When installing a new printer whether it is local or networked, make sure to use the new cables that came with it. Not doing so can cause the printer or other equipment to malfunction.
Leaving the old printer or power cable when replacing a printer cable may not seem such a big deal and in most cases it’s not. But many times this will cause intermittent problems that are difficult to troubleshoot.
Recently one of the senior technicians went on-site to replace a printer at the home of one of our clients. The job was simple; the client’s setup was one computer with two printers attached to it via USB. One of the old printers was replaced but the old USB printer cable was left in place to be used with the new printer. When the technician tested the setup, the new printer worked fine but the existing printer would not connect giving an error of “Unidentified Hardware Found!”.
After the technician spent more than two hours reinstalling drivers and troubleshooting, the client finally pointed out as a suggestion to use the new cable that came with the new printer. The technician did not seem to think that the cable could be the issue since the new printer was not having the problem. The technician finally replaced the old cable with the new one to find out that it solved the problem.
Not only did we have to, rightfully, credit the time the technician spent troubleshooting but it was embarrassing to say the least. The fact is that the new cable should have been installed in the first place.