# Hooked up wireless router.  Now wired printer doesn't work

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hooked-up-wireless-router-now-wired-printer-doesnt-work/524857>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 14, 2010, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hooked-up-wireless-router-now-wired-printer-doesnt-work/524857 "2010-01-14T00:56:57Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\
**Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hooked-up-wireless-router-now-wired-printer-doesnt-work/524857/1 "2010-01-14T00:56:57Z")

</div>

That’s it in a nutshell.

I have a Dell PC running Windows XP, Roadrunner cable modem. Dell printer. Printer always worked.

Just hooked up a Linksys wireless router for my daughter’s new laptop. Works. Everything works except now, when I try to print, my computer says

> [@](#):
>
> Communication not available. The printer cannot communcate with the computer. Try these solutions: Disconnect and reconnect the printer power cable. Disconnect and reconnect the USB cable. Restart your computer.

I’ve done this, still no luck.

Any thoughts?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Grave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/71c47a/32.png) [@Grave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grave)\
**Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hooked-up-wireless-router-now-wired-printer-doesnt-work/524857/2 "2010-01-15T03:14:12Z")

</div>

Unfortunately, what you are asking is akin to saying “I painted my house and now the dryer doesn’t work”. Could you provide more information as to how the printer is connected to your computer? Did you try deleting the printer and re-adding it? Have you tried the printer on the new laptop to rule out it being an odd timed failure?