You need to install a driver for that printer model, which you can download from Canon Support:
http://www.canon.co.uk/Support/Consumer_Products/index.aspx
It's vital you do
not connect the printer to your laptop until after the Canon driver has been installed.
If you are using a parallel port/USB adapter, that itself may be causing the problem.
In which case you need to buy a printer that connects to a USB port straight out of the box.