NOTE: If you need specific information or help with a particular printer, please contact printer manufacturer.

You troubleshoot printing issues like you would any other computer/network related problem. You start at a general point and rule out possibilities until you have specific cause. The first question that you need to answer is: "Is problem hardware, software, network or performance related?".

Hardware:

First make sure that printer is on and that it is in "ready" position. Make sure that there are no error messages on LEDs or LCD if applicable. Now complete following steps:

1. Any printer worth owning, can print an internal test or configuration page. This is absolutely first thing that you want to do, even if you think that hardware is not issue. Make sure that page will print and it looks good. If it prints go to step 3 - If it won't print, go to step 2.
2. Test page didn't print? Any error messages? Try cycling power on printer and try again. If it still doesn't print, many printers have a special reset often referred to as an NVRAM reset. NVRAM stands for Non-volitile RAM and is where a printer may store a variety of information including network settings, ripped print jobs and more. Sometimes a piece of corrupted information from a bad print job can "confuse" a printer and cause it to hang. Sometimes an NVRAM reset will flush this bad information and restore printer. It may also wipe all of your network/printer settings so you should contact printer manufacturer before doing this. If this procedure doesn't fix problem, then call for service.
3. Your test page printed? Good! Take a good look at it and see if there are any print quality problems(i.e. spots, streaks, etc). If test page looks fine, then you are probably dealing with a network or software problem. If there are visible problems, then keep reading. Before doing anything else, consult your manufacturers documentation for a list of recommended cleaning procedures before moving to next step. Almost all printers have "consumable items" or CRCs. These are parts of printer that are customer replaceable and have a lifespan, which means that they aren't intended to last forever. On a laser printer these may include a fuser, photo-receptor, scorotron charger, toner cartridges and more. It is a good idea to keep spares of these parts on hand for troubleshooting reasons. You can save a lot of time and headache waiting for a technician, by swapping these parts one at a time and seeing if it cures problem. Make sure that you run about 20 test pages after inserting a new CRC and see if there is improvement. Sometimes hardware failures can leave messes that have to be "mopped up" with quite a few test pages. If these steps do not cure problem, then contact manufacturer for further assistance.

When troubleshooting networking problems with printers, you will typically follow same lines of reasoning that you would troubleshooting a PC networking issue especially with newer models of printers. The very first thing to do is narrow down scope problem. Is it only an issue for 1 PC, multiple PCs or all of them. Once you have answered this question, following steps should get you on your way.

ISSUE IS AFFECTING 1 OR SOME PCs:

1. If it is just one PC, make sure that PC is functioning properly on network. Can it see file servers, print to other printers, ping other devices, etc. If answer is "no", then it is not a printer issue. If answer is "yes", continue reading. Do print jobs make it to printer? Most printers have an LED or LCD message that will signify that printer is processing a job. Try driver test page that can be printed from properties dialogue box for printer. Does this print? If "no" go to step 2. If "yes" then it is probably a problem.
2. If you are at this step, it means that nothing will print from 1 PC. This is most likely a configuration problem. Make sure that you can communicate with printer at a protocol level. For example: if printer has an IP address, can you ping it? If it is Appletalk, does it show up in chooser? Many printers have an internal "configuration page" that can be printed that will list network addresses and available protocols. This can often be found on an LCD when applicable. If answer is "no", go to step 3. Find out what is acting as print server for printer. Some printers act as their own print server and others will print through a Novell queue, Windows LPR port or jet direct box. Try sending test page and see if it makes it to this device. Does job show up in Novell queue? Does it appear in NT queue? If job doesn't appear in queue, go to step 4. If job is making it to queue but not to printer, Make sure that this is same queue that other PCs are printing to. If so, then quite frankly there is something very goofy going on if this is only PC having problem. Get classifieds and look for another job.
3. If you are at this step, it is because PC cannot communicate with printer at a protocol level, but can communicate with all other devices and other devices can communicate with printer. Not sure what to tell you here. May be a routing/addressing issue of some kind. Consult your local network guru.
4. If you are at this step, it is because print jobs are not making it into queue on print server. We will assume that PC is able to connect to print server via an appropriate protocol(if not, then it is not a printer issue). This is almost always a driver configuration issue. It usually means that driver is not pointing to correct port, print server or queue. Go to another PC and check network settings for printer in question. Go back to ailing PC and delete printer. Reinstall printer and insert correct network path, port or queue, depending on how you are connected.
5. Sometimes permissions problems can cause weird printing behavior. Make sure that this user has appropriate permissions to use this resource.

1. Make sure that you can communicate with printer at a protocol level. For example: if printer has an IP address, can you ping it? If it is Appletalk, does it show up in chooser? Many printers have an internal "configuration page" that can be printed that will list network addresses and available protocols. This can often be found on an LCD when applicable. Make sure that these settings are correct. If you are able to communicate with printer, go to step 2. If not, then make sure that printer is on network. Check cabling, network addressing/configuration, etc. Check cabling by connecting a known working device to network drop that printer is on and see if you are able to communicate with it. If not, then get a new cable. If you can see another device on this drop, their may be a hardware problem with printer. Although it is rare, network cards do fail.
2. Find out what is acting as print server for printer. Some printers act as their own print server and others will print through a Novell queue, NT port or jet direct box. Send a test page from print server to printer. Does this print? If "yes", go to step 3. If "no", continue reading. If test page doesn't print from print server, it means that print server probably isn't properly configured for that printer which would obviously prevent anyone else from being able to print to it. Check type of printer port or queue that you have configured and make sure that it is correctly pointing at printer.
3. If you are at this step, it is because nobody can print to printer except for print server. Make sure that printer is shared on server and appropriate permissions have been set. Try sending test page and see if it makes it to queue on print server. Does job show up in Novell queue? Does it appear in NT queue? If job appears in queue, go back to step 2 as something is either wrong at print server or all of PCs are pointing to wrong queue on print server.