Unable to use Epson V600Photo scanner

[Ande2024]

Since purchasing and installing my HP Printer, I am unable to  get my Epson V600 Photo scanner to connect or work, despite not having interfered with its set-up when installing the HP printer.  Would there be a compatibility issue?  I have uninstalled the Epson files, drivers etc and am wondering whether I should re-instal to see whether it works.   However, I do not wish  to cause any PC problems by re-installing, but I need the scanner to use with negatives and slides..

Can anyone provide me with some guidance/advice in this matter?

[BeemerBiker]

I suspect your router issued new IP addresses for the Epson when it discovered a new device on the network.  The new IP address is different from the one your PC uses.  I had the same problem when i added some Wi-Fi cameras.  If the power goes out or the printer go to sleep, when they "wake up" they may be given different IP addresses then they had before. 

Get a network report from the Epson and the HP and make a note of the MAC address.

Log into your router and look for those MAC addresses and program the router to make the IP address fixed or reserved.

Depending on your modem / router model, the problem may be less likely to occur if your printers are hardwired into the router. 

There should be no need to install / uninstall drivers.  You just need to reset the printer that is not connected and then connect it to the router.  If (when) the printer is connected, you then go into windows and have the pc "find" the printer by doing a network search.

If you bring up Printers and Scanners you can set the default printer. If the IP address has changed you may need to find the printer first.

If you had to re-find the printer you should remove any other reference to the same printer as the reference may not have the correct IP address.

I might also suggest that you prevent windows from managing your printers. If you try to print a word document and the last printer you used was a label printer, windows will send the job to the label printer instead of the default printer if you are not careful. This happened to me and I had to unplug the label printer to stop it.

[Ande2024 · Accepted solution]

Thank you for your reply.  I noted your solution, but had to be able to open the scanner before checking where it was on the modem.  For some reason, when I had downloaded the latest driver - the error message was telling me that there was an error number in one of the drivers - and I continued to receive the same message.  One last try and I was going to have to contact Epson for assistance!  But, I had success, and the scanner is now working again.  It does not appear on the modem so it possibly isn’t set up that way.  

I have been very aware of Microsoft software ‘doing it’s own thing’, and have already clicked the button to stop their software managing my printer.

Thank you for your advice and tips.  They are much appreciated by this 81yr old user!