Mac OSx 10.8.2 cannot print in colour to network printer

Have you tried pulling down software from here:

http://www.sharpusa.com/ForBusiness/DocumentSystems/MFPsPrinters/MX4100N.aspx?view=software

HI jhyiesla, yes, thanks I downloaded the latest driver from there and installed it successfully.

Just won't play ball, and because it is the computer of the Managing Director, I am looking for ANY and ALL solutions that might workaround this driver problem.... with the end result being that be could send print jobs to it which would print in color...

Many thanks

You've probably already looked at this, but are there any color specific settings in the printer preferences on the Mac? I know that I sometimes gloss over special settings because they just don't seem to pop up in my face when I am looking at the printer prefs.  I don't have that printer here so  I can't test it.

That's actually one of the limitations of the driver - there aren't any specific color settings available on the mac (there are much more advanced settings and preferences available to all the PC users) so regrettably there just aren't those options available on the mac.

I set automatic color printing on the server (it had been on Black and white as a cost saving exercise), and set it to print all documents on the server rather than the client, but not happening...

Hi mewtd,

I know that you went to the site jhyiesla sent, but did you just download the driver or the software? The next tab over is the software and it can be found here: http://www.sharpusa.com/ForBusiness/DocumentSystems/MFPsPrinters/MX4100N.aspx?view=drivers

(just click the tab to the right)

Sometimes printers have a fit when only the correct driver is loaded and the software is missing.

Hope this helps

Does your printer have the MX-PKX1 PostScript kit installed or so you use the PCL driver? PS is the Mac's "native" printer language and usually works better than PCL.

HI hdhondt, that sounds interesting, but please forgive me, I need your advice on how on how to install the PS driver. Is that not the driver that gets downloaded from the site? Apologies if that is a basic Q...

The PS driver comes with OSX. However it needs a file to tell it what the printer's capabilities are. That file is the PPD (PostScript Printer Description) file. It is a text file and will work equally well in Windows, Linux or OSX.

But, it requires that the printer understands PS. For which your printer needs the "PostSCript kit" (hardware).

Thanks. I'm going to need you to bear with me a bit, I'm afraid I am not familiar with Macs at all, so apologies but a few questions...

I'm getting confused with all the different drivers... there's the driver I downloaded from the Sharp website (which doesn't really work) and there's then the suggestion (above) to also install the actual software for the printer. I intend to do that, hopefully he will let me on his system today.

Once I have the latest version of the driver and the latest version of the software installed, that's where things aren't so clear as to the next step.

From what I can understand, hdhondt, I need to make sure I have the MX-PKX1 PostScript kit installed. Three questions:

- Where do I get that?
- Does that include the PPD file which will update the PS driver as to the Sharp Printer's capabilities?
- If so, how do I actually tell the Mac to use the PS driver/use the PPD file?

Many thanks!

- Where do I get that?
You get it where you bought the printer

- Does that include the PPD file
It should come with the PPD file. If not you can download the PPD installer (the driver comes with OSX) from
http://support.sharp.net.au/drivers/

- If so, how do I actually tell the Mac to use the PS driver
When you add the printer, it will show up in the list of printer models.

HI - ok, I have just come back a trip to the MDs office with my tail between my legs.

I hope someone will be able to help with clear steps for this. I have joined this site specifically to get this problem sorted.

Firstly; http://support.sharp.net.au/drivers/ does not bring me to a site with drivers for that printer.

Secondly, the 'software' and 'driver' tabs on the previously mentioned link (http://www.sharpusa.com/ForBusiness/DocumentSystems/MFPsPrinters/MX4100N.aspx?view=drivers ) offer the same file for download. There is no difference between what you download from both tabs.

I am no nearer to understanding either what the issue is or how to resolve it, so I would very much appreciate people's input.

Wow, MacGuy47, what can I say, that is extraordinary what you have managed to find out. I'm blown away.

Ok, so this is going to sound like a really stupid question (sorry!), but... the PS3 expansion kit needs to be installed onto the server upon which the printer is shared out? (I.e. not installed onto the Mac itself), correct?

Hi mewtd,

    Hdhondt is a resident genius here at EE, literally check out his stats, with printers he is certainly your guy on this. Take care.

Thanks for the kind words, MacGuy!

Hi Hdhondt  - when you say it is hardware that must be installed on the server, can you please explain further. Please try and explain in basic steps, as you have gathered I am completely new to Macs, and regrettably I find a lot of what you say goes straight over my head. That is not a criticism, I am only saying it to encourage you to try and come down to my level a bit, and that way hopefully I won't be pestering with clarifications.

I said that it is hardware that must be installed in the printer

If you type the printer's IP address into your browser, you should be able to go through its settings and see if the PS kit is installed. Not having your printer handy I can't tell you what to click on, but look for something like Settings, Configuration or Options.