HP Printer networking problem

Hi,
I am trying to network an HP 3550n printer with (2) Win98se computers
and 2 osX g5's. Everything was fine for almost a year until a month
ago. I moved from a Linksys 4-port router to a Netgear 8-port router
two months ago. And from the Netgear 8-port to a Netgear Wireless
4-port router plus a Netgear 8-port switch. I'm getting out of my
element and need to retrace my steps. The computers network fine.

When I ask the JetDirect box to summon an IP address for the printer
setup by printing a config page - I get all 0's for all network
connections. I would like to put in a static IP address BUT a) I
don't know how. b) I am pretty sure the printer/router relationship
has been compromised some how. I believe there is some mixup in router
control on one of the pc's.

Thanks very much any grain of truth you could add to my stymied
dilemma.

Chris

Definitely give the printer it's own IP address, outside the range the
router has dedicated to automatic assignment. Say your router's automatic
assignment range is set to 192.168.1.100 -- 192.168.1.150. Use the printer's
control panel to set it's IP to 192.168.1.90

Here's HP's support pages for that printer.
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport...&lang=en&cc=us

Here's where you can download the manual.
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport...&lang=en&cc=us

I try to use JetDirect not at all. In fact, I'd uninstall JetDirect. Just
get your printer to be seen on the network (Network Neighborhood or My
Network Places) and once that's done, reinstall the drivers.

--
Gary S. Terhune
MS MVP Shell/User

"Chris23" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) ups.com...
> Hi,
> I am trying to network an HP 3550n printer with (2) Win98se computers
> and 2 osX g5's. Everything was fine for almost a year until a month
> ago. I moved from a Linksys 4-port router to a Netgear 8-port router
> two months ago. And from the Netgear 8-port to a Netgear Wireless
> 4-port router plus a Netgear 8-port switch. I'm getting out of my
> element and need to retrace my steps. The computers network fine.
>
> When I ask the JetDirect box to summon an IP address for the printer
> setup by printing a config page - I get all 0's for all network
> connections. I would like to put in a static IP address BUT a) I
> don't know how. b) I am pretty sure the printer/router relationship
> has been compromised some how. I believe there is some mixup in router
> control on one of the pc's.
>
> Thanks very much any grain of truth you could add to my stymied
> dilemma.
>
> Chris
>

Gary,

This is great info. Can I still physicaly use JetDirect box (ethernet
to USB)? I also take it I can ignore the non-info the JD is supplying
to the printer now - non-existent DHCP addresses.

THanks,
Chris

OK, I'm going to back off for a moment... I'm not clear on JetDirect being
Ethernet<=>USB. My experience is with a 4550n, not quite the same, perhaps.
Describe to me, in more detail, your connections. Is the printer hooked into
a LAN? Is your computer also hooked into the LAN? Or do you have a USB
connection from your machine to the JetDirect box, which then converts it to
Ethernet on the printer? If the latter, if what hooks into your computer is
USB, then I would assume that you *do* need the JetDirect software to
configure the box.

--
Gary S. Terhune
MS MVP Shell/User

"Chris23" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) oups.com...
> Gary,
>
> This is great info. Can I still physicaly use JetDirect box (ethernet
> to USB)? I also take it I can ignore the non-info the JD is supplying
> to the printer now - non-existent DHCP addresses.
>
> THanks,
> Chris
>

The Jet Direct Print Server will fit in your hand. It's an en3700 by
HP. It has an ethernet connection, a DC power connection and a USB
connection. The ethernet connection is for printer communication with
computers on the network administered by a router (in my case a router
and switch). The USB A/B cable connects from the JetDIrect to the
printer.

HP instructs you to press a button on the JD box to print a config
page(s) to find a router-assigned DHCP address. The static address you
have referred to, Gary, I assume I would just type in durring setup?

THanks,
Chris

Ahh, OK. I can see the routing now. My JetDirect on the 4550 gets inserted
into the printer itself.

What you want to do is configure the JetDirect unit to a static IP address.
You'll have to refer to the manual to determine exactly how to do that.
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport...ectID=bpj02738

But first, you need to make sure which addresses the router has reserved for
DHCP. My point is that it's my experience that assigning a static IP address
*outside* the DHCP assigned range seemed to reduce problems. That was the
case for me and my various LinkSys routers.

On the other hand, this trick may not resolve your original problem with the
NetGear router. For that, you'd need to know NetGear and/or have a darned
good manual. Frankly, in any matters having to do with networking, when I
get stymied I revert every device and driver, etc., to default and start
over (in the case of Windows, that includes deleting all networking devices
and reinstalling them) -- *after* setting many if not all devices to
maintain a static IP.

--
Gary S. Terhune
MS MVP Shell/User

"Chris23" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) ps.com...
> The Jet Direct Print Server will fit in your hand. It's an en3700 by
> HP. It has an ethernet connection, a DC power connection and a USB
> connection. The ethernet connection is for printer communication with
> computers on the network administered by a router (in my case a router
> and switch). The USB A/B cable connects from the JetDIrect to the
> printer.
>
> HP instructs you to press a button on the JD box to print a config
> page(s) to find a router-assigned DHCP address. The static address you
> have referred to, Gary, I assume I would just type in durring setup?
>
> THanks,
> Chris
>

You are really on top of this! I really appreciate it! i will scour
and unintsall every bit of previous software and the examine the
registry, if I can find my way to do so. (Linksys-4 & Netgear-8)

Thanks, Chris

Be careful with that Registry! Otherwise, clean start is often best.

--
Gary S. Terhune
MS MVP Shell/User

"Chris23" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) oups.com...
> You are really on top of this! I really appreciate it! i will scour
> and unintsall every bit of previous software and the examine the
> registry, if I can find my way to do so. (Linksys-4 & Netgear-8)
>
> Thanks, Chris
>

I am at the point where the config page printing is looking healthier -
but it's false hope. Getting a default IP adress of 192.0.0.192.
Cannot properly set up printer. The computers are on the network, but
the printer isn't, even with assigned deault address. I have been
reading widely on net, getting closer. I have pinged the printer
address from main computer. No response. I suspect JetDirect box. I
have "route added" to get the address on my computer (or however that
works) to see JD webpage. Can't. Cause it won't ping either. Crazy.
HP site webpages have taught me some, but not all, of this problem.

And I'm just trying to work from default assignment and signs of life
now. Static is next step.

Chris

There is *definitely* a place in the printer's own control panel (the one
where you keep pushing this button or that to navigate through endless
lists) where you can assign the IP. And it *must* start with 192.168.1.xxx.

--
Gary S. Terhune
MS MVP Shell/User

"Chris23" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) oups.com...
> I am at the point where the config page printing is looking healthier -
> but it's false hope. Getting a default IP adress of 192.0.0.192.
> Cannot properly set up printer. The computers are on the network, but
> the printer isn't, even with assigned deault address. I have been
> reading widely on net, getting closer. I have pinged the printer
> address from main computer. No response. I suspect JetDirect box. I
> have "route added" to get the address on my computer (or however that
> works) to see JD webpage. Can't. Cause it won't ping either. Crazy.
> HP site webpages have taught me some, but not all, of this problem.
>
> And I'm just trying to work from default assignment and signs of life
> now. Static is next step.
>
> Chris
>