One of the most frustrating experiences when operating any piece of technology is when it fails to perform the primary function it is supposed to do. Fortunately for ID Superstore customers, expert technical support is just a phone call or e-mail away.
But before you pick up the phone, here are some basic troubleshooting tips you can try:
Printer Troubleshooting Tip No. 1: Check your printer driver
Printer driver is the software that enables your computer to communicate with your ID card printer, allowing it to transmit card artwork and ID data from the computer to the printer for printing and encoding onto plastic cards. Ensure that your driver is not wrongly configured, incompatible, corrupted, or outdated. Visit the printer manufacturer’s website to download the correct driver for your ID card printer.
Printer Troubleshooting Tip No. 2: Check your USB or Ethernet cable
For your printer to print, it needs ID data from your computer. This data is transmitted to the printer via USB or Ethernet cables. Check both ends of the cable to ensure that they are firmly attached to the printer and on your computer. If you have a spare USB or Ethernet cable, try substituting it with the cable that you are currently using.
Printer Troubleshooting Tip No. 3: Check your printer supplies
Printer ribbons are brand and model specific. This means that if an incompatible or a 3rd party ribbon is installed, your ID card printer may not function. Also, if you use substandard cards, your printer may not be able to detect it. Make sure that you are using genuine printer ribbons and ID supplies.
Printer Troubleshooting Tip No. 4: Check the LCD panel display for errors
Most modern ID card printers are able to self-diagnose issues that are hindering it from operating normally. Check its LCD panel display for error messages. Common errors include:
- Out of cards
- Out of ribbon
- Mechanical error
- Encoding error
- Printhead open
- Card jam
Note that different brands may have different error messages displayed. Please refer to your user manual for specific information.
Printer Troubleshooting Tip No. 5: Check that you are sending print jobs to the right printer
Some companies network their printers to allow access from multiple computers. If you have multiple ID card printers setup on your company’s network, verify that you’re sending print jobs to the right ID printer.
Printer Troubleshooting Tip No. 6: Check the network
If your ID card printer was setup to work as a network-connected printer, confer with your network administrator to see if it is configured correctly and that the network is working properly.
If none of the solutions listed here worked, you may have a faulty printer. Call us toll-free at 1-800-667-1772 for expert technical support. You may also reach us via e-mail.
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