Hi Microsoft, I'm hoping someone can help. I have an EPSON Perfection V500 Photo Scanner running on a Toshiba A665 laptop with Windows 7 Home Premium SP1. About a month ago, the scanner stopped working. I have worked in depth with EPSON support line, and they believe it is a Windows problem. SYMPTOM: When starting Epson Scan, the error message is: "Cannot communicate with the scanner. Make sure the scanner is on, correctly set up and connected with no errors indicated." WHAT I HAVE VERIFIED AND DONE TO TRY TO SOLVE: Removal of all Epson drivers and programs using Control Panel: Programs and Features. Detach USB cable, power off scanner Reboot Downloaded current drivers from Epson. epson13936.exe ?dated ?July ?20, ?2010 2:54:21 PM Install drivers. Reboot (required by driver installer). Attach and power up the scanner via direct USB connection. Drivers are loaded. Message says they install correctly. Device Manager shows under Imaging devices the EPSON Perfection V500 as installed and working. No errors or warnings. When starting the Epson Scan program, the same error message appears. Using Windows Paint, the scanner option is not active, meaning the scanner WIA is not recognized. VARIATIONS AND ADDITIONAL ATTEMPTS a. I have uninstalled and reinstalled about 7 times now. I have tried doing so with anti virus off (AVAST!) I have tried doing so in SAFE mode. Still the same error occurs. b. I have stopped and restarted Windows Image Acquisition service 5x (advised by Epson) with no difference. c. I have applied all Windows updates. d. On another Windows 7 computer, I have successfully installed the same EPSON drivers and connected the same scanner and it works without error, and scans great. So it is not the scanner, cable, or drivers supplied by Epson. EPSON support says that it must be a problem with Windows I would appreciate any suggestions on further steps I can take to resolve this issue.

Yes, that looks right. Your router defaults to permitting the DHCP server to use any IP address in the subnet, but the router also has the ability to "reserve" an IP address so that it isn't one of the addresses that might be automatically allocated. You have "reserved" 192.168.1.4 for your Epson 645 -- and that is the same address currently being used by the printer ... so if the printer works now, it shouldn't have any problems reconnecting.

I think I have done it correctly. My router is a Netgear WNDR3800. Does this look right? My printer is an Epson Workforce 645. I couldn't figure out how to manually assign the IP address in the printer itself but it is currently using that IP (192.168.1.4). Will this be fine for when the printer needs to reconnect?

To set an IP address, you need to know the "subnet" that is used by your router. Most home routers use either 192.168.1.x or 192.168.0.x, where x may be 1 through 254. Your router may use something other than 192.168.1 or 192.168.0, but the last set of numbers must be 1 through 254. There are two steps to setting a static IP address. First you need to inspect your router's configuration utility to determine the range of IP addresses that it uses for automatic allocation (the default when devices are connected). For example, this screen is from an old Linksys wireless router: In this example, the subnet used by the router is 192.168.1.x. IP address 192.168.1.1. is used by the router itself. The router's DHCP server is configured to automatically allocate IP addresses from 192.168.1.100 through 192.168.1.149 to devices that are connected to the router. That means that you can configure a static IP address to be any of 192.168.1.2 through 192.168.1.99 and 192.168.1.150 through 192.168.1.254. Some routers default to using the entire subnet as allocable addresses, e.g., 192.168.1.2 through 192.168.1.254 (.1 is used for the router itself and .255 is a special "broadcast" address). If your router's DHCP server is configured to use the entire subnet, you have to reconfigure it so that there will be some IP addresses that will never be allocated by the router's DHCP server. If you need help with this, look at the label on your router and provide its name, model, and hardware version (if any). Once you know a valid IP address that will NOT be used by the router's DHCP server, you have to go to the printer/scanner configuration utility and set that IP address into the printer/scanner. How you do this depends on the device. You need to refer to the device's User Guide for instructions. If you need help doing that, identify the specific make and model of your device.

@Samoht47 and anyone who might be having this problem. I have had this exact same annoying problem and I have finally found a way to fix it. The problem is that the scanner is not finding your printer's IP address. You need to put it in manually to fix this. Go into the printers network settings and find out what IP address it is using. Then go to Epson Scan Settings and add a new printer with this IP address. Once you do that test the scanner's connection. I was having this exact problem with one of my two Epson printers and noticed that the one that had no issues had the IP address detected on its own while the one with problems couldn't find the IP address. The scanner settings should be able to detect the IP address on its own. Not sure why it couldn't do it now when it did it successfully before for me. I don't know if the IP address might change everytime the printer or router is restarted as I haven't tested it yet. I wouldn't be surprised if it does as something triggered the scanner to fail and in my case, nothing was done apart from restarting an overheating router. Would be annoying having to manually change IP address all the time though, Hope this helps! This is highly unlikely to fix "the exact same annoying problem" that is the subject of this thread ... because the original poster has a scanner connected by USB and not over a network. The problem of a printer/scanner having an incorrect IP address is quite common ... and is the reason why such devices should always be configured with static IP addresses when they are first set up. That might actually be something I should try to do to stop this issue happening again. How to you set up a printer with a static IP address? Sorry about misreading the USB and wifi thing. Got a bit excited after scouring the net for hours to find many people with a similar problem and no solution, then finally figuring it out myself.

@Samoht47 and anyone who might be having this problem. I have had this exact same annoying problem and I have finally found a way to fix it. The problem is that the scanner is not finding your printer's IP address. You need to put it in manually to fix this. Go into the printers network settings and find out what IP address it is using. Then go to Epson Scan Settings and add a new printer with this IP address. Once you do that test the scanner's connection. I was having this exact problem with one of my two Epson printers and noticed that the one that had no issues had the IP address detected on its own while the one with problems couldn't find the IP address. The scanner settings should be able to detect the IP address on its own. Not sure why it couldn't do it now when it did it successfully before for me. I don't know if the IP address might change everytime the printer or router is restarted as I haven't tested it yet. I wouldn't be surprised if it does as something triggered the scanner to fail and in my case, nothing was done apart from restarting an overheating router. Would be annoying having to manually change IP address all the time though, Hope this helps! This is highly unlikely to fix "the exact same annoying problem" that is the subject of this thread ... because the original poster has a scanner connected by USB and not over a network. The problem of a printer/scanner having an incorrect IP address is quite common ... and is the reason why such devices should always be configured with static IP addresses when they are first set up.

Help with Epson Scanner that has stopped working; Epson support says it is windows.

Anonymous

Hi Microsoft,

I'm hoping someone can help. I have an EPSON Perfection V500 Photo Scanner running on a Toshiba A665 laptop with Windows 7 Home Premium SP1. About a month ago, the scanner stopped working. I have worked in depth with EPSON support line, and they believe it is a Windows problem.

SYMPTOM:

When starting Epson Scan, the error message is: "Cannot communicate with the scanner. Make sure the scanner is on, correctly set up and connected with no errors indicated."

WHAT I HAVE VERIFIED AND DONE TO TRY TO SOLVE:

Removal of all Epson drivers and programs using Control Panel: Programs and Features.
Detach USB cable, power off scanner
Reboot
Downloaded current drivers from Epson. epson13936.exe ?dated ?July ?20, ?2010 2:54:21 PM
Install drivers.
Reboot (required by driver installer).
Attach and power up the scanner via direct USB connection.
Drivers are loaded. Message says they install correctly.
Device Manager shows under Imaging devices the EPSON Perfection V500 as installed and working. No errors or warnings.
When starting the Epson Scan program, the same error message appears.
Using Windows Paint, the scanner option is not active, meaning the scanner WIA is not recognized.

VARIATIONS AND ADDITIONAL ATTEMPTS

a. I have uninstalled and reinstalled about 7 times now. I have tried doing so with anti virus off (AVAST!) I have tried doing so in SAFE mode. Still the same error occurs.

b. I have stopped and restarted Windows Image Acquisition service 5x (advised by Epson) with no difference.

c. I have applied all Windows updates.

d. On another Windows 7 computer, I have successfully installed the same EPSON drivers and connected the same scanner and it works without error, and scans great. So it is not the scanner, cable, or drivers supplied by Epson.

EPSON support says that it must be a problem with Windows

I would appreciate any suggestions on further steps I can take to resolve this issue.

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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47 answers

LemP 74,985 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2014-03-28T18:28:52+00:00

Yes, that looks right.

Your router defaults to permitting the DHCP server to use any IP address in the subnet, but the router also has the ability to "reserve" an IP address so that it isn't one of the addresses that might be automatically allocated.

You have "reserved" 192.168.1.4 for your Epson 645 -- and that is the same address currently being used by the printer ... so if the printer works now, it shouldn't have any problems reconnecting.
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Anonymous

2014-03-28T18:08:36+00:00

I think I have done it correctly. My router is a Netgear WNDR3800. Does this look right?

My printer is an Epson Workforce 645. I couldn't figure out how to manually assign the IP address in the printer itself but it is currently using that IP (192.168.1.4). Will this be fine for when the printer needs to reconnect?
Was this answer helpful?

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LemP 74,985 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2014-03-28T17:24:54+00:00

To set an IP address, you need to know the "subnet" that is used by your router. Most home routers use either 192.168.1.x or 192.168.0.x, where x may be 1 through 254. Your router may use something other than 192.168.1 or 192.168.0, but the last set of numbers must be 1 through 254.

There are two steps to setting a static IP address.

First you need to inspect your router's configuration utility to determine the range of IP addresses that it uses for automatic allocation (the default when devices are connected). For example, this screen is from an old Linksys wireless router:

In this example, the subnet used by the router is 192.168.1.x. IP address 192.168.1.1. is used by the router itself. The router's DHCP server is configured to automatically allocate IP addresses from 192.168.1.100 through 192.168.1.149 to devices that are connected to the router. That means that you can configure a static IP address to be any of 192.168.1.2 through 192.168.1.99 and 192.168.1.150 through 192.168.1.254.

Some routers default to using the entire subnet as allocable addresses, e.g., 192.168.1.2 through 192.168.1.254 (.1 is used for the router itself and .255 is a special "broadcast" address). If your router's DHCP server is configured to use the entire subnet, you have to reconfigure it so that there will be some IP addresses that will never be allocated by the router's DHCP server. If you need help with this, look at the label on your router and provide its name, model, and hardware version (if any).

Once you know a valid IP address that will NOT be used by the router's DHCP server, you have to go to the printer/scanner configuration utility and set that IP address into the printer/scanner. How you do this depends on the device. You need to refer to the device's User Guide for instructions. If you need help doing that, identify the specific make and model of your device.
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Anonymous

2014-03-28T16:41:57+00:00

@Samoht47 and anyone who might be having this problem. I have had this exact same annoying problem and I have finally found a way to fix it. The problem is that the scanner is not finding your printer's IP address. You need to put it in manually to fix this. Go into the printers network settings and find out what IP address it is using. Then go to Epson Scan Settings and add a new printer with this IP address. Once you do that test the scanner's connection. I was having this exact problem with one of my two Epson printers and noticed that the one that had no issues had the IP address detected on its own while the one with problems couldn't find the IP address.

The scanner settings should be able to detect the IP address on its own. Not sure why it couldn't do it now when it did it successfully before for me. I don't know if the IP address might change everytime the printer or router is restarted as I haven't tested it yet. I wouldn't be surprised if it does as something triggered the scanner to fail and in my case, nothing was done apart from restarting an overheating router. Would be annoying having to manually change IP address all the time though,

Hope this helps!

This is highly unlikely to fix "the exact same annoying problem" that is the subject of this thread ... because the original poster has a scanner connected by USB and not over a network.

The problem of a printer/scanner having an incorrect IP address is quite common ... and is the reason why such devices should always be configured with static IP addresses when they are first set up.

That might actually be something I should try to do to stop this issue happening again. How to you set up a printer with a static IP address?

Sorry about misreading the USB and wifi thing. Got a bit excited after scouring the net for hours to find many people with a similar problem and no solution, then finally figuring it out myself.
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LemP 74,985 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2014-03-28T16:39:57+00:00

@Samoht47 and anyone who might be having this problem. I have had this exact same annoying problem and I have finally found a way to fix it. The problem is that the scanner is not finding your printer's IP address. You need to put it in manually to fix this. Go into the printers network settings and find out what IP address it is using. Then go to Epson Scan Settings and add a new printer with this IP address. Once you do that test the scanner's connection. I was having this exact problem with one of my two Epson printers and noticed that the one that had no issues had the IP address detected on its own while the one with problems couldn't find the IP address.

The scanner settings should be able to detect the IP address on its own. Not sure why it couldn't do it now when it did it successfully before for me. I don't know if the IP address might change everytime the printer or router is restarted as I haven't tested it yet. I wouldn't be surprised if it does as something triggered the scanner to fail and in my case, nothing was done apart from restarting an overheating router. Would be annoying having to manually change IP address all the time though,

Hope this helps!

This is highly unlikely to fix "the exact same annoying problem" that is the subject of this thread ... because the original poster has a scanner connected by USB and not over a network.

The problem of a printer/scanner having an incorrect IP address is quite common ... and is the reason why such devices should always be configured with static IP addresses when they are first set up.
Was this answer helpful?

3 people found this answer helpful.

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