AirPrint Activator (APA) v2.0b15

comment : 42

Here is a small update to AirPrint Activator. This new version fix a bug with long printer names that would exceed the maximum Bonjour name length resulting in a failure to advertise the printers.

As usual you can grab a copy from the main AirPrint Activator page.

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42 Comments

Richkanj May 16, 2011 at 01:51 Reply

Downloaded and activated the printer as your video and other instructions directed. Tried to print using Pages on iPad. On print attempt, Pages shows printer (“Airprint Canon i960”) and says “Contacting Printer…” and sits for several minutes. Then, eventually says, “Printer is offline” or the contacting printer pop-up goes away. Nothing prints. No messages on Mac or iPad.

Using AirPort wireless network to share a Canon i960 printer on home network with 2 Macbook Pros, 2 Windows PCs, an iPad and a couple of newer iPods. (Same issue occurs on one of the iPods.)

What now?Air Print version: V2.0b10Mac OS: 10.6.7iPad OS: 4.2.1
- Anonymous May 16, 2011 at 01:54 Reply
  
  Try v2.0b15. Also make sure you have the firewall turned off.
  
  Envoyé de mon iPad
  
  Le 2011-05-15 à 9:51 PM, “Disqus” a écrit :
  - Richkanj May 16, 2011 at 14:19 Reply
    
    Excuse my bad typing… the version being used IS v2.0b15.
    
    However, I turned off the firewall and was successful doing a print from the iPad! But I had to turn off then turn on AirPrint to reconnect to the printer before the iPad could see it. Also, I’m not real comfortable turning off the firewall on the Mac. It will be inconvenient to have to turn it off then on again each time I want to print from the iPad or an iPod.
    - NoNerd August 4, 2011 at 15:42 Reply
      
      Ok, manage to get the iPhone 4 to print – first hanging in Contacting Printer, then turned off Firewall, and now Sending Printer, and YES my first wireless print to Samsung CLX 3180 series
      
      Now figure out to have a firewall bypass ;-))
Taijio May 16, 2011 at 13:31 Reply

I deactivated version 1 and installed version 2, but I keep getting a message I have to deactivate using version 1. I no longer have version 1, but I did deactivate it using version 1.
BG May 17, 2011 at 02:23 Reply

Hello, have you done any work on a similar software for Windows? I have a Windows-based system and would like to print from an iPad, iPhone and iTouch. Thanks.
- Anonymous May 17, 2011 at 11:00 Reply
  
  I looked at cocotron but the way the application work would require a significant rewrite… So I have dropped the idea.
  
  Envoyé de mon iPad
  
  Le 2011-05-16 à 10:23 PM, “Disqus” a écrit :
Ross May 17, 2011 at 16:16 Reply

I love this little app, but I have problems when the computer which shares the printers goes to sleep.

Can you provide me any port information related to the activator program so I can setup my Timecapsule (sleep proxy) to automatically wake up my computer which shares the printers when I want to print from my iOS device?

Thanks,
Ross
- Anonymous May 17, 2011 at 22:36 Reply
  
  Not sure it will work because the advertisement is done by your Mac. When the Mac goes to sleep the bonjour advertisements stop and the printers will be gone from the iPad/iPhone…
  - Ross May 17, 2011 at 23:52 Reply
    
    I guess the idea is that the program running on the Mac can establish it’s service with a sleep proxy, e.g. Time capsule, and when the Mac goes to sleep, the sleep proxy would then handle responses to service requests, e.g. printing from the iPhone. During this process the sleep proxy would wake up the Mac and allow the Mac to respond to the print request originating on the iOS device.
    - Anonymous May 17, 2011 at 23:55 Reply
      
      So you need to know which TCP port the timecapsule sleep proxy will be using… it would most likelly be TCP 631 if the printer is local or TCP 19631 if it is somewhere on the network…
      
      Give it a try.
      - Ross May 18, 2011 at 01:15
        
        Yes 631 seems right, e.g. the IPP port, but it doesn’t work. Port sharing, port 515, doesn’t work either…
        
        It seems that the printer sharing service running on the Mac should be set to wake when needed. I wonder what port is being used by the iOS device…
      - Anonymous May 18, 2011 at 01:23
        
        Would be 631 or the port of the proxy APA create if the printer is not USB attached… That is 19631…
        
        Envoyé de mon iPad
        
        Le 2011-05-17 à 9:15 PM, “Disqus” a écrit :
      - Ross May 18, 2011 at 04:34
        
        I don’t believe it should matter, but I will try port 19631…
      - Ross May 18, 2011 at 05:57
        
        UPDATE: Thanks bmaltais, that was it! Setup port 19631 on an Apple AirPort with a sleep proxy to point to the Mac acting as a print server and the AirPort will wake up the mac when one is trying to print from an iOS device.
        
        This makes this little app that much more valuable to me.
John Berry May 24, 2011 at 21:28 Reply

Problem: “Printer is offline”

My Home System: AirPort Extreme: connected to internet via Ethernet to Cable Modem.Printers: HP P2015dn, connected directly to Airport Extreme via Ethernet cable. Canon MF490 connected to my MacMini via USB. All printers are Shared and will print directly from this MacMini. I use the background program, Caffeine, to keep the Mini awake, 24/7. Installed is the latest version.

iOS Devices: iPhone4, x2. iPad2, x2. All devices worked well with AirPrint for WEEKS.

Today ~quite suddenly~ printing from any of these iDevices has STOPPED with this message popping up, “Printer is offline”.

I have tried all of the following ~without~ success: Turn off AirPrint Activator 212. Remove all Printers. Restore all printers. Reactivate AirPrint Activator 212. Make sure Sharing is turned on.

Deactivated AirPrint 212. Remove printers. Download and install AirPrint Activator 215. Reinstall all printers and activate sharing. Launch AirPrint Activator 215 and turn on.

I have shut down all four iOS devices. I have “Restored” one iPhone via iTunes.

I have restarted my MacMini several times

I have looked at the configuration on my AirPort Extreme. Printer sharing is turned on. I have restarted the AirPort twice.

My FireWall is not activated.

I still cannot print from my 4 iOs devices.

Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance— still have faith in your program

jhberryjr~at~me.com
- Anonymous May 24, 2011 at 22:48 Reply
  
  Wow, this is really strange! I think you have exhausted all the things I would have tried.
  
  Try to download bonjour browser on you iPhone and see if you see the ipp printer shares of AirPrint and the non AirPrint one.
  
  If you do then the problem is probably on the MacMini and not the network.
  
  Envoyé de mon iPad
  
  Le 2011-05-24 à 5:28 PM, “Disqus” a écrit :
  - John Berry May 24, 2011 at 23:29 Reply
    
    Greetings and THANK YOU very much for the prompt reply to my AirPrint problem.
    
    ===snip===Try to download bonjour browser on you iPhone and see if you see the ipp printer shares of AirPrint and the non AirPrint one.
    ===end snip===
    
    Both types are present, AirPrint and Non-AirPrint, printers.
    
    As an aside, i would see that AirPrint printers show up in my system printer selector. I tried choosing that printer. In my iOS device, the printer would show up as an “AirPrint AirPrint XXPrinter.” Sending a print job to this double named device would still produce the, “Printer off line,” message.
    
    The Bonjour Browser is a ~super sweet~ program. I had no idea the amount of “traffic” my computers and WiFi handles.
    
    I’m still open for any suggestions.
    
    Thanks, again
    
    John Berry
    - Anonymous May 24, 2011 at 23:42 Reply
      
      Some people have reported that turning the firewall ON and then OFF fixed similar issues… worth a try.
      
      Something else to try would be to change the name of your computer in the Sharing section of the System Preferences…
      
      Hopefully this will get you going…
      - John Berry May 24, 2011 at 23:52
        
        Hello:
        
        Mystery of Mysteries!
        
        AirPrint Works Again!
        
        I restarted my Mini. I then picked up my iPhone and opened the email program. Selected and sent a short message to the AirPrint printer. The message PROMPTLY printed!
        
        Works in all my iOS devices, again!
        
        …for how long?
        
        Who can say?
        
        I’ll add more to this thread in week or so.
        
        Thank you!
        
        John Berry
      - Anonymous May 24, 2011 at 23:53
        
        Glad it work again. Not sure what happened there but the Mini must have been blocking access to the print queue from the iDevices… strange. I wish I could offer a good explanation.
      - Kh May 25, 2011 at 04:56
        
        iMac OS 10.6.7, Firewall On iPad + 2 iPhones printer (Lexmark C544) shared and APA on printed this am OK. This pm they didn’t!
        
        Tried all the above went back to the Firewall – after setting off an iPad print job – and turned it off – after 3/4 seconds printer was contacted and printed OK. Turn Firewall back on and nothing prints
      - Anonymous May 25, 2011 at 11:01
        
        This is expected. APA is not firewall freindly yet.
        
        If someone want to contribute a tcpproxy objc class I could use it to
        be firewall freindly!
Anonymous June 25, 2011 at 16:43 Reply

I just installed the b15 version. everything loaded fine. Saw the two printers available on my iPhone 3GS and went to print. Said printer was not available. checked printer on iMac and it is available and working fine. Tried to print from iPhone 4 and same result. Could see the printers fine but when I went to print said printer not available. What is suggestion for trouble shooting this?
Winkyinc July 23, 2011 at 22:32 Reply

I thing I found a solution. I had the same problem as everyone else. Both the PDF printer and my laser printer are set for sharing, but only the PDF printer showed up. I did two things, not sure if one or both solved the issue. First, in Print & Fax preference I selected the laser and unclicked the Sharing on Network button, then clicked it back on again. The second was the Default printer below. It was set for Last Printer Used. I chose the laser instead as the Default Printer. Now both printers show in the Airprint menu on my iPad and I can print to the laser.
Try it as see it that works for you, too.
Birchwood 123 July 24, 2011 at 11:57 Reply

I have tried to download AirPrint Activator v2 on I pad 2 but safari is not allowing it through? Any ideas please
- Anonymous July 24, 2011 at 12:09 Reply
  
  AirPrint Activator is for you Mac… not your iPad. You run it on your Mac so that the printers your Mac share will be visible on the iPad.
  - Birchwood 123 July 25, 2011 at 12:24 Reply
    
    How do I print from my I pad on a wireless printer,that is also printing from a windows laptop, can you help please
Taijio July 24, 2011 at 14:54 Reply

I posted this before, but got no reply. Everytime I try and run version 2, I get a message that I have to turn off version 1, which I did and have uninstalled. How do I fix this so I can run version 2.
- Anonymous July 24, 2011 at 15:58 Reply
  
  You should make sure you remove and add back all the printers, re-download the latest version 1 AirPrint Activator and use that version to turn APA ON and then OFF again. Then try to run APA v2.0b15.
  
  Let me know how it goes.
  - Taijio July 24, 2011 at 16:17 Reply
    
    OK, got it up and running. All the printers show up in grey. Is that what is supposed to happen. I can’t select any of them and the advanced settings button is greyed out.
    - Anonymous July 24, 2011 at 16:28 Reply
      
      Yep, that is normal. Advanced settings is only available when APA is turned OFF and does not pertain to Printers settings per say.
      - Taijio July 24, 2011 at 16:59
        
        Thanks. I’ll see what happens form here.
SMAX July 24, 2011 at 17:43 Reply

I can’t get this working in Lion. I have tried Printopia and that works fine but using this the printers show up just fine in iOS and it says printing but nothing actually comes out.
- Spiderbite93 July 29, 2011 at 14:10 Reply
  
  Having the exact same problem. Was working perfectly before Lion upgrade. Now when printing from iPad, it sends the print job but nothing comes out.
  - Redgeminipa September 21, 2011 at 13:29 Reply
    
    I was having the same problem with v2.1b2 (latest). I tried turning off firewall, adding to firewall, removing and adding the printer, restarting my iMac… nothing. Shows up, sends out, but nothing prints. I deleted APA and all files (using app trap). Just for kicks, I tried to print from my iPhone. The printer still shows up and NOW IT PRINTS!!! I’m not sure what happened and where, but it’s working now!!
JD August 2, 2011 at 15:59 Reply

Just downloaded 2.0b15 (first time I have used APA) and have the same indications as SMAX. Running Lion on iMac9,1 with 4GB RAM. Printer shows up great in the print dialog (tried using a simple email message in mail), then dialog presents from APA indicating printing, but printer never responds.
- Anonymous August 6, 2011 at 22:46 Reply
  
  Are you running with the OSX firewall on? Try turning it off…
  - Wadenick August 9, 2011 at 07:19 Reply
    
    Agreed with this; Although I found that I had to disable stealth mode, otherwise I could leave the firewall on.
HeyNH August 2, 2011 at 18:37 Reply

Hi…..I installed v2.0b15 and it works perfectly on Lion with my iPod Touch with the iOS 4.3.5 on it. However, an older iPod Touch, with iOS 4.2.1 on it, does not work as the “Print” option does not show up. Any suggestions?
Tipsykitty August 3, 2011 at 06:27 Reply

Airprint Activator is simply brilliant! I have been loading up my iPad with screenshots, having to email them, go to a desktop to manually input web page addresses captured on them, blah, blah, blah…until I found this app. It’s small, non-invasive, uncomplicated, and works perfectly. Oh yeah…and free! Are you kidding me? I can’t imagine what it took to develop this, and to then just let people HAVE it? I have very few free apps, but this is the only one to which I’ve donated. $25. A pittance. You guys saved me spending another $350 for the Airprint version of the HP printer I bought 2 months before they came out. Thanks for your brilliance & generosity!
Fragnight December 1, 2011 at 03:39 Reply

I tried APA on my MBP OSX 10.6.8. Mac is connected wireless and printer is connected on switch (different subnet). printing from my mac works fine and the printer is shared too. I tried to re-add the printer, but in APA the printers available windows still keeps empty 🙁