleshooting steps at this point

Answer 1

It sounds like you may have to reset your router if you don't remember your WEP key. There should be a small reset on the back of the router that will set it back to the factory defaults. Setup the security again and remember the WEP password. Then you should be able to setup your printer.

Answer 2

I had a similar problem. The router wasn't giving the message to the printer. I ended up emailing anything I wanted to print to my desktop and printing from there - much simpler. My problem was that it was unreliable though, because sometimes randomly it would work.

Answer 3

have you tried plugging inthe power cord? Wireless just means it doesn't need hardwire connections, not that it has no wires....