Yes, this post has absolutely nothing to do with what I usually discuss. But, it took a while to find this info, so documenting here for the next time I need it (assuming I remember to check here, that is).
Office printers are became a rarity, but if you have one that scans, and want to configure it to be able to scan to email, then the printer needs to be able to log into an SMTP server. And if you are using Gmail, well, Google has blocked simple SMTP access (even if you use POP login).
The solution? Application-specific passwords. Here are the steps:
- Make sure 2 Factor Authentication (or 2-step verification) is enabled for the email address the printer will be using to send scans.
- Go to Google Admin and select the email account.
- Under Security, look for “Application-specific password”, this is used to define additional account passwords that may be used by specific applications.
- Add an entry for your printer, name is whatever you like.
- You’ll be presented with a new password which you should use on the printer as the email login password.
That’ll do it! You’re welcome!
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