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Is it possible for Epson printers with USB connections to work with Mac Studio?

I was disappointed to find that my Epson Pro 9880 printer would not print from my Apple Studio M2 (OS Sonoma)using a USB cord. Error message said "Busy printing from another port". Not true. Downloaded newest Printer Driver(12.62) for OS 14.xx and reinstalled same. No luck. I was advised to try a direct ethernet cord from printer's LAN output to the computer but that gave the same "no connection" message. I connected the printer to an older iMac via USB and it worked fine, so not the printer or the cord. I talked to Epson. Their position is it should work-- as far as they know. They tested driver 12.62 with OS 14 and it worked as expected. No mention of M1 or M2 chips. Apple says it is up to Epson to keep their drivers up to date with 3rd party suppliers, and they are right to some degree but Epson said they complied with their obligation to do that. I have found no workarounds other than using an older intel Apple computer. Does anyone have success getting Epson printers with USB connections to work with M1 or M2 computers, especially a Studio M2?


[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Mac Studio (2023)

Posted on Aug 9, 2024 10:08 PM

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16 replies

Aug 10, 2024 7:09 AM in response to SKY DRIVER

I've read several posts with the same problem with Sonoma & USB printers, but I think you need a new driver or reinstall, though as you already have, perhaps Reset the printing system on your Mac to solve a problem...

Reset the printing system on your Mac to solve a problem - Apple Support


Add a USB printer

For most USB printers, all you have to do is update your software and then connect the printer to your Mac. If necessary, install the latest printing software that came with the printer or from the manufacturer’s website.

  1. On your Mac, update your printer software: Check with your printer’s manufacturer to see if any updates are available for your printer model.
  2. Prepare your printer: Use the instructions that came with your printer to unpack the printer, install ink or toner, and add paper. Turn on the printer and make sure it’s not displaying any errors.
  3. Connect your printer: Connect the USB cable to your Mac. If you see a message prompting you to download new software, make sure to download and install it.
  4. Important: If your Mac has a single USB-C port, use a multiport adapter. Connect the printer, then connect a USB-C cable to a power supply to prolong the battery life of your Mac. See Use USB-C cables with Mac.

Add a printer to your printer list so you can use it on Mac - Apple Support



Aug 10, 2024 11:22 AM in response to BDAqua

Thank you for your response. I do have the latest Epson driver which was tested with OS 14 by Epson. I also tried a total reset of the printing software--did not fix issue. Other things readers should understand:

  1. I also have a USB connected Epson 3800--it does the same thing as described.
  2. Testing procedure: Open print center. 9880 shows green dot, idle. Click on 9880 in Printers and Scanners, then click on Option and Supplies. Immediately in the Print Center box, 9880 shows :"Supply Levels--Printing, sending data to printer. That lasts for 30 seconds, then disappears. Supply levels shows : "Information not available."
  3. Click on Utility. Utility shows "Printing" Click Update and select "Epson Status Monitor" It correctly show ink amounts and says ready. (This looks promising.) Press "Print test page" nothing happens. Press UPDATE in the Printer Utility and message "Communication error". Print Center says "Printing, Sending data to Printer." But the printer does not seem to receive that data.
  4. Conclusion, there is limited comm between printer and computer.

Any help is appreciated.

Aug 10, 2024 12:21 PM in response to Kurt Lang

That is a good idea. I tried it yesterday and the eero router did not recognize the printer. If it had, I was going to try Epson Connect, even though Epson says the 9880 is not listed as an approved printer for Epson Connect. I use eero mesh routers and had their tech guy on the line. He definitely said it was not connecting. Sure wish it had. Thanks.

Aug 10, 2024 12:53 PM in response to SKY DRIVER

SKY DRIVER wrote:

That is a good idea. I tried it yesterday and the eero router did not recognize the printer. If it had, I was going to try Epson Connect, even though Epson says the 9880 is not listed as an approved printer for Epson Connect. I use eero mesh routers and had their tech guy on the line. He definitely said it was not connecting. Sure wish it had. Thanks.


If you should give up on USB…


As for Wi-Fi, none of the local devices care (or even “know”) whether Wi-Fi is running as routers, access points, or mesh.


The manual for that printer is from 2007, and has a wonderful formatting error in the table of contents, and a dearth of tech specs, and a dearth of network configuration information. What is present looks to be host-based, not something on a control panel somewhere.


The manual does list USB 1.1 and USB 2.0, and lists 10 MbE and 100 MbE “Fast” Ethernet, but the printer tech specs are completely devoid of any details of supported printing and networking protocols.


Ah, found it. There’s a second manual for networking.


Go to page 14 in the networking manual, and first try setting it to Get an IP address (DHCP, AUTO, etc). If using DHCP fails to get an IP address, you can assign it an IP address from the same IP subnet network the eero is using, but from outside whatever DHCP pool the eero is using. But if DHCP isn’t working, there’s probably something wrong with the printer and its networking, the cable, or the eero wired port.


Your eero will need to allow mDNS / Bonjour networking, too. Most Wi-Fi do, but I’m unfamiliar with the particular defaults for that vendor.


Aug 10, 2024 12:56 PM in response to SKY DRIVER

From what I can tell, eero is a mesh extension system. I don't know if that will work.


I was referring to the router you use for your Internet service. Such as a DSL line, Comcast/Xfinity or similar.


Edit: MrHoffman's post wasn't there while I was typing. See if his steps will work with the eero.


There are multiple advantages to an Ethernet setup. One, the printer doesn't need to be next to the Mac (there's kind of a limit to how long of a USB cable you can use). And more importantly, anyone on your network can see and use the printer.

Aug 10, 2024 1:19 PM in response to BDAqua

BDAqua wrote:

I think the Mac Ethernet is Gigabit or faster only, seems the Router & Printer would both also need to be Gigabit.


Correct, and a good point.


Connecting via a 10/100/1000 MbE network switch should work, and (as I’m assuming here) this connection is presumably via a port on some other network-related device such as on an eero box or on the ISP gateway / firewall / NAT box.


Switches that can go 2.5 GbE or 5 GbE or 10 GbE are becoming more widely available, but are still somewhat rare in home networks. Apple gear only recently got faster than GbE with Macs too, of which Studio is one example.

Aug 10, 2024 2:13 PM in response to BDAqua

Sorry, I am not an expert on internet or LAN setups. The printer has a 10/100Base-T Ethernet port. The eero routers 6 Pro have Ethernet port speeds of 1 gigabit per second. I assume this incompatibility makes it impossible to make a wifi connection. If you think it can be done, can you give specific directions? Thank you for your time. I am not the only one caught in this unexpected rat hole. BTW, I tried connecting the 9880 with an old 2013 PowerBook via USB and it worked fine, but transferring files from one computer to another for printing is not my first choice.

Aug 10, 2024 2:44 PM in response to SKY DRIVER

Whether you wanted to know or not, you’re here headed for learning more about networking.


And unfortunately, this whole environment ismostly about Epson and eero network configurations and cabling, including the Cat 6 used with the printer, and not with macOS. This given Epson no longer supports this printer, and given the lack of Wi-Fi and AirPrint support in the printer. (The lack of AirPrint is not unexpected, given the age of this printer.)


So what happens when the printer is connected to a port on the ISP box?


The eero apparently has two operating modes it can be configured into, too. One is when there’s no ISP box providing NAT and firewall (the ISP box is “bridged”), and another where there is an external box providing those services. eero prefer to have the ISP box in its bridged mode; not involved in firewall and NAT. How is your network set up? With the eero being the gateway / router / firewall / NAT role and the ISP box bridged, or with the ISP box providing that gateway / router / firewall / NAT role?


Yeah, lots of jargon here, unfortunately. This is all far easier with local physical or maybe remote network access, and with some better knowledge of the various devices involved.

Aug 10, 2024 2:59 PM in response to MrHoffman

Thanks MrHoffman. OK--Internet is supplied by Internet provider Spectrum. It comes into the house and goes to a Spectrum box that divides the signal between voice (for landline phone) and internet. From there the data goes by cable to the "main" eero router and is broadcasted to 4 other eero mesh routers in the home environment. The printer and the Main router are far apart--too far to wire together without excessive cost. There is a wireless router near the printer. I will call eero and see what they say about your idea. Thank you.

Aug 10, 2024 3:56 PM in response to SKY DRIVER

Yeah; the question is how that Spectrum box is configured then (whether router or bridge), and then how the eero is configured.


I particularly don’t know if the eero does transparent Ethernet bridging in any or all of its modes, and if it’ll work with a Fast Ethernet connection. If the Ethernet ports are transparently bridged and typical gigabit Ethernet, it should work. If both Spectrum and eero are running as routers (which is also ill-advised), it might not.



Aug 10, 2024 7:44 PM in response to MrHoffman

Good and bad news. The good is that eero is a TCP/IP configuration and following the directions in the Epson Network Guide I was able to successfully attach it to an eero router with a CAT 6 cable and it now shows up on my network as Epson 9880. The bad news is that it still will not print. The error message is "Printing data from another port. Please wait." and nothing happens. I tested the internet printer connection on 3 other computers: M1 iMAC, M3 iMAC and a 2013 Powerbook. I got the same message on all meaning that it is not the chipset, the OS like Sonoma--it is something else all common with the wifi. Also, I did set up the IP address in AUTO (not manual) and when finished with the set up, I tried to print out a network status sheet, but the printer would not print anything like it did not have that information. Any help on this new development? Is there a different driver for Ethernet connections? Thank you all.

Aug 10, 2024 8:19 PM in response to SKY DRIVER

The network is working fine now, and you’re back to troubleshooting the printer itself.


I’d look first for a reset, using a three second hold on the reset button, and cycling the printer power.


I’d then see about a firmware update, described on page 44 here:


https://files.support.epson.com/pdf/pro7880/pro7880pg.pdf


There’s firmware from 2023 listed here:


https://epson.com/Support/Printers/Professional-Imaging-Printers/Epson-Stylus-Pro-Series/Epson-Stylus-Pro-9880/s/SPT_C11C699001?review-filter=macOS+14.x


How to get that loaded, I’ve not checked.


If that reset and firmware update and all fails to resolve this, I’d next try the initialize settings mentioned here:


https://files.support.epson.com/pdf/pro7880/pro7880pg.pdf


That factory re-initialization might necessitate re-entering the network settings, assuming it doesn’t revert to DHCP.


But you’re now digging around in the printer itself.

Is it possible for Epson printers with USB connections to work with Mac Studio?

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