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Troubleshooting Printer Hardware Issues

Kevin U
  • Updated

This article explains some troubleshooting steps to deal with printer hardware issues. For issues and knowledge on order ticket printing, see the FAQ section of the Tickets Printed at a KMS Printer article. For issues and knowledge on POS receipt printing, see FAQs: POS Printers.

Checking the Printer Status

To check the printer status, view the printer in the Core system by selecting Tools & Setup > Hardware Devices, and then click the Printers tab. A list of existing printers is displayed with the following columns for troubleshooting: 

  • Printer Name - name of printer.
  • Type - should be cloud.
  • Address - IP address of printer.
  • Last Status (Cloud) - if the printer is checking in to the legacy URL (MealSuite - mealsuite.touch.mealsuite.com, Synergy - synergy.touch.mealsuite.com, dineOS - myusuite.touch.mealsuite.com), then this column displays the time since the last check in. If there are pending jobs with this URL, then the amount of pending jobs is also displayed. 
  • Last Connect (Cloud) - if the printer is checking in to the current URL (print.mealsuite.com), then this column displays the time since the last check in. If there are pending jobs with this URL, then the amount of pending jobs is also displayed. 
  • Pending Jobs - displays the number of current print jobs. If the pending print jobs are mismatched against the URL the printer is checking in to, this indicates a print job was run but did not get synched. To resolve a mismatch and perform a resync, the best option is to clear the pending print jobs (click the Clear Pending button in the Actions column). 
  • Actions:
    • Edit - edit printer details
    • Clear Pending - clear pending print jobs.
    • Jobs - view current print jobs. 
    • Delete - delete the printer.

Troubleshooting Printer Connectivity Issues

Perform a Self Test/Reboot Printer

Performing a self-test will reboot the printer and reconnect it to the network. To perform a self-test and reboot the printer:

  1. Ensure the printer is off.
  2. Hold down the Feed button and turn the printer on.
  3. A status sheet prints out.
  4. Let go of the Feed button.
  5. Wait up to one minute for a second sheet to print out, which contains the printer information. 

Verify the Network Port (for Ethernet Connection)

Verify with your IT team if the network port is receiving a connection, which can be done by plugging a PC into the port via an Ethernet cable.

Re-Establish Wireless Connection (for Wireless Printer Models)

  1. Connect via cable: Connect the printer to a router (i.e., network wall switch) using an Ethernet cable.
  2. Print the IP address as follows:
    1. Ensure the printer is off.
    2. Hold down the Feed button and turn the printer on.
    3. A status sheet prints out.
    4. Let go of the Feed button.
    5. Wait up to one minute for a second sheet to print out. This second sheet contains the printer information, including IP address. 
  3. Access web page: Type the IP address into a web browser on a computer connected to the same network. 
  4. Login: Log in with user: root and password: public. 
  5. Configure wireless: Navigate to "Wireless Connection", select your network, enter the password, and save the settings.
  6. Restart: Restart the printer and unplug the Ethernet cable. 

Ensure MAC Address in the Core System is Correct

Ensure the MAC address for the printer is correct in the Core system. See Installing and Configuring a Printer > Register the Printer in the Core System.

Install any Latest Firmware Updates

Follow the steps below to check if the latest firmware updates are installed on the printer, which is done by accessing the printer settings using your web browser. To access the printer settings on your web browser, you will require the printer’s IP address, which is obtained by following the first five steps below.

  1. Ensure the printer is off.
  2. Hold down the Feed button and turn the printer on.
  3. A status sheet prints out.
  4. Let go of the Feed button.
  5. Wait up to one minute for a second sheet to print out. This second sheet contains the printer information, including IP address. 
  6. Open a web browser from the same network as the printer, and enter the printer’s IP address in the URL address bar. The Star web UI screen appears.
  7. Click Login and enter the username root and the password public.
    Note: If you are prompted to enter a new password, just type public.
  8. Select Firmware Updates from the left navigation pane and check for updates. If there are any updates, download and install as per the onscreen instructions.

Resetting to Factory Default (if All Else Fails)

If the above troubleshooting steps fail to resolve issues, then a reset to factory default will be required. The instructions to do so can be found on the STAR support site via the following "Ethernet Printers using the HE07/08 Interface" instructions on the following page: https://starmicronics.com/help-center/knowledge-base/how-to-reset-a-star-micronics-ethernet-or-wi-fi-printer/.

For your convenience, the instructions are also rewritten below: 

  1. Ensure the printer is powered on. 
  2. Located on the back of the printer is the SW push switch (first screenshot below). Using the end of a paper clip, press and hold the SW push switch until both NIC (Network Interface Card) LEDs start blinking (second screenshot below) and then immediately release the SW push switch. Both NIC LEDs should now be solid. 

    printer_push_switch.png


     
  3. Press and hold the SW push switch one more time until both NIC LEDs turn off, and then release the SW push switch. 
  4. Wait until both NIC LEDS come back on, and, depending on the printer model, the printer might make a clicking sound. 
  5. Your next steps are to re-connect the printer to the MealSuite server by completing the steps below.

Re-Connect Printer to MealSuite Server

With the printer reset to factory default, you will have to re-connect the printer to the MealSuite server, which is done by accessing the printer settings using your web browser. To access the printer settings on your web browser, you will require the printer’s IP address, which is obtained by following the first five steps below.

Note: When the printer is reset to factory default, the printer may receive a new IP address; therefore do not rely on any former IP address you may have previously obtained.

  1. Ensure the printer is off.
  2. Hold down the Feed button and turn the printer on.
  3. A status sheet prints out.
  4. Let go of the Feed button.
  5. Wait up to one minute for a second sheet to print out. This second sheet contains the printer information, including IP address.
  6. Open a web browser from the same network as the printer, and enter the printer’s IP address in the URL address bar. The Star web UI screen appears.
  7. Click Login and enter the username root and the password public.
    Note: If you are prompted to enter a new password, just type public.
  8. Select CloudPRNT from the left navigation pane.
  9. From the CLOUDPRINT Service drop-down, ensure ENABLE is selected.
  10. In the Server URL field, enter the domain URL. 
  11. In the Polling time (Sec) field, enter 1 second.
  12. Select Submit.
  13. Select Save → Restart device option.
  14. Click Execute. The printer will print its printer details. 

LED Light Patterns - Impact and Thermal Printers

Thermal Printer TSP143IV: LED Light Patterns

For the LED light patterns for the TSP143IV, please access the proprietary site via the link below: https://starmicronics.com/help-center/knowledge-base/how-do-i-read-the-error-status-or-led-codes-for-my-star-micronics-printer/ 

And then click the TSP100IV model (the TSP143IV model is built on the TSP100IV model): 

TSP100IV.png

Thermal Printer TSP650: LED Light Patterns - Recoverable Errors

Error Description POWER (Green) ERROR (Red) Recovery Condition
Thermal head high temperature detection error Flashes at 1 second intervals. Off The printer recovers automatically when the thermal head cools.
Cover open error On On The printer recovers when you close the cover.
Paper near end error On Flashes at 4 second intervals. The printer recovers when you set a new paper roll and close the rear cover.
Paper out error On Flashes at 0.5 second intervals. The printer recovers when you set a new paper roll and close the cover.
Ethernet link disconnection detection (Physical link disconnection) Flashes at 4 second intervals. Flashes at 4 second intervals. Connect an Ethernet cable.
Ethernet link disconnection detection (IP Address lost) Flashes at 0.25 second intervals. Flashes at 0.25 second intervals. Printer unable to obtain IP Address from Network. Set the correct IP Address and restart the printer.

Thermal Printer TSP650: LED Light Patterns - Unrecoverable Errors

Error Description POWER ERROR Cause Recovery Condition
Cutter error Off Flashes at 0.25 second intervals. Paper cutting in progress error After you restart the printer, the printer recovers when the mobile cutter returns to its home position.
Flash memory error Off Flashes at 1 second intervals. Flash memory access error. -
EEPROM error Off Flashes at 1.5 second intervals. This is not a recoverable error.  (RMA)
SRAM error Off Flashes at 2 second intervals. RAM access error. - 
Head thermistor error Off Flashes at 3 second intervals. Detection of head thermistor error. -
Power voltage error Off  Flashes at 4 second intervals. Detection of power voltage error. Check the condition of the power supply and restart the printer.

Impact Printer: LED Light Patterns - Recoverable Errors

recoverable_errors_thermal_printer.png

recoverable_errors_thermal_printer2.png

Impact Printer: LED Light Patterns - Unrecoverable Errors

unrecoverable_errors_thermal_printer.png

Tickets Printing with Creases or Text is Cutoff or Misaligned

Tickets are printing with creases or the text is cutoff or misaligned. 

printer_paper_wrinkle.png

Open the printer and realign the roller by rotating the roller wheel.

Printer_open1.jpg

Ensure the paper roll support bar is not stuck by pushing it down and having it spring back up. 

Printer_open2.jpg


On the right inside of the open printer, ensure the two sensor switches are not stuck by pushing them in and having them spring back out. 

Printer_open3.jpg

TSP650 model: Setting Up Star Wireless Printer with Wi-Fi Dongle

Instructions to set up a TSP650 model printer with a USB Wi-Fi dongle are documented in the Star proprietary documentation via the following link: Star Micronics: How to Set Up a Wi-Fi Dongle.

Prerequisite: An Ethernet cable is required for the initial setup steps. After the wireless printer is successfully setup, the cable can then be disconnected. 

Supported Wi-Fi Dongles

The Star Micronics: How to Set Up a Wi-Fi Dongle article also lists the supported Wi-Fi dongles, shown below for your convenience. 
Wi-Fi_dongle.png

FAQs

My tickets are printing non-stop?

If the printer was offline for a period, once the printer regains connection the backlog of tickets will print. 

When viewing the printer in the Core system (Tools & Setup > Hardware Devices > Printers tab), the Pending Jobs column displays the number of pending jobs. There is the option of clearing pending print jobs to prevent a backlog printing; to do so click the Clear Pending button. 

My printer is printing very slowly?

This typically means the printer is not configured to the specs. Specifically they will need to ensure the polling time is 1 second and the firmware is up-to-date; see Install any Latest Firmware Updates above. 

My kitchen station printer that prints tickets is down/offline/not available. What options do I have to print tickets? 

In the Core system, the following reports are available to print personal menus for each resident/patient at a standard office printer. From these printed reports, you can manually select a resident/patient's choices.

My POS printer that prints receipts is down/offline/not available. What options do I have to print receipts? 

If you have another printer that is working, you can select that printer in the POS. From the Tools menu, select the desired payment location/printer combination. 

tools_printers.png

Can the font size of a printer be changed?

The font size for the printer is hard-coded. However, for the thermal printer model TSP650 (no longer offered by MealSuite) there is a workaround that can be performed by the MealSuite Hardware Support team that "decreases the zoom" of printed content. 

If interested in having this workaround performed on your TSP650 printer, reach out to MealSuite Support, who will in turn escalate the request to the MealSuite Hardware Support team. 

I have other printer questions that are not covered in this article?

See the following articles:

In addition, you can refer to the printer's proprietary manual for information outside the scope of the MealSuite articles: