Information processing device, control method of the same, and program

Abstract

To enable an information processing device to execute appropriate processing when it cannot communicate with an image forming device via a router.SOLUTION: An information processing device transmits router setting information to an image forming device and determines whether or not communication with the image forming device via the router is possible. When it is determined that communication with the image forming device is not possible after the setting information is transmitted to the router by transmission means, the information processing device is prompted to display a troubleshooting guide regarding the network, and displays a first manual regarding the troubleshooting on a display unit in response to the prompting. The first manual includes a content that induces a user to change the settings of a band steering function of the router.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing device, a control method thereof, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] One method for communication between a printer and an information processing device is wireless communication using Wi-Fi. Wireless communication can be broadly divided into a method in which the printer and the information processing device communicate by connecting peer to peer, and a method in which the printer and the information processing device are each connected to a router and communicate with each other via the router. Nowadays, not only printers but also various other devices communicate using Wi-Fi, and considering that an information processing device only has one interface, a method of communicating with multiple devices via a router is desirable.

[0003] Also, as a setup method for wirelessly connecting a printer and a router from an information processing device, a method such as that described in Patent Document 1 is known. Patent Document 1 describes a technique for enabling communication between a PC and a printer by transmitting information about an access point to the printer to which the PC was connected and connecting the printer to that access point. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2018-191252 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, when configuring a network through a router that functions as an access point, communication between child devices may become unstable depending on the settings of the router. For example, Wi-Fi Agile Multiband (registered trademark) standardized by the Wi-Fi Alliance efficiently utilizes multiple frequency bands (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, 6 GHz). The router can maximize network performance by allocating the optimal frequency band to each child device. Depending on the implementation of such access point functions, the frequency bands used by each child device may differ depending on the location and distance of the child devices, resulting in differences in signal strength. In addition, when different child devices use the same wireless channel in a certain frequency band, radio interference may occur, making communication unstable. In addition, if the child device, a printer, only supports one type of frequency band, communication between different frequency bands in the router may be prohibited, and if each child device uses a different frequency band, communication through the router may not be possible.

[0006] In such an environment, the printer and the router can be wirelessly connected by connecting the PC and the printer in a peer-to-peer manner as in Patent Document 1, and sending the router's Service Set Identifier (hereinafter, SSID) and password from the PC to the printer. However, with such a wireless connection, there is a problem in that the PC may not be able to communicate with the printer via the router.

[0007] An object of the present invention is to solve at least one of the problems of the above-mentioned conventional techniques.

[0008] An object of the present invention is to provide a technique that enables an information processing apparatus to execute appropriate processing when the information processing apparatus cannot communicate with an image forming apparatus via a router. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to achieve the above object, an information processing device according to one aspect of the present invention has the following configuration. An information processing device, a transmitting means for transmitting the router setting information to the image forming apparatus; a determination unit that determines whether communication with the image forming apparatus is possible via the router; a guidance means for guiding the user to display a troubleshooting guide for a network when the determination means determines that communication with the image forming apparatus is not possible after the transmission means has transmitted the setting information to the router; and a control means for displaying the first troubleshooting manual on a display unit in response to a response to the prompting by the prompting means, The first manual includes a content for instructing a user to change a setting of a band steering function of the router. Effect of the Invention

[0010] According to the present invention, it is possible to perform an appropriate process when an information processing apparatus cannot communicate with an image forming apparatus via a router.

[0011] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which the same reference numerals are used to designate the same or similar components throughout the drawings. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the hardware configuration of an information processing apparatus and a printer according to the embodiment. [Diagram 3]6 is a flowchart for explaining a setup procedure for the information processing apparatus according to the first embodiment to wirelessly connect a printer to a router. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a navigation screen for a web manual for network troubleshooting displayed in S310 of FIG. 3. [Diagram 5] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a guide screen for a Web manual for network troubleshooting according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] 10 is a flowchart for explaining a procedure for wirelessly connecting the information processing device and the router after the information processing device according to the second embodiment displays a Web manual for network troubleshooting. [Figure 7] 11 is a flowchart for explaining a procedure in which an information processing device according to a third embodiment determines whether a function related to Wi-Fi Agile Multiband of a router wirelessly connected to the information processing device is enabled and displays an appropriate Web manual. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] Hereinafter, the embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims. Although the embodiments describe a number of features, not all of these features are essential to the invention, and the features may be combined in any manner. Furthermore, in the attached drawings, the same reference numbers are used for the same or similar configurations, and duplicated descriptions are omitted.

[0014] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0015] This system includes an information processing device 101, a printer (image forming device) 102, and a router 103, and the information processing device 101 and the printer 102 are wirelessly connected via the router 103. In the embodiment, the connection between the information processing device 101 and the router 103 and the connection between the printer 102 and the router 103 are assumed to be made by a communication method based on the IEEE802.11 series of standards. The communication method based on the IEEE802.11 series of standards is, specifically, Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) (registered trademark). Therefore, the information processing device 101 can communicate with the printer 102 via the router 103. The information processing device 101 requires a printer driver to transmit a print command, etc., and the printer driver is installed in the information processing device 101 from, for example, a driver installer. At that time, a print port for communicating with the printer 102 is created in the information processing device 101, and the information processing device 101 transmits a print command to the printer 102 using this print port. This enables the printer 102 to execute printing according to the print command received from the information processing device 101.

[0016] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the hardware configuration of the information processing apparatus 101 and the printer 102 according to the embodiment.

[0017] FIG. 2A is a block diagram for explaining a hardware configuration of the information processing device 101. The information processing device 101 includes an input I / F (interface) 202, a CPU 203, a ROM 204, a RAM 205, an external storage device 206, an output I / F (interface) 207, a display unit 208, a keyboard 209, and a pointing device 210. The information processing device 101 further includes a network interface 211, a position information acquisition unit 212, and an application 213. The ROM 204 stores an initialization program and the like, and the external storage device 206 stores a group of programs including the application 213, an OS (Operating System), a printer driver, and various other data. The application 213 is installed in the information processing device 101 from the outside by, for example, a store application program. The application 213 is an application provided by a vendor of the printer 102. The application 213 may have functions other than the function of performing network setup of the printer 102. Specifically, the other functions include, for example, a function for performing setup other than the network setup of the printer 102, a function for sending a print job for causing the printer 102 to execute printing, and a function for sending a scan job for causing the printer 102 to execute scanning. The RAM 205 is used as an area for expanding various programs stored in the external storage device 206, and as a work memory for the CPU 203. The following description will be given taking as an example an embodiment in which Microsoft Windows (registered trademark) is used as the OS. The network interface 211 controls communication via wireless communication and communication via a wired LAN cable. The location information acquisition unit 212 has, for example, a GPS function, and acquires location information of the information processing device 101.

[0018] FIG. 2B is a block diagram illustrating the hardware configuration of the printer 102.

[0019] The printer 102 has a network interface 252, a RAM 253, a ROM 254, a CPU 255, and a print engine 256. The network interface 252 controls wireless communication and communication processing via a wired LAN cable. The RAM 253 is used as the main memory and work memory of the CPU 255, and has a receive buffer for temporarily storing received print commands, print data, etc., and also stores various data. The print engine 256 performs printing based on the data stored in the RAM 253. The ROM 254 stores various control programs and data used by each control program, and the CPU 255 controls each part of the printer 102 in accordance with these control programs.

[0020] Although the division of processing between the information processing device 101 and the printer 102 has been shown as an example here, it is not limited to this particular form and other forms may be used. An embodiment of this system based on the above configuration will be described.

[0021] <Wi-Fi Agile Multiband> Wi-Fi Agile Multiband is a function that complies with the standards of IEEE802.11v, IEEE802.11r, and IEEE802.11k, and is a function for controlling communication device 151 to connect to an appropriate network depending on the state of the network around communication device 151. This function is also referred to as a band steering function below.

[0022] In the embodiment, the information processing device 101 and the printer 102 are compatible with the Wi-Fi Agile Multiband (registered trademark) function and are capable of communication as an STA compatible with Wi-Fi Agile Multiband. The information processing device 101 and the printer 102 are also compatible with the Wi-Fi 6 (registered trademark) function, which is a function compliant with the IEEE802.11ax standard. As a result, the information processing device 101 and the printer 102 are also capable of operating as an STA compatible with OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiple Access) and TWT (Target Wake Time) as a Wi-Fi 6 function. The information processing device 101 and the printer 102, which are STAs, can reduce power consumption by transitioning the communication function to a sleep state when there is no need to wait for signal reception. Note that the information processing device 101 and the printer 102 may be compatible with the Wi-Fi 6 function, specifically, the Wi-Fi 6E (registered trademark) function. That is, the information processing device 101 and the printer 102 may be able to communicate in the 6 GHz band (5.925 GHz to 7.125 GHz). Unlike the 5 GHz band, the 6 GHz band does not have a band for which Dynamic Frequency Selection (DFS) is performed. Therefore, communication in the 6 GHz band will not be interrupted due to the DFS standby time.

[0023] As described above, in the present embodiment, the information processing device 101 and the printer 102 are compatible with both Wi-Fi Agile Multiband and Wi-Fi 6, but are not limited to this form. For example, the information processing device 101 and the printer 102 may be compatible with Wi-Fi Agile Multiband but not compatible with Wi-Fi 6. As described later, the problem of the present invention may also occur in a situation where one of the information processing device 101 and the printer 102 does not support Wi-Fi Agile Multiband, but the other of the information processing device 101 and the printer 102 supports Wi-Fi Agile Multiband. Therefore, one of the information processing device 101 and the printer 102 does not need to support Wi-Fi Agile Multiband.

[0024] The router 103 with this function enabled enables multiple access points that use different frequency bands, and sets the SSID of each access point to the same name. Specifically, for example, a router with the band steering function enabled activates a first access point that can be connected with a first frequency band and a second access point that can be connected with a second frequency band. Then, when the communication environment using the first frequency band becomes unstable while the printer 102 is connected to the first access point, the router 103 instructs the printer 102 to switch (change) the connection destination to the second access point that is a network with a better communication environment and forms a network using the second frequency band. As a result, the printer 102 switches the connection destination to the second access point.

[0025] Similarly, when the information processing device 101 is connected to the first access point, if the communication environment in the first frequency band becomes unstable, the router 103 instructs the information processing device 101 to switch the connection destination to the second access point. As a result, the information processing device 101 switches the connection destination to the second access point. Whether the communication environment is unstable is determined by the router 103 based on the radio wave strength and the amount of noise radio waves specified based on information received by the router 103 from the printer 102 and the information processing device 101, the number of devices connected to each access point enabled by the router 103, and the like. As a result, the information processing device 101 and the printer 102, which are clients compatible with the band steering function, can automatically switch the connection destination to the other access point using a frequency band with a good communication environment after connecting to one of the multiple access points. That is, in this embodiment, the printer 102 is assumed to be able to use multiple frequency bands including the first frequency band and the second frequency band. It is assumed that one router with the band steering function enabled activates a first access point connectable in a first frequency band and a second access point connectable in a second frequency band. The printer 102 can use only one frequency band and does not need to switch the connection destination based on the band steering function. Even in this form, the information processing device 101 can switch the connection destination based on the band steering function, so the following problem may occur.

[0026] <About the direct connection method> A direct connection refers to a wireless connection between devices directly (i.e., peer-to-peer) without going through an external device such as the router 103. A direct connection is also called a peer-to-peer connection (P2P connection). The printer 102 can operate in a mode for communicating via a direct connection (direct connection mode) as one of the connection modes. In Wi-Fi communication, there are multiple modes for communicating via a direct connection, such as a software AP mode and a Wi-Fi Direct (WFD) mode.

[0027] A mode in which a direct connection is performed by WFD is called a WFD mode. WFD is a standard established by the Wi-Fi Alliance, and is included in the IEEE802.11 series of communication standards. In the WFD mode, after a device to be a communication partner is searched for by a device search command, the roles of the P2P group owner (GO) and the P2P client are determined, and the remaining wireless connection processing is performed. The group owner corresponds to a Wi-Fi parent station (parent device), and the client corresponds to a Wi-Fi child station (child device). This role determination corresponds to, for example, GO Negotiation in P2P. Note that in the WFD mode, which is a state before the role determination, the printer 102 is neither a parent station nor a child station. Specifically, first, one device issues a device search command between devices to communicate with each other and searches for a device to connect in WFD mode. When the other device to be a communication partner is searched for, the two devices confirm information about services and functions that can be provided by each other's devices. Note that this device provision information confirmation is optional and not required. This device supply information confirmation phase corresponds to, for example, P2P Provision Discovery.

[0028] Next, by mutually confirming this device provision information, it is determined which one will be the P2P client and which one will be the P2P group owner. Next, once the client and group owner are determined, parameters for communication by WFD are exchanged between them. Based on the exchanged parameters, the remaining wireless connection processing and IP connection processing are performed between the P2P client and group owner. Note that in the WFD mode, the printer 102 may always operate as a GO without executing the above-mentioned GO Negotiation. In other words, the printer 102 may operate in a WFD mode, which is an autonomous GO mode. In addition, the state in which the printer 102 operates in the WFD mode is, for example, a state in which the printer 102 operates as a GO even though a WFD connection has not been established, or a state in which a WFD connection has been established and the printer 102 operates as a GO.

[0029] In the software AP mode, between devices that communicate (for example, the information processing device 101 and the printer 102), one device (for example, the information processing device 101) becomes a client that plays a role of requesting various services. The other device realizes the function of an AP in Wi-Fi by software settings. The software AP corresponds to a parent station of Wi-Fi, and the client corresponds to a child station of Wi-Fi. In the software AP mode, the client searches for a device that will become a software AP using a device search command. When the software AP is found, the remaining wireless connection processing (establishment of a wireless connection, etc.) between the client and the software AP is performed, and then IP connection processing (assignment of an IP address, etc.) is performed. Note that commands and parameters transmitted and received when realizing a wireless connection between a client and a software AP may be those specified in the Wi-Fi standard, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted here.

[0030] In this embodiment, when the printer 102 establishes and maintains a direct connection, the printer 102 operates as a parent station in the network to which the printer 102 belongs. The parent station is a device that constructs a wireless network and provides a child station with parameters used for connecting to the wireless network. The parameters used for connecting to the wireless network are, for example, parameters related to the channel used by the parent station. By receiving the parameters, the child station connects to the wireless network constructed by the parent station using the channel used by the parent station. In the direct connection mode, the printer 102 operates as a parent station, so that the printer 102 can determine which frequency band and which channel to use for communication in the direct connection mode. In this embodiment, the printer 102 can use a channel corresponding to a 2.4 GHz frequency band and a channel corresponding to a 5 GHz frequency band for communication in the direct connection mode. The user can arbitrarily set which frequency band to use (i.e., which channel of which frequency band to use) by setting on the screen shown in FIG. 2(e). That is, when 2.4 GHz is selected on the screen shown in FIG. 2(e), the printer 102 uses a channel corresponding to the 2.4 GHz frequency band for communication in the direct connection mode.

[0031] On the other hand, when 5 GHz is selected on the screen shown in FIG. 2(e), the printer 102 uses a channel corresponding to the 5 GHz frequency band for communication in the direct connection mode. However, in the embodiment, even if 5 GHz is selected on the screen shown in FIG. 2(e), the printer 102 does not use a channel corresponding to the DFS (Dynamic Frequency Selection) band in the 5 GHz frequency band for communication in the direct connection mode. In other words, the printer 102 uses only channels corresponding to frequency bands other than the DFS band in the 5 GHz frequency band for communication in the direct connection mode. Note that, when using a channel corresponding to the DFS band, if a radar wave in the frequency band corresponding to the channel is detected, the channel currently being used must be changed. Such a frequency band in which a channel change may occur due to the detection of a radar wave is called a DFS band. Note that, for example, when a wireless chip compatible with the DFS function is used, a channel corresponding to the DFS (Dynamic Frequency Selection) band in the 5 GHz frequency band may be available for communication in the direct connection mode. Note that the channel determined as the channel to be used in the direct connection mode is used in communication via the direct connection. Furthermore, the channel is also used for transmitting a beacon signal as a parent station, transmitting a response to a received command, etc. In other words, the channel is used not only for communication processing in the direct connection mode when a direct connection is established, but also for communication processing in the direct connection mode when a direct connection is not established.

[0032] In the above description, the user can set whether to use a channel corresponding to the 2.4 GHz frequency band or a channel corresponding to the 5 GHz frequency band in the direct connection mode, but the present invention is not limited to this. The user may set a specific channel number to be used in the direct connection mode by receiving a channel number designation from the user. Also, the channel used in the direct connection mode may not be arbitrarily set by the user, but may be set in advance in the printer 102.

[0033] In the above description, the printer 102 is described as being capable of using the 2.4 GHz frequency band and the 5 GHz frequency band, but is not limited to this. Other frequency bands may be used, and in the process in which the 2.4 GHz frequency band and the 5 GHz frequency band are used in this embodiment, other frequency bands may be used. For example, since the IEEE802.11ad standard allows the use of a 60 GHz frequency band, 60 GHz may be used as the other frequency band. The printer 102 may also be capable of using only the 2.4 GHz frequency band. In this case, 2.4 GHz is used in both infrastructure connection and direct connection.

[0034] <About infrastructure connection method> The infrastructure connection is a connection form in which devices (for example, the information processing device 101 and the printer 102) are connected to an AP (for example, an AP enabled by the router 103) that manages a network of devices that communicate with each other (for example, the information processing device 101 and the printer 102) and communicate with each other via the AP. The printer 102 can also operate in a mode for communicating via an infrastructure connection (infrastructure connection mode) as one of the connection modes.

[0035] In infrastructure connections, each device searches for an AP using a device search command. When an AP is found, the remaining wireless connection processing between the device and the AP (establishment of a wireless connection, etc.) is carried out, and then IP connection processing (assignment of an IP address, etc.) is carried out. Note that commands and parameters sent and received when establishing a wireless connection between a device and an AP can be those specified in the Wi-Fi standard, and a description thereof will be omitted here.

[0036] In the embodiment, when the printer 102 operates in the infrastructure connection, the router 103 operates as a parent station, and the printer 102 operates as a child device. That is, in the embodiment, the infrastructure connection refers to a connection between the printer 102 operating as a child device and a device operating as a parent device. When the printer 102 has established an infrastructure connection and the information processing device 101 has also established an infrastructure connection with the router 103, communication between the printer 102 and the information processing device 101 is possible via the router 103. Since the channel used for communication in the infrastructure connection is determined by the router 103, the printer 102 executes communication in the infrastructure connection using the channel determined by the router 103. In the embodiment, the printer 102 is assumed to be able to use a channel corresponding to the 2.4 GHz frequency band and a channel corresponding to the 5 GHz frequency band for communication in the infrastructure connection. Note that the printer 102 is also able to use a channel corresponding to the DFS band in the 5 GHz frequency band for communication in the infrastructure connection. In order for the information processing device 101 to communicate with the printer 102 via the router 103, the information processing device 101 must recognize that the printer 102 belongs to the network formed by the router 103 and to which the information processing device 101 belongs.

[0037] <About connection setting mode> The printer 102 can operate in a connection setting mode. When the printer 102 is operating in the connection setting mode and receives a setting command from the information processing device 101, the printer 102 starts operating in a mode corresponding to the setting command. Specifically, for example, when the printer 102 receives an SSID or a password of an access point enabled by the router 103 as a setting command, the printer 102 establishes a connection with the access point and operates in an infrastructure connection mode. A trigger for the printer 102 to start operating in the connection setting mode may be, for example, a user pressing a button for the connection setting mode, or the printer 102 being started (powered on) for the first time after arrival. The button for the connection setting mode may be a hard button provided in the printer 102, or may be a soft button displayed on the display unit 161 by the printer 102.

[0038] When the printer 102 starts operating in the connection setting mode, it enables both Wi-Fi communication and BLE communication. Specifically, the printer 102 enables an AP (connection setting AP) inside the printer 102, which is dedicated to the connection setting mode, as an enabling process for Wi-Fi communication. This allows the printer 102 to establish a direct connection with the information processing device 101 via Wi-Fi. It is assumed that connection information (SSID and password) for connecting to the connection setting AP is held in advance in the application 213 installed in the information processing device 101, and the information processing device 101 recognizes the connection information for connecting to the connection setting AP in advance. Note that an encryption method may not be set in the connection setting AP, and a password may not be required to connect to the AP. Therefore, unlike the connection information of the AP enabled in the direct connection mode, it is assumed that the connection information for connecting to the connection setting AP cannot be arbitrarily changed by the user. Note that in the connection setting mode, the printer 102 may connect to the information processing device 101 by Wi-Fi Direct (WFD) instead of normal Wi-Fi. That is, the printer 102 may operate as a Group Owner and receive a setting command from the information processing device 101 through WFD communication. Note that the connection setting mode is also a mode for establishing a temporary connection between the printer 102 and the information processing device 101, and therefore in the following description, the connection setting mode will be referred to as a temporary connection mode.

[0039] [Embodiment 1] 3 is a flowchart for explaining a setup procedure for the information processing device 101 according to the first embodiment to wirelessly connect the printer 102 to the router 103. Note that the processing shown in this flowchart is realized by the CPU 203 expanding the application 213 in the RAM 205 and executing it, so in the following explanation, the subject of processing in each step will be described as the CPU 203.

[0040] First, in S301, the CPU 203 guides the user to set the printer 102 to the temporary connection mode. This setting can be made by pressing a physical button on the main body of the printer 102 or a predetermined button on the touch panel (neither button is shown). Here, the SSID of the access point that the printer 102 launches (starts) in the temporary connection mode is set uniquely by the vendor, and information such as the manufacturer name, serial number, and model name is set.

[0041] Next, the process proceeds to S302, where the CPU 203 searches for nearby routers using the Wi-Fi interface and determines whether the printer 102 in the temporary connection mode set in S301 has been detected. At this time, the CPU 203 also determines whether the printer 102 in the temporary connection mode is a supported model from information previously stored in the application 213, based on the SSID of the printer 102 in the temporary connection mode (the SSID of the access point on which the printer 102 in the temporary connection mode is running). If the CPU 203 determines in S302 that the SSID of the target printer 102 in the temporary connection mode has been detected, the process proceeds to S303, where the CPU 203 starts establishing a wireless connection between the printer 102 in the temporary connection mode and the information processing device 101. As described above, a password may not be required for wireless connection with the printer 102 in the temporary connection mode, or a password may be set uniquely by the vendor and known in advance by the application 213. On the other hand, if the CPU 203 determines in S302 that the SSID of the target printer 102 in temporary connection mode is not detected, the process proceeds to S308, and executes the display of a Web manual for operating the main body of the printer 102 described below to set up a wireless connection with the router 103.

[0042] After starting a wireless connection with the printer 102 in S303, the process proceeds to S304, where the CPU 203 determines whether the connection with the printer 102 has been successful. If it is determined in S304 that the connection with the printer 102 has been successful, the process proceeds to S305, and if not, the process proceeds to S308. In S305, the CPU 203 transmits the SSID and password information of the router 103 (the SSID and password information of the access point enabled by the router 103) to the printer 102. The information transmitted here is a setting command for the printer 102 to establish an infrastructure connection. Here, the information processing device 101 may hold information on the connected router 103, and in the case of Windows (registered trademark), the SSID and the encrypted password are stored as a Wi-Fi profile in the ROM 204 of the information processing device 101. Therefore, the CPU 203 can obtain the SSID and password information of the router 103 by decrypting the encrypted password. Alternatively, when the information processing device 101 is not connected to the router 103, it may not be determined which router 103's information to send to the printer 102. In this case, the CPU 203 instructs the printer 102 to search for surrounding routers, acquires a detected SSID list from the printer 102, and displays it on the display unit 208 of the information processing device 101. This allows the user to select an SSID from the displayed SSID list and display a screen for inputting the corresponding password to acquire the information of the router 103. In addition, in S303, the CPU 203 may transmit information indicating a frequency band used for connection to the router 103 to the printer. The information indicating the frequency band may be information indicating a frequency band corresponding to a plurality of communication channels, such as 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz, or may be information indicating any one of a plurality of communication channels.

[0043] Next, the process proceeds to S306, where the CPU 203 starts a wireless connection with the router 103 corresponding to the SSID and password information set in the printer 102 in S305. Then, the process proceeds to S307, where the CPU 203 determines whether communication with the printer 102 is possible via the router 103. Specifically, the information processing device 101 designates an Object IDentifier (OID) indicating a device name, serial number, etc., and broadcasts a Get Request command on the network using Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP). Thereafter, if the printer 102 belongs to the same network as the information processing device 101, the information processing device 101 can receive a response to a Get Response command from the printer 102. When the response is received in this way, it is determined that the printer 102 has been detected via the router 103. On the other hand, if the printer 102 does not belong to the same network as the information processing device 101, the printer 102 does not transmit a response to the Get Response command to the information processing device 101. Therefore, the information processing device 101 cannot receive a response from the printer 102. In this case, it is determined that the printer 102 was not detected via the router 103. Note that the case where the printer 102 was detected via the router 103 corresponds to the case where the information processing apparatus 101 can communicate with the printer 102.

[0044] In S307, when the CPU 203 determines that the printer 102 has been detected via the router 103, it determines that the wireless connection setting between the printer 102 and the router 103 has been completed, and ends the process. On the other hand, when it determines that the printer 102 has not been detected via the router 103, the process proceeds to S308, where the CPU 203 displays a Web manual that allows the user to operate the main body of the printer 102 to perform wireless connection setting with the router 103. Here, the operation of the main body of the printer 102 includes the operation of a physical button or a button on a touch panel of the main body of the printer 102, and the printer 102 detects surrounding access points by this operation and identifies the SSID of the detected access point. Then, the printer 102 displays an SSID list, which is a list of identified SSIDs, on a panel (not shown) of the main body of the printer 102, and sets up a wireless connection between the printer 102 and the router 103 by inputting the password of the SSID selected by the user from the SSID list. Alternatively, some routers are equipped with a function called Wi-Fi Protected Setup, which is standardized by the Wi-Fi Alliance. For this reason, the operation for making a wireless connection with printer 102 that guides the operation of the main body of router 103 is displayed. Furthermore, CPU 203 executing application 213 acquires model information from printer 102 in order to display a Web manual for operating the main body of printer 102 to set up a wireless connection with router 103. Then, a URL for displaying a Web manual suited to that model may be generated, and a browser may be started to display a Web manual for operating printer 102 of a target model to set up a wireless connection with router 103.

[0045] In this way, after viewing the Web manual displayed in S308 and performing the operations, the user presses a button to proceed to the next process displayed in the application 213. This causes the process to proceed to S309, where the CPU 203 determines whether communication with the printer 102 via the router 103 is possible. If the CPU 203 determines in S309 that communication with the printer 102 via the router 103 is possible, it determines that the wireless connection settings between the printer 102 and the router 103 are complete, and ends the process.

[0046] On the other hand, if the CPU 203 determines in S309 that communication with the printer 102 is not possible, the process proceeds to S310. In S310, the CPU 203 displays a navigation screen for accessing a Web manual for network troubleshooting. The details of this will be described later with reference to FIG.

[0047] Next, the process proceeds to S311, where CPU 203 determines whether to display a Web manual for network troubleshooting in response to a user operation on a guidance screen for a Web manual for network troubleshooting. If it is determined that the Web manual is to be displayed, the process proceeds to S312, where CPU 203 starts a browser application program (hereinafter, browser) for displaying a Web browser, and causes the browser to display a guidance screen as the Web manual. Note that the guidance screen is not limited to being displayed by a browser, and may be displayed by application 213 instead of the browser.

[0048] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a guide screen for a Web manual for network troubleshooting according to the first embodiment.

[0049] The network troubleshooting web manual describes solutions to several possible causes. For example, if you cannot communicate with the printer 102 via the router 103 even though the printer 102 and the router 103 are connected, the following reasons may be the cause.

[0050] It is assumed that the security settings (privacy separator, network separation / isolation function, MAC address filtering) of the router 103 prevent child devices connected to the router 103 from communicating with each other. Therefore, the guidance screen includes a message for urging the user to disable (cancel) the security setting function. This message corresponds to message 501. In the embodiment, an explanation of a specific operation method for enabling or disabling (cancel) each security setting is displayed by a Web page different from the Web page displaying the guidance screen. Therefore, the guidance screen includes a hyperlink 502 for opening the Web page. However, the present invention is not limited to this form, and an explanation of a specific operation method for enabling or disabling each security setting may also be included in the guidance screen.

[0051] Another possible cause is that some routers are equipped with a band steering function called Wi-Fi Agile Multiband, which dynamically switches frequency bands and channels to connect to a router with a good communication environment. Therefore, the guidance screen includes a message for urging the user to disable the band steering function in the router 103. This message corresponds to message 503. When the band steering function is disabled in the router 103, the router 103 will no longer transmit a connection destination switching instruction based on the band steering function to the printer 102 or the information processing device 101. Note that, even if the band steering function is enabled in the router 103, by setting the SSIDs of multiple access points using different frequency bands to different character strings, it is possible to prevent the connection destination of the printer 102 from being switched by the band steering function. Furthermore, by making the above setting, it is possible to prevent the connection destination of the printer 102 from being switched by other functions such as a roaming function, even if the band steering function is disabled in the router 103. Therefore, the guidance screen may include a message for urging the user to set the SSIDs of multiple access points using different frequency bands to different character strings, which are enabled in the router 103. This message corresponds to message 504 .

[0052] As another possible cause, when the printer 102 supports only a certain frequency band, the router 103 may not activate the corresponding frequency band. Therefore, the guide screen may include a message to prompt the user to change the settings of the effective frequency band of the router 103 to match the frequency band supported by the printer 102. Specifically, when the printer 102 supports only the 2.4 GHz frequency band, the guide screen may include a message to prompt the user to set the router 103 so that the router 103 activates only access points that use 2.4 GHz. In other words, the setting so that the router 103 activates only access points that use 2.4 GHz is, for example, a setting so that the router 103 does not activate access points that use frequency bands other than 2.4 GHz (5 GHz, etc.). Here, three causes are given as examples, but the present invention is not limited to these, and the contents to prompt the user to change the settings of the router 103 as expected are displayed as a Web manual. In addition, since it is anticipated that the wireless connection between the information processing device 101 and the router 103 may be disconnected by changing the settings of the router 103, the wireless connection method between the information processing device 101 and the router 103 may be described after the settings of the router 103 are changed.

[0053] After displaying the manual on network troubleshooting in S312, the process proceeds to S313, where the CPU 203 executes a communication check with the printer 102 via the router 103. The process then proceeds to S314, where the CPU 203 determines whether the printer 102 configured for network troubleshooting can communicate via the router 103, as in S307. If the CPU 203 determines that the printer 102 can communicate via the router 103, it determines that the wireless connection settings between the printer 102 and the router 103 have been completed, and the process ends. On the other hand, if the CPU 203 determines that the printer 102 cannot communicate via the router 103, the process proceeds to S319, where the CPU 203 executes a setup, which will be described later, and ends the process.

[0054] If the CPU 203 determines in S311 that the network troubleshooting Web manual should not be displayed, the process proceeds to S315, where the CPU 203 displays a screen for selecting a connection method between the printer 102 and the router 103. The connection method here refers to a connection form for enabling communication between the information processing device 101 and the printer 102, such as a wireless connection or a USB connection, and is not limited to a connection method via the router 103.

[0055] Next, the process proceeds to S316, where the CPU 203 determines whether the user has displayed a Web manual that displays detailed guidance on the connection method. If it is determined that the Web manual on the connection method has been displayed, the process proceeds to S317, where the CPU 203 launches a browser and displays the Web manual on the connection method. This Web manual on the connection method describes a connection method that assumes the wireless connection environment used by the user, the LAN environment, or an environment without a LAN environment. This allows the user to check the method of connecting the printer 101 and the printer 102 according to the usage environment, and to try connecting again from the application 213. After checking the Web manual on the connection method in S317, the process proceeds to S318, where the CPU 203 accepts the selection of the connection method from the user and proceeds to S319. If it is determined in S316 that the Web manual on the connection method is not to be displayed, the process proceeds to S318, where the CPU 203 determines the connection method selected by the user, and proceeds to S319. In S319, the CPU 203 executes setup for connecting to the printer 102.

[0056] The process of S319 will be described in detail. If the network troubleshooting Web manual is displayed in S312, the setup of the wireless connection between the printer 102 and the router 103 is executed again from S301. On the other hand, if the connection method selection screen is displayed in S315, the setup is executed using the connection method determined in S318. For example, if the wired LAN connection is selected, the CPU 203 guides the printer 102 and the router 103 to be connected via the wired LAN, and after the user connects the printer 102 and the router 103 via the wired LAN, it determines whether communication with the printer 102 is possible via the router 103, as in S309. If the USB connection is selected, the CPU 203 guides the printer 102 and the information processing device 101 to be connected via the USB, and after the user connects the printer 102 and the information processing device 101 via the USB, it checks the communication using SNMP via the USB. If the wireless connection is selected, the setup of the wireless connection is executed again from S301.

[0057] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a guidance screen for a Web manual for network troubleshooting displayed in S310 of FIG.

[0058] At this time, the CPU 203 executing the application 213 displays a dialog shown in FIG. 4, and the close button of the window screen cannot be pressed. This dialog has a title and an explanatory text, and two buttons 401, 402 are arranged side by side at the bottom. The title contains a statement to refer to a Web manual for network troubleshooting. The explanatory text contains a statement to recommend checking the user's environment and to guide the user to press the "Manual" button 402 as troubleshooting. The explanatory text contains a statement to guide the user to press the "Change connection method" button 401 when changing to a different connection method. The "Manual" button 402 is displayed in color to draw the user's attention. When the "Manual" button 402 is pressed, the display transitions to the manual display in S312 of FIG. 3 described above. When the "Change connection method" button 401 is pressed, the display transitions to the display of a selection screen for the connection method in S315 of FIG. 3. This allows the CPU 203 executing the application 213 to emphasize the guide to the Web manual for network troubleshooting to the user, and to change the settings of the router 103 described above.

[0059] As described above, according to the first embodiment, when the information processing device 101 executes setup of a wireless connection between the router 103 and the printer 102, the information processing device 101 transmits wireless setting information to the printer 102. Thereafter, when the information processing device 101 cannot communicate with the printer 102, the information processing device 101 guides the user to a Web manual that prompts the user to change settings related to Wi-Fi Agile Multiband of the router 103 as network troubleshooting. This allows the user to appropriately change the settings of the router 103 by referring to the Web manual for network troubleshooting. In this way, the information processing device 101 can be made capable of communicating with the printer 102 via the router 103.

[0060] [Embodiment 2] When a user operates according to a web manual for network troubleshooting provided by an application of the system according to the first embodiment, the wireless connection between the information processing device and the router may be disconnected depending on the router. In the second embodiment, an example is described in which a countermeasure method is provided when the wireless connection between the information processing device 101 and the router 103 is disconnected. Note that the configuration of the system according to the second embodiment and the hardware configurations of the information processing device 101 and the printer 102 are the same as those of the first embodiment, and therefore the description thereof is omitted.

[0061] 6 is a flowchart for explaining a procedure for wirelessly connecting the information processing device 101 and the router 103 after the information processing device 101 according to the second embodiment displays a Web manual for network troubleshooting. Note that the processing shown in this flowchart is realized by the CPU 203 executing the application 213.

[0062] S601 to S603 in FIG. 6 are the same as the processes in S310 to S312 in FIG. 3 described above, and therefore the description thereof will be omitted. In S604, the CPU 203 checks the wireless connection state with the router 103. In the above-described first embodiment, the communication with the printer 102 was checked in S313 in FIG. 3. However, in this embodiment, the user changes the settings of the router 103 by looking at the network troubleshooting Web manual displayed in S603. For this reason, it is assumed that the SSID to which the information processing device 101 was connected is changed to another SSID, and the wireless connection between the information processing device 101 and the router 103 is disconnected. In that case, the information processing device 101 cannot check the communication with the printer 102 via the router 103. Therefore, in S604, the wireless connection state between the information processing device 101 and the router 103 is checked in advance.

[0063] Then, the process proceeds to S605, where the CPU 203 determines whether the information processing device 101 is wirelessly connected to the router 103. If the CPU 203 determines in S605 that the information processing device 101 is wirelessly connected to the router 103, the process proceeds to S606, where the CPU 203 checks communication with the printer 102 via the router 103. Then, the process proceeds to S607, where the CPU 203 determines whether communication with the printer 102 via the router 103 is possible. If it is determined that communication with the printer 102 via the router 103 is possible, the process proceeds to S607, where the CPU 203 determines that the setup of the wireless connection between the printer 102 and the router 103 is complete, and the process ends. On the other hand, if it is determined in S607 that communication with the printer 102 via the router 103 is not possible, the process returns to S601, and the CPU 203 again displays a screen for guiding the user to a Web manual for network troubleshooting.

[0064] If the CPU 203 determines in S605 that the information processing device 101 is not wirelessly connected to the router 103, the process proceeds to S608, where the CPU 203 displays an SSID selection screen on the display unit 208. Here, the information processing device 101 displays a list of surrounding SSIDs that have been detected on the screen, and accepts the selection of an SSID to connect to from the list. Next, the process proceeds to S609, where the CPU 203 displays a screen for accepting input of a password corresponding to the SSID selected in S608. Then, the process proceeds to S610, where the CPU 203 starts a wireless connection between the information processing device 101 and the router 103 based on the SSID selected in S608 and the password input in S609. Thus, the process proceeds to S611, where the CPU 203 determines whether the information processing device 101 has been wirelessly connected to the selected SSID. If the CPU 203 determines in S611 that the information processing device 101 has been wirelessly connected to the selected SSID, the process proceeds to S607, where the CPU 203 determines whether communication with the printer 102 is possible via the router 103. The subsequent processes are the same as those described above, and therefore will not be described again.

[0065] On the other hand, if the CPU 203 determines in S611 that it was unable to wirelessly connect to the selected SSID, the process proceeds to S612 where the CPU 203 determines whether to retry the SSID connection based on a user operation. If it determines that the user has instructed to retry the SSID connection, the process proceeds to S608 where the SSID selection screen is displayed. On the other hand, if it determines in S612 that the user has instructed not to retry the SSID connection, the process proceeds to S613 where the CPU 203 displays a connection method selection screen. Then, the subsequent steps S613 to S617 are the same as the processes in S315 to S319 in FIG. 3 described above, and therefore description thereof will be omitted.

[0066] As described above, according to the second embodiment, the information processing device 101 executes a setup using a wireless connection with the printer 102 via the router 103. Then, as in the first embodiment described above, when the information processing device 101 cannot communicate with the printer 102 via the router 103, the information processing device 101 displays a Web manual for network troubleshooting. The user may check the Web manual for network troubleshooting and change the settings of the router 103, which may result in the wireless connection between the information processing device 101 and the router 103 being disconnected. In such a case, after checking the wireless connection status between the information processing device 101 and the router 103, an SSID selection screen is displayed, and the user can establish a wireless connection between the information processing device 101 and the router 103 by inputting the SSID to be connected and a password.

[0067] As a result, even if the connection between the information processing device 101 and the router 103 is cut off during the process of changing settings in accordance with a network troubleshooting Web manual, it is possible to provide appropriate guidance on how to deal with the situation. In this way, even if the connection between the information processing device 101 and the router 103 is cut off, it is possible to restore a state in which the information processing device 101 can communicate with the printer 102 via the router 103.

[0068] [Embodiment 3] In the above-described first embodiment, network troubleshooting has been described for a case where the information processing device 101 and the printer 102 cannot communicate with each other after transmitting wireless setting information from the information processing device 101 to the printer 102. In the first embodiment, the user is guided to display a Web manual that prompts the user to change settings related to Wi-Fi Agile Multiband of the router 103. However, a case where the information processing device 101 and the printer 102 cannot communicate with each other is not limited to a case where a function related to Wi-Fi Agile Multiband of the access point is enabled. For example, a case where the privacy separator function of the access point is enabled is also included in a case where the information processing device 101 and the printer 102 cannot communicate with each other.

[0069] Therefore, in the above-mentioned embodiment 1, there is a risk that the function related to the Wi-Fi Agile Multiband of the access point may be executed even if the function is not enabled. In such a case, there is a concern that the user may be prompted to change the settings of the router unnecessarily. Therefore, it is preferable that the guidance to display the Web manual that prompts the user to change the settings related to the Wi-Fi Agile Multiband is performed when it is confirmed that the privacy separator function of the access point is enabled.

[0070] In the third embodiment, therefore, a description will be given of an embodiment in which guidance to an appropriate Web manual is performed by checking whether the settings related to Wi-Fi Agile Multiband of the router 103 are valid from the information processing device 101. Note that the configuration of the system according to the third embodiment and the hardware configurations of the information processing device 101 and the printer 102 are the same as those of the first embodiment, and therefore description thereof will be omitted.

[0071] 7 is a flowchart for explaining a procedure in which the information processing device 101 according to the third embodiment displays a Web manual after determining whether a function related to Wi-Fi Agile Multiband of the router 103 wirelessly connected to the information processing device 101 is enabled. Note that the processing shown in this flowchart is realized by the CPU 203 executing the application 213.

[0072] The process of S701 is the same as S309 in FIG. 3, and therefore the description thereof will be omitted. When it is determined in S701 that communication with the printer 102 via the router 103 is not possible, the process proceeds to S702, where the CPU 203 acquires setting information of the router 103 wirelessly connected to the information processing device 101. In order to acquire the setting information of the router 103, an Application Programming Interface (API) may be provided by each router company. The CPU 203 can acquire the setting information of the router 103 wirelessly connected to the information processing device 101 by incorporating the API provided by each router company. For example, if an API is provided for acquiring the enabled state of a function related to Wi-Fi Agile Multiband, the CPU 203 calls the API, whereby a request command is transmitted from the information processing device 101 to the router 103. The router 103 transmits response information to the information processing device 101 in accordance with the contents of the request received from the information processing device 101. In this way, the information processing device 101 can determine whether the function related to Wi-Fi Agile Multiband is enabled as True or False by receiving response information from the router 103. In addition, the setting information of the router 103 can acquire not only the setting related to Wi-Fi Agile Multiband but also information such as the SSID and encryption method.

[0073] Next, the process proceeds to S703, where the CPU 203 determines whether the settings related to Wi-Fi Agile Multiband of the router 103 are valid. If the CPU 203 determines in S703 that the settings related to Wi-Fi Agile Multiband are valid, the process proceeds to S704, where the CPU 203 displays a Web manual related to Wi-Fi Agile Multiband on the display unit 208, and then proceeds to S706. The Web manual related to Wi-Fi Agile Multiband provides guidance that the problem may be solved by disabling the functions related to Wi-Fi Agile Multiband described in S312 of FIG. 3, or by arbitrarily setting an SSID for each frequency band.

[0074] On the other hand, if the CPU 203 determines in S703 that the settings related to Wi-Fi Agile Multiband are not valid, the process proceeds to S705, where the CPU 203 displays a Web manual regarding network security on the display unit 208, and proceeds to S706. The Web manual regarding network security provides information that communication will be possible by disabling the security settings (privacy separator, network separation function / isolation function, MAC address filtering) of the router 103 described in S312 of FIG. 3.

[0075] In S706, the CPU 203 executes the same process as in S313 of Fig. 3, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted. Next, the process proceeds to S707, where the CPU 203 determines whether the printer 102 can communicate via the router 103, similar to S307 and S314 of Fig. 3. If the CPU 203 determines in S707 that the printer 102 can communicate via the router 103, it determines that the wireless connection settings between the printer 102 and the router 103 have been completed, and ends this process.

[0076] On the other hand, if the CPU 203 determines in S707 that the printer 102 was not able to communicate via the router 103, the process proceeds to S708. In S708, the CPU 203 displays a screen for selecting a method for connecting the printer 102 to the router 103. The processes in S709 to S712 are the same as those in S316 to S319 in FIG. 3 described above, and therefore will not be described here.

[0077] As described above, according to the third embodiment, the information processing device 101 executes setup using a wireless connection with the printer 102 via the router 103, so that it is possible to propose a method of dealing with the case where the information processing device 101 cannot communicate with the printer 102 via the router 103. The information processing device according to the third embodiment determines whether the settings related to Wi-Fi Agile Multiband of the router are valid, and can display a Web manual related to Wi-Fi Agile Multiband only if they are valid. This allows the user to be guided to an appropriate change in the router settings depending on whether the settings related to Wi-Fi Agile Multiband of the router are valid when the information processing device cannot communicate with the printer via the router.

[0078] (Other embodiments) The present invention can also be realized by a process in which a program for implementing one or more of the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to a system or device via a network or a storage medium, and one or more processors in a computer of the system or device read and execute the program. The present invention can also be realized by a circuit (e.g., ASIC) that implements one or more of the functions.

[0079] This specification and drawings disclose the following information processing device, its control method, and program.

[0080] [Item 1] An information processing device, a transmitting means for transmitting the router setting information to the image forming apparatus; a determination unit that determines whether communication with the image forming apparatus is possible via the router; a guidance means for guiding the user to display a troubleshooting guide for a network when the determination means determines that communication with the image forming apparatus is not possible after the transmission means has transmitted the setting information to the router; and a control means for displaying the first troubleshooting manual on a display unit in response to a response to the prompting by the prompting means, The information processing device, wherein the first manual includes a content for inducing a user to change a setting of a band steering function of the router.

[0081] [Item 2] a means for displaying, on the display unit, a second manual for operating the image forming apparatus to establish a wireless connection with the router when the determination means determines that communication with the image forming apparatus is not possible after the transmission means has transmitted the setting information to the router, The information processing device described in item 1, characterized in that the control means prompts the user to display the first manual if the determination means determines that communication with the image forming device is not possible after an operation corresponding to the second manual is performed on the image forming device.

[0082] [Item 3] The information processing device described in item 1 or 2, further comprising a first selection means for allowing a user to select a connection method for connecting the router and the image forming device if, after displaying the first manual, the determination means determines that communication with the image forming device is not possible.

[0083] [Item 4] 4. The information processing device according to item 3, wherein the connection method includes a connection via a wired LAN or a connection via a USB.

[0084] [Item 5] The information processing device according to any one of items 1 to 4, characterized in that the first manual includes content instructing the user to disable a band steering function of the router or to set an SSID (Service Set Identifier) ​​separately.

[0085] [Item 6] a confirmation means for confirming a wireless connection state with the router after the control means displays the guidance on the display unit; a second selection means for displaying a list of detected surrounding SSIDs on the display unit and allowing a user to select one when the confirmation means confirms that the device is not wirelessly connected to the router; an input means for allowing the user to input a password corresponding to the SSID selected by the second selection means; a wireless connection means for wirelessly connecting to the router based on the SSID and the password selected by the second selection means; 6. The information processing device according to any one of items 1 to 5, further comprising:

[0086] [Item 7] and an acquisition unit configured to acquire setting information of a band steering function of the router when the determination unit determines that communication with the image forming apparatus is not possible after the transmission unit transmits the setting information to the router, The information processing device according to any one of items 1 to 6, wherein the control means controls the display of the first manual when the setting information acquired by the acquisition means indicates that the band steering function of the router is enabled.

[0087] [Item 8] The information processing device described in item 7, characterized in that the control means controls the display of a manual regarding network security if the setting information acquired by the acquisition means indicates that the band steering function of the router is disabled.

[0088] [Item 9] 8. The information processing device according to item 7, wherein the acquisition means acquires the setting information of the band steering function using an API (Application Programming Interface) of the router.

[0089] [Item 10] The information processing device according to any one of items 1 to 9, wherein the band steering function is a function conforming to Wi-Fi Agile Multiband (registered trademark).

[0090] [Item 11] 3. The information processing device according to item 2, wherein the first manual and the second manual are Web manuals that are displayed by launching a browser.

[0091] [Item 12] A method for controlling an information processing device, comprising: a transmitting step of transmitting router setting information to the image forming apparatus; a determination step of determining whether communication with the image forming apparatus is possible via the router; a guidance step of, when it is determined in the determination step that communication with the image forming apparatus is not possible after the setting information is transmitted to the router in the transmission step, prompting to display a troubleshooting guide regarding a network; a control step of displaying the first troubleshooting manual on a display unit in response to a response to the prompting step, A control method, wherein the first manual includes content that guides a user to change settings of the band steering function of the router.

[0092] [Item 13] A program that causes a computer to execute each step of the control method described in item 12.

[0093] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the following claims are appended to apprise the public of the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0094] 101...information processing device, 102...printer, 103...router, 203...CPU (information processing device), 204...ROM (information processing device), 205...RAM (information processing device), 208...display unit, 213...application, 502...hyperlink

Claims

1. An information processing device, a transmitting means for transmitting the router setting information to the image forming apparatus; a determination unit that determines whether communication with the image forming apparatus is possible via the router; a guidance means for guiding the user to display a troubleshooting guide for a network when the determination means determines that communication with the image forming apparatus is not possible after the transmission means has transmitted the setting information to the router; a control means for displaying the first troubleshooting manual on a display unit in response to a response to the prompting by the prompting means, The information processing device, wherein the first manual includes a content for inducing a user to change a setting of a band steering function of the router.

2. a means for displaying, on the display unit, a second manual for operating the image forming apparatus to establish a wireless connection with the router when the determination means determines that communication with the image forming apparatus is not possible after the transmission means has transmitted the setting information to the router; The information processing device according to claim 1, characterized in that the control means prompts the user to display the first manual when the determination means determines that communication with the image forming device is not possible after an operation corresponding to the second manual is performed on the image forming device.

3. 2. The information processing device according to claim 1, further comprising a first selection means for allowing a user to select a connection method for connecting the router and the image forming device if, after displaying the first manual, the determination means determines that communication with the image forming device is not possible.

4. 4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the connection method includes a connection by a wired LAN or a connection by a USB.

5. 2 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first manual includes a content guiding the user to disable a band steering function of the router or to set a service set identifier (SSID) separately.

6. a confirmation means for confirming a wireless connection state with the router after the control means displays the guidance on the display unit; a second selection means for displaying a list of detected surrounding SSIDs on the display unit and allowing a user to select one when the confirmation means confirms that the device is not wirelessly connected to the router; an input means for allowing the user to input a password corresponding to the SSID selected by the second selection means; a wireless connection means for wirelessly connecting to the router based on the SSID and the password selected by the second selection means; 2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

7. and an acquisition unit configured to acquire setting information of a band steering function of the router when the determination unit determines that communication with the image forming apparatus is not possible after the transmission unit transmits the setting information to the router, 2. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the control means controls the display of the first manual when the setting information acquired by the acquisition means indicates that a band steering function of the router is enabled.

8. The information processing device according to claim 7, characterized in that the control means controls the display of a manual regarding network security when the setting information acquired by the acquisition means indicates that the band steering function of the router is disabled.

9. 8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the acquiring means acquires the setting information of the band steering function by using an API (Application Programming Interface) of the router.

10. 2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the band steering function is a function conforming to Wi-Fi Agile Multiband (registered trademark).

11. 3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first manual and the second manual are Web manuals that are displayed by starting a browser.

12. A method for controlling an information processing device, comprising: a transmitting step of transmitting router setting information to the image forming apparatus; a determination step of determining whether communication with the image forming apparatus is possible via the router; a guidance step of, when it is determined in the determination step that communication with the image forming apparatus is not possible after the setting information is transmitted to the router in the transmission step, prompting to display a troubleshooting guide regarding a network; a control step of displaying the first troubleshooting manual on a display unit in response to a response to the prompting step, The control method, wherein the first manual includes a content for inducing a user to change a setting of a band steering function of the router.

13. A program for causing a computer to execute each step of the control method according to claim 12.

Images