HP Pavilion 6535 - Printer/Net Connection problem

There's a strange problem happening with my friend's computer - and I'm
trying to help him resolve it. His computer is a HP Pavilion 6535, 466MHz
(Intel Celeron), 64MB of RAM - running Windows 98SE.
Here's the strange problem:
Whenever he prints something on his printer (a HP Deskjet 612C) - he can't
surf on the 'Net anymore - it's as if his cable internet connection just
drops. Whatever page he tries to go to - he'll just get that "The page
cannot be displayed" error message, no matter what link he tries to go to.
He can only get his internet connection back if he restarts his computer.
(???) He has a cable internet connection through Charter - and it works just
fine normally, UNLESS he prints something!?!? I've never seen this problem
before and I'm stumped. How could using the printer effect the internet
connection? I will say that, in general, the computer seems to run pretty
slow - slower than it should. The desktop takes forever to load when he
restarts the computer. I did some basic stuff like clearing out his temp
internet files, ran Norton Disk Doctor, Ad Aware (it found lots of stuff),
uninstalled and re-installed his HP printer driver. BTW - the cd that came
with his printer says HP 612 on it - but the driver that's on the cd is for
a 610. (?) It still seems to work, not sure if that's the problem - but if
it is, where can I get the driver for the HP 612C Printer? His cable modem
is the Motorola 4200 USB - if that matters.
ANY advice anyone has for me on what we could do to fix this problem -
please tell me. Thank you in advance.

First, 64MB is a little too light for a computer running Windows 98SE nowadays.
I suggest a memory upgrade, doubling the memory for maybe $15 or going for even
more memory.

Second, I have no faith whatsoever in USB as a networking technology, especially
USB 1.1 and Windows 98SE. It might be better with USB 2.0 and Win 2000 or XP,
but I do not care.

Install a legitimate Ethernet card (3COM or Intel brands preferred) and use a
cable modem which supports Ethernet, probably the same Motorola Surfboard 4200.
MUCH more reliable... Ben Myers

On Mon, 26 Apr 2004 02:50:20 -0500, "Scott" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>There's a strange problem happening with my friend's computer - and I'm
>trying to help him resolve it. His computer is a HP Pavilion 6535, 466MHz
>(Intel Celeron), 64MB of RAM - running Windows 98SE.
>Here's the strange problem:
>Whenever he prints something on his printer (a HP Deskjet 612C) - he can't
>surf on the 'Net anymore - it's as if his cable internet connection just
>drops. Whatever page he tries to go to - he'll just get that "The page
>cannot be displayed" error message, no matter what link he tries to go to.
>He can only get his internet connection back if he restarts his computer.
>(???) He has a cable internet connection through Charter - and it works just
>fine normally, UNLESS he prints something!?!? I've never seen this problem
>before and I'm stumped. How could using the printer effect the internet
>connection? I will say that, in general, the computer seems to run pretty
>slow - slower than it should. The desktop takes forever to load when he
>restarts the computer. I did some basic stuff like clearing out his temp
>internet files, ran Norton Disk Doctor, Ad Aware (it found lots of stuff),
>uninstalled and re-installed his HP printer driver. BTW - the cd that came
>with his printer says HP 612 on it - but the driver that's on the cd is for
>a 610. (?) It still seems to work, not sure if that's the problem - but if
>it is, where can I get the driver for the HP 612C Printer? His cable modem
>is the Motorola 4200 USB - if that matters.
>ANY advice anyone has for me on what we could do to fix this problem -
>please tell me. Thank you in advance.
>
>

Also, the 612c and the 610 drivers are identical, because the printers
themselves are virtually identical. They are parallel port devices, but they
COULD be connected to a USB port via a USB-parallel converter cable. The latter
is a good idea only for legacy-free computers which do not have parallel ports.

.... Ben Myers

On Mon, 26 Apr 2004 02:50:20 -0500, "Scott" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>There's a strange problem happening with my friend's computer - and I'm
>trying to help him resolve it. His computer is a HP Pavilion 6535, 466MHz
>(Intel Celeron), 64MB of RAM - running Windows 98SE.
>Here's the strange problem:
>Whenever he prints something on his printer (a HP Deskjet 612C) - he can't
>surf on the 'Net anymore - it's as if his cable internet connection just
>drops. Whatever page he tries to go to - he'll just get that "The page
>cannot be displayed" error message, no matter what link he tries to go to.
>He can only get his internet connection back if he restarts his computer.
>(???) He has a cable internet connection through Charter - and it works just
>fine normally, UNLESS he prints something!?!? I've never seen this problem
>before and I'm stumped. How could using the printer effect the internet
>connection? I will say that, in general, the computer seems to run pretty
>slow - slower than it should. The desktop takes forever to load when he
>restarts the computer. I did some basic stuff like clearing out his temp
>internet files, ran Norton Disk Doctor, Ad Aware (it found lots of stuff),
>uninstalled and re-installed his HP printer driver. BTW - the cd that came
>with his printer says HP 612 on it - but the driver that's on the cd is for
>a 610. (?) It still seems to work, not sure if that's the problem - but if
>it is, where can I get the driver for the HP 612C Printer? His cable modem
>is the Motorola 4200 USB - if that matters.
>ANY advice anyone has for me on what we could do to fix this problem -
>please tell me. Thank you in advance.
>
>

<ben_myers_spam_me_not @ charter.net (Ben Myers)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> First, 64MB is a little too light for a computer running Windows 98SE
nowadays.
> I suggest a memory upgrade, doubling the memory for maybe $15 or going for
even
> more memory.
>
> Second, I have no faith whatsoever in USB as a networking technology,
especially
> USB 1.1 and Windows 98SE. It might be better with USB 2.0 and Win 2000 or
XP,
> but I do not care.
>
Agreed, but if your current modem can't use ethernet then it would be better
to just get an internal cable modem imo.

<ben_myers_spam_me_not @ charter.net (Ben Myers)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Also, the 612c and the 610 drivers are identical, because the printers
> themselves are virtually identical. They are parallel port devices, but
they
> COULD be connected to a USB port via a USB-parallel converter cable. The
latter
> is a good idea only for legacy-free computers which do not have parallel
ports.
>
Buying an add in parallel card might be a better idea, or even a new
printer.

Cable modems are dirt cheap on this side of the pond. But, I'm almost dead
certain that the original poster's Motorola Surfboard 4200 has both Ethernet and
USB. My older Surfboard 4100 does.

Far and away the biggest advantage of using a cable modem via Ethernet is the
ease of expansion to include networked printers and other computers sharing the
same cable internet connection thru a router. Neither an internal cable modem
PCI card nor a direct USB-cable connection have the same ease of use. I doubt
that I would EVER buy an internal cable internet card. Now if someone gave one
away for free, it might be worth considering, but only if the cable internet ISP
supported it... Ben Myers

On Mon, 26 Apr 2004 19:44:09 +0100, "Grimly Fiendish"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>
><ben_myers_spam_me_not @ charter.net (Ben Myers)> wrote in message
>news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>> First, 64MB is a little too light for a computer running Windows 98SE
>nowadays.
>> I suggest a memory upgrade, doubling the memory for maybe $15 or going for
>even
>> more memory.
>>
>> Second, I have no faith whatsoever in USB as a networking technology,
>especially
>> USB 1.1 and Windows 98SE. It might be better with USB 2.0 and Win 2000 or
>XP,
>> but I do not care.
>>
>Agreed, but if your current modem can't use ethernet then it would be better
>to just get an internal cable modem imo.
>
>
>

<ben_myers_spam_me_not @ charter.net (Ben Myers)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Cable modems are dirt cheap on this side of the pond. But, I'm almost
dead
> certain that the original poster's Motorola Surfboard 4200 has both
Ethernet and
> USB. My older Surfboard 4100 does.
>
> Far and away the biggest advantage of using a cable modem via Ethernet is
the
> ease of expansion to include networked printers and other computers
sharing the
> same cable internet connection thru a router. Neither an internal cable
modem
> PCI card nor a direct USB-cable connection have the same ease of use.

I dissagree, you already know that so why bother posting this.

Why not? I guess I didn't understand clearly your well-articulated point of
disagreement... Ben Myers

On Tue, 27 Apr 2004 05:04:47 +0100, "Grimly Fiendish"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>
><ben_myers_spam_me_not @ charter.net (Ben Myers)> wrote in message
>news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>> Cable modems are dirt cheap on this side of the pond. But, I'm almost
>dead
>> certain that the original poster's Motorola Surfboard 4200 has both
>Ethernet and
>> USB. My older Surfboard 4100 does.
>>
>> Far and away the biggest advantage of using a cable modem via Ethernet is
>the
>> ease of expansion to include networked printers and other computers
>sharing the
>> same cable internet connection thru a router. Neither an internal cable
>modem
>> PCI card nor a direct USB-cable connection have the same ease of use.
>
>I dissagree, you already know that so why bother posting this.
>
>
>

Let me inject some facts into this dialogue. The Moto web site indicates that
the SB4200 handles both Ethernet and USB. See below.

http://broadband.motorola.com/consum...oducts/sb4200/

I stand by my earlier recommendation... Ben Myers

On Tue, 27 Apr 2004 05:04:47 +0100, "Grimly Fiendish"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>
><ben_myers_spam_me_not @ charter.net (Ben Myers)> wrote in message
>news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>> Cable modems are dirt cheap on this side of the pond. But, I'm almost
>dead
>> certain that the original poster's Motorola Surfboard 4200 has both
>Ethernet and
>> USB. My older Surfboard 4100 does.
>>
>> Far and away the biggest advantage of using a cable modem via Ethernet is
>the
>> ease of expansion to include networked printers and other computers
>sharing the
>> same cable internet connection thru a router. Neither an internal cable
>modem
>> PCI card nor a direct USB-cable connection have the same ease of use.
>
>I dissagree, you already know that so why bother posting this.
>
>
>

<ben_myers_spam_me_not @ charter.net (Ben Myers)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Let me inject some facts into this dialogue. The Moto web site indicates
that
> the SB4200 handles both Ethernet and USB. See below.
>
> http://broadband.motorola.com/consum...oducts/sb4200/
>
Fine

> I stand by my earlier recommendation... Ben Myers
>
And i stand by mine.