USB Port Selection and Verification Process
Valid for Printer Models: AS-150, Envelope Imager 1.5, 1.5+, 2.5, 3.0, 4.0, XT3.0, XT4.0,
and XPS-ProMail 3.0/4.0.
If you are connecting the printer to the computer via its USB port, please use the following
procedure to verify that the proper USB port selection was made before you attempt to print.
Note: This method is not valid for Parallel (LPT) port users.
Before You Begin (Some General Driver Install Notes):
When initially installing the printer driver, leave the port selection at default (LPT1:), even if
you don't have an “LPT” port on your computer.
Don't connect the printer to the computer’s USB port until you have the printer driver
successfully installed.
Tip: If you have already mistakenly connected the printer to the computer and attempted to
send data to the printer, but you are not getting any response from the printer, then
you should:
- Delete all print jobs (documents) in the computer’s printer queue
- Reboot your computer
- Power the printer off/on
- Start from Step 1 below
After the printer driver has been successfully installed on your computer; connect the printer
to the computer, using a USB cable, and then turn the printer on.
If this type of printer has never been connected to this computer before; Windows will
display the "found new hardware" and "installing new hardware" messages at this time. After
Windows finishes installing new hardware, it should display the message; "The hardware
has been installed successfully..".
Note: If this type of printer has been connected to this computer in the past, you may not
see these messages.
Process:
NOTE: This process assumes you are using Windows 7. If not, the process is similar, but some
of the Windows features/names will be different. For example if you are using Windows XP;
instead of opening the “Devices and Printers” folder, you open the “Printers and Faxes” folder.
In addition; to access the printer’s properties in Windows XP, you click on “Properties” instead of
“Printer Properties”.
1. From the “Devices and Printers” folder; locate and open the printer driver’s properties.
This can be done by right clicking on the printer driver and selecting “printer properties”.
2. Click on the “Ports” tab and locate the highest numbered USB port (Virtual printer port
for USB) selection in the list.
For example if your choices are USB001, USB002, USB003; then select USB003.
If there is only one choice (normally USB001), then make this selection.
Then click on Apply.
NOTE: Selecting the highest numbered USB port is not always the correct choice, but it
is most commonly the correct choice. When a new virtual USB port is added, it is usually
assigned the next highest number. However if there are gaps in the numbering (due to a
printer driver being removed) it may be assigned the number that fills the gap.
For example if the USB numbers are USB001, USB003, USB004; when a new USB
virtual port is added/assigned it may use USB002.
Please continue to the next step to verify that you made the correct USB port selection.
USB Port Selection and Verification_all astro models_1-26-17.doc
3. While watching the status of the printer driver, in the “Devices and Printers” folder; power
the printer off, wait 10 seconds; then power the printer back on again.
If you made the correct USB port selection, in the previous step, you should observe the
following:
When you power the printer OFF; the status should toggle from
“ready” to “offline” (printer icon should “gray out”).
When you power the printer ON again; the printer status should
toggle from “offline” to “ready” (printer icon should look normal).
IMPORTANT! You must power the printer off and on with the USB cable connected.
Just disconnecting and reconnect the USB cable will not work.
If you didn’t see a change, please repeat this step again. In many cases, the computer
system will not register the status change the first time the printer is powered off and on.
4. Did the printer status change when you powered the printer off/on?
• NO: Click on the “Ports” tab; then locate and select the next USB port selection in
the list. Click on Apply. Then go back to Step # 3.
• YES: Please proceed to the next step.
5. If the printer status changes when you power the printer off/on; then close the printer
driver’s properties window by clicking on OK.
You can also close the “Devices and Printers” folder at this time.
6. You are Finished.
Your printer driver has been properly configured for the USB port you are connected to
and the driver is communicating with the printer.
You are ready to begin printing.
Some Additional Information:
Once the printer driver is loaded and the printer is connected via USB; it is
normal for the item "Astro USB 2.0 Printer" to show up under
"Unspecified", in the Devices and Printers folder.
This is the "USB Printing Support" component. It is not the printer driver.
USB Port Selection and Verification_all astro models_1-26-17.doc
