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Knowledge document #74

FRITZ!Box does not or occasionally does not detect a USB printer

The FRITZ!Box does not or occasionally does not detect a USB printer connected to it. When the error occurs, the printer is not displayed in the FRITZ!Box user interface under "Home Network > USB / Storage".

If the FRITZ!Box frequently redetects the printer, the message "USB device xxx, Class 'USB x.x (full-speed) printer', plugged in" is displayed in the event log of the FRITZ!Box several times.

Simply proceed as described below. After each measure, check whether the problem is solved.

1 Restarting the FRITZ!Box

  1. Unplug the FRITZ!Box for 5 seconds.

    Note:The FRITZ!Box settings are retained when you unplug it. The restart takes about 2 minutes. During this time, you cannot access the FRITZ!Box.

2 Connecting the printer directly to the FRITZ!Box

The following step is only necessary if you connected the printer to the FRITZ!Box via a USB hub:

  1. For testing purposes, connect the printer directly to the FRITZ!Box, i.e. without a USB hub.
  2. If the printer is now detected, the USB hub is either defective or it does not support the printer you connected.

3 Testing a different cable

The USB cable used to connect the printer to the FRITZ!Box may be too long or it may be an incorrect USB cable:

  1. Use the shortest possible, high-quality USB cable to connect the printer to the FRITZ!Box.

4 All-in-one printer does not support the operating mode

All-in-one printers (multi-functional devices that are for for printing, scanning, and faxing) that are connected to the FRITZ!Box via USB cable register themselves with the FRITZ!Box several times and as different device types. When used as a network printer connected via a USB cable, not all functions of such printers can be used:

  1. Use a network cable or Wi-Fi to connect the printer to the FRITZ!Box and configure it as a network printer.

5 Checking whether the printer is working properly

  1. For testing purposes, connect the printer to a USB port on your computer.
  2. If the computer does not detect the printer, either the printer or the USB cable is defective. In this case, contact the manufacturer.
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