Sharing HP LJ printer with Macs and WinXPs ?

The ethernet network has Macs and HP LJ 2100 printers. All has worked well.
Recently, several Windows laptops (XP h.e, 2000) have been added to the
wireless segment of the network.

I've added drivers to Windows machines before, but I'm having some problems
doing it on these.

I downloaded the driver for WinXP from the HP web site, and unzipped it. The
folder is sitting on the root level of the C: drive. So, how do I get it
installed?

I've tried the "Add A Printer" route by running the Add Printer Wizard, but
when I browse to find the printer on the network, I see nothing.

One of the Help files mentions that if ICF (Internet Connection Firewall) is
enabled, this might interfere, but I can't find that feature (where to
enable/disable it).

I need some step-by-step assistance on how to install this printer for these
Windows systems. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
--
Please, no "Go Google this" replies. I wouldn't
ask a question here if I hadn't done that already.

DaveC
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DaveC wrote:
> The ethernet network has Macs and HP LJ 2100 printers. All has worked
> well. Recently, several Windows laptops (XP h.e, 2000) have been
> added to the wireless segment of the network.
>
> I've added drivers to Windows machines before, but I'm having some
> problems doing it on these.
>
> I downloaded the driver for WinXP from the HP web site, and unzipped
> it. The folder is sitting on the root level of the C: drive. So, how
> do I get it installed?
>
> I've tried the "Add A Printer" route by running the Add Printer
> Wizard, but when I browse to find the printer on the network, I see
> nothing.
>
> One of the Help files mentions that if ICF (Internet Connection
> Firewall) is enabled, this might interfere, but I can't find that
> feature (where to enable/disable it).
>
> I need some step-by-step assistance on how to install this printer
> for these Windows systems. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Thanks,

First, on my XP SP2 the LJ2100 has a native XP driver. You can check
this by using the Add Printer Wizard, Install a local printer, accept
the default port, and the printer driver array will appear. Select HP,
scroll to find the LJ2100. Cancel out since this is just a check. If
you find the LJ2100, then you do not need the HP download, which is good
since the Windows driver is naked, not containing the annoying HP
monitor app.

If the LJ2100 is not native on these XP installations, then you can
browse to the driver folder from the Add Printer wizard (select a
location option) and the install.inf file will be identified and the
driver installed. Otherwise if there is a setup.exe file, use that to
install (double-click it to execute). Look in that folder for a
readme.txt or install.txt file for installation hints.

Second, the Windows network must be accessible before you can browse for
a printer successfully. A quick check is to open Windows Explorer,
select My Network Places, Entire network, Microsoft Windows Network,
NetworkName. You should be able to see the computers on the network.
If you cannot see the networked computers, then the printers will not
show up in the Add Printer wizard either. Since XP networking can be
hit or miss for even experienced users, go to this site and work through
the networking advice:
http://www.michna.com/kb/WxNetwork.htm This is the best site I know of
for help with Windows networking and includes information about XP SP2.
Note that even with this it might be necessary to have the printer IP
address and/or network name, i.e., //Printername/PortNumber in order to
access it via the Add Printer wizard.

Q

Just discovered that the only network connector the HP LJ 2100 printer has is
an AppleTalk connection, not an Ethernet connection. Plugged into the
printer's AppleTalk port is an Asante AsanteTalk adapter, which has an
Ethernet connector which connects to the network hub.

I guess the $64K question is whether the Windows computers can print to the
printer over this adapter. I presume that these AppleTalk-to-Ethernet
adapters have an IP address, but it is not obvious what it is, and if so, if
it is configurable. The manual for the AsanteTalk device says that it will
not pass IP packets. Is this a "killer" for using it with the Windows
computers?

If so, HP makes an Ethernet card that plugs into the printer (available on
e-Bay). Maybe this is my solution?

Thanks,
--
Please, no "Go Google this" replies. I wouldn't
ask a question here if I hadn't done that already.

DaveC
(E-Mail Removed)
This is an invalid return address
Please reply in the news group

I'd go with the Ethernet card or a JetDirect, whichever you can get cheaper.
The apples will speak TCP/IP to the printer, and since the printer is a
standalone network device (not shared on a PC), you won't have to deal with
installing additional protocols or the nightmares that go along with that.
The apples can just print directly to the printer. You can still create a
print server for the windows boxes so you don't have to install the printer
software on every machine.

....kurt

"DaveC" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) al.net...
> Just discovered that the only network connector the HP LJ 2100 printer has
is
> an AppleTalk connection, not an Ethernet connection. Plugged into the
> printer's AppleTalk port is an Asante AsanteTalk adapter, which has an
> Ethernet connector which connects to the network hub.
>
> I guess the $64K question is whether the Windows computers can print to
the
> printer over this adapter. I presume that these AppleTalk-to-Ethernet
> adapters have an IP address, but it is not obvious what it is, and if so,
if
> it is configurable. The manual for the AsanteTalk device says that it will
> not pass IP packets. Is this a "killer" for using it with the Windows
> computers?
>
> If so, HP makes an Ethernet card that plugs into the printer (available on
> e-Bay). Maybe this is my solution?
>
> Thanks,
> --
> Please, no "Go Google this" replies. I wouldn't
> ask a question here if I hadn't done that already.
>
> DaveC
> (E-Mail Removed)
> This is an invalid return address
> Please reply in the news group
>

DaveC wrote:

> Just discovered that the only network connector the HP LJ 2100 printer has is
> an AppleTalk connection, not an Ethernet connection. Plugged into the
> printer's AppleTalk port is an Asante AsanteTalk adapter, which has an
> Ethernet connector which connects to the network hub.

> I guess the $64K question is whether the Windows computers can print to the
> printer over this adapter. I presume that these AppleTalk-to-Ethernet
> adapters have an IP address, but it is not obvious what it is, and if so, if
> it is configurable. The manual for the AsanteTalk device says that it will
> not pass IP packets. Is this a "killer" for using it with the Windows
> computers?

Many protocols can run over ethernet, IP and Appletalk being two.
The original Appletalk hardware was renamed Localtalk not long
after it appeared, and Appletalk protocols over ethernet were
named Ethertalk.

It is unusual for Asante boxed to have IP addresses, but there
are print servers that support both IP and Appletalk.

-- glen