Print agent not connecting

Symptom

The print agent shows as Offline, Not Connected, or Unavailable in Usystems (in Settings → Print Templates). Print jobs fail to reach your printers, and you see error messages such as "Print agent unavailable" or "No printers connected."

Likely causes (ordered by probability)

1. The print agent service is not running — The process crashed, was stopped manually, or the machine was rebooted.
2. Network connectivity issue — The machine running the print agent has lost its network connection or cannot reach the Usystems server.
3. Firewall or security software blocking communication — Firewall rules, antivirus, or VPN settings are blocking the print agent from contacting Usystems.
4. Print agent configuration error — The print agent was not correctly configured with the Usystems server address.
5. Printer is offline or disconnected — The configured printer has lost power, network access, or is in error state.

Fix for each cause

1. Check if the print agent service is running

On Windows:

• Open Services (right-click This PC → Manage → Services and Applications → Services, or search for "Services" in the Start menu)
• Look for a service named "Print Agent," "Usystems Print Agent," or similar
• If it is stopped (Status = blank or "Stopped"), right-click it and select Start
• If it is running, restart it: right-click and select Restart

On Mac or Linux:

• Open a terminal on the machine running the print agent
• Check if the service is running by typing: ps aux | grep -i "print.*agent"
• If no process appears, the service is not running. Restart the print agent application or check the print agent's system settings to enable auto-start
• If a process appears, note the process ID and restart it by typing: kill <process-id> followed by restarting the print agent application

2. Check network connectivity

• On the machine running the print agent, open a terminal or command prompt
• Test connectivity to the Usystems server by typing: ping <usystems-server-address> (replace with your actual server address)
• If the ping fails ("unreachable" or "timeout"), the machine has no network connection
  • Check that the network cable is connected or WiFi is enabled and connected to the correct network
  • Restart the network adapter or restart the machine
  • Contact your IT team if the network is still unreachable

3. Check firewall or security software

• On the machine running the print agent, open Windows Firewall (Windows) or System Preferences → Security & Privacy (Mac)
• Look for any rules or settings that block the print agent application
• If blocked, add an exception or allow-rule for the print agent application to access the network
• If you use a third-party firewall or antivirus, check its logs or settings for blocked connections
• Contact your IT team if you need help configuring firewall rules

4. Verify print agent configuration

• Open the print agent console on the machine where it is running
• Navigate to Settings or Configuration
• Verify that the Usystems server address is correct (it should match your Usystems domain or server IP)
• If the address is incorrect, update it and save the configuration
• Restart the print agent service after making changes

5. Check if the printer is online

• On the machine running the print agent, navigate to Printers and Devices (Windows) or System Preferences → Printers & Scanners (Mac)
• Locate each configured printer in the list
• If a printer shows as "Offline" or has an error icon, it may have lost power or network connection
  • Power-cycle the printer (turn it off, wait 10 seconds, turn it back on)
  • Check that the printer has paper and toner/ink
  • On network printers, verify the IP address has not changed (check the printer's display or your network settings)
• If the printer is still offline after these steps, the printer itself may be malfunctioning. Try printing from another computer or consult the printer's documentation.

When to contact support

• If none of the above steps resolve the issue
• If the print agent service crashes repeatedly or will not stay running
• If the print agent shows as connected in Usystems but print jobs still fail to reach the printer
• If you see cryptic error messages in the print agent log files that you cannot interpret

Contact your Usystems administrator or support team with:

• A description of the symptom and which steps you have tried
• Screenshots or logs from the print agent console (if available)
• The Usystems server address and version you are using