Printer diagnostics: self-test and offline mode — Paloma365 Classic (Windows POS)
"The printer is silent although it seems to be on", "it's unclear whether the printer is broken or the POS is the problem", "only part of the order prints in the kitchen" — this article covers how to check a receipt or kitchen printer separately from the POS (self-test), the "offline mode" that makes a working printer ignore receipts sent from the POS, and why part of a bill's items may not reach the kitchen printer.
If the printer does not print at all and you have not checked the basics yet (power, paper, the printer selected in the POS settings), start with the article Receipt printing and printers — it has a general checklist. This one is deeper diagnostics for cases where the basics are fine but the printer still does not work as it should.
Self-test: checking the printer separately from the POS
A self-test prints a diagnostic page straight from the printer, without the POS or the computer. This shows right away where the problem is: if the test page prints, the printer is physically fine, and the problem is the connection, the port settings or the program; if it does not print, the problem is hardware (paper, cover, print head, power).
How to run a self-test (FEED button):
- Turn the printer off with its power switch.
- Hold down the FEED button (paper feed) and, without releasing it, turn the printer on with the same switch.
- Keep holding FEED for another 1–2 seconds after it turns on, then release.
- The printer should print a test page.
The exact location of the FEED button and the power switch depends on the printer model — if you cannot find them on your device, send a photo of the printer here (especially its underside, where the model is usually listed) — a specialist will help you work it out from the photo.
"The printer seems to work but does not print what the POS sends" — offline mode
It happens that the self-test prints fine (meaning the printer is physically working), but receipts from the program do not reach it. One of the causes is offline mode enabled on the printer: in this state the printer does not accept print jobs from the computer/POS, even though it works on its own.
What to check in this case:
- Run a self-test (see above) — if the test page prints, the printer is fine, and the problem is specifically in receiving jobs, not in the printer itself.
- Check the connection type — is the printer connected via USB or over the network (LAN, "local network")? For a network (kitchen) printer, find out where exactly the other end of the LAN cable goes — into the router or directly into the POS computer.
- If the printer is connected via USB, try turning it off and on again (a full power cycle), then repeat a test receipt print from the POS.
- If that does not help, write the printer model here: enabling/disabling offline mode is located in different places on different models (buttons on the case, a service menu, DIP switches) and is not configured through the POS itself; the specialist will need to check your specific model.
The kitchen printer does not print all items of a bill
If only part of the order reaches the kitchen printer (for example, the side dish prints but the main course does not), in most cases the problem is not the printer itself but which subdivision (workshop) the menu item is linked to:
- Each kitchen/bar printer is assigned to a specific subdivision in the dashboard — see Subdivisions.
- Menu items are sent to the printer of the subdivision their product category is linked to.
- If a subdivision has no printer assigned, order tickets for its items are not printed at all.
Check: (1) every product category that should print in the kitchen has the correct subdivision; (2) the subdivision itself has a working printer assigned in the dashboard — see Printers. After making changes, wait for the POS to sync.
If items still do not print in the kitchen after checking the categories and subdivisions, write here which products do not print and which subdivision they should be on: a specialist will check the setup on your account.
Common problems
- The self-test does not print at all — check the power, the paper compartment cover (is it closed tightly?) and the paper roll itself; see the general checklist in Receipt printing and printers.
- The self-test prints, but a receipt from the POS does not — check offline mode (see above) and the connection type/quality (USB port, LAN cable).
- The kitchen printer is silent for specific items — check the product category's link to a subdivision and the printer assigned to that subdivision.
- A network (LAN) printer occasionally drops out — check that the cable is firmly plugged in at both ends and does not pass through an unreliable intermediate node; for a stable network connection a direct cable is preferable to Wi-Fi.
FAQ
Why run a self-test yourself if you can ask a specialist right away?
A self-test shows within a minute whether it is a hardware problem or a connection/settings problem — this speeds up diagnostics: when a specialist joins, you can tell them straight away whether the printer prints a test page.
The self-test printed, but regular receipts still do not come out — what next?
Check the connection type (USB/LAN), power-cycle the printer and repeat a test receipt print from the POS. If that does not help, the device's offline mode is probably enabled; write the printer model here — a specialist will help you turn it off.
Why does one specific item not print in the kitchen while the others print normally?
Most likely the subdivision for this product's category is not set (or is set incorrectly) — see the section The kitchen printer does not print all items of a bill above.