HP Colour LaserJet 2600n and Static Routing problems

Computer Hardware
#1

Hi everyone,

I recently got a HP Colour LaserJet 2600n and proceeded to connect it to the network. For a while all was fine, but then the DHCP server of my router kicked in with avengence. Seems like printers don’t take kindly to having their IP Address changed every day. Now my computers cannot find the printer as its IP keeps hopping around every day.

I can usually reinstall the software and it will find the printer and configure the IP settings (a process I stupidly tried to work around by what I’m about to say), but then I had a go at static routing. I tried setting up a Static address on the router with the following settings (tried a couple other IP addresses too):

IP Address: 192.168.1.2
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway: 192.168.1.1
Hop count: 1
Interface: LAN

I also put the relevant ones (IP, Subnet and Gateway) into the printer. But alas, absolutely no connectivity, even when everything is set to auto config again (as it started, with DHCP). The CD won’t give me back connectivity to the printer now either.

Here is my network setup in case it will help:

Cable modem --> Router

Router --> Straight into downstairs PC

Router --> Also to a hub upstairs

Hub --> This PC

Hub --> Also the the printer in question

The printer is a HP Color LaserJet 2600n
The router is a Linksys BEFSR41
The hub is a D-Link DE-809TP

Even if I can get back to being able to install again each day, I don’t really want to do that as it is far from ideal. Can any of you networking geniuses help quite a rookie to set up the static routing option?

Thanks very much
Chriso

#2

UPDATE: The ability to reinstall every day with a new IP is back, but a real pain once again.

Can anyone advise me on setting up the Static IP address for the printer?

#3

2 tools you might need … to find your printer :wink:

http://www.famatech.com/radmin/utility/lscan.php
http://www.famatech.com/products/utilities/ipscanner.php

Once you have discovered your Printers IP address, use your web browser (internet explorer recommended, rather than firefox), type in your printers (currently dynamic) IP address and use the web-interface to configure it with a static IP address. This IP address should be outside your routers DHCP pool of IP addresses.
Aka, if you router hands out 192.168.1.2->192.168.1.31 , then make your printer 192.168.0.32-254.

Alternately, look at your router’s status page, to see what IP’s have been leased & then try those (minus your pc’s IP)

Usually, when you have an IP based printer, you will configure it to a particular IP, port or LPR Queue, and link the relevant driver to it.

Generally I group my “standalone” network devices to a range ( aka 2->6) so you don’t need to remember each ones IP address (exccept when setting up). You can just try all low IP addresses & get the right one relatively quickly.

Once the driver has been installed on your system, you can do the following (if you have the info)

Add printer->Local printer (untick auto-detect)->Create A new port (standard TCP/IP port)->Add printer name + IP address->

If you know that your printer is a HP jet-direct/EX/multi/single port, you can select one of those. Maybe also try “generic”.

Failing that you have to do it the hard way :stuck_out_tongue:
->Custom Port:
a) Raw->Stick your port number
b) LPR->Queue name (what the print server calls it)

Then Ok :slight_smile:
It’ll ask you to point it to the right printer driver, but that should be fine, cos you’ve already installed it.

No worries :slight_smile:

#4

And HP’s recommended wa to do it :wink:


Follow these steps to install the HP Color LaserJet 2600n printing-system software on networked computers running Microsoft Windows 2000, Microsoft Windows XP, or Microsoft Windows Server 2003:

      NOTE: Administrator privileges are required to install the software. 

In this configuration, the device is connected directly to the network, and all computers on the network print directly to the device.

      NOTE: This mode is the recommended network configuration for the device. 

   1.

      Connect the device directly to the network by inserting a network cable into the device network port.
   2.

      Turn on the printer and allow 1 to 2 minutes for the printer to acquire an IP address.
   3.

      Use the device control panel to print a Configuration page and identify the IP address.
         1.

            Press the < or > button until Reports appears in the control panel display and then press Select.
         2.

            Press the < or > button until Config Report appears in the control panel display and then press Select. The Configuration Report will print out. The IP address is listed in the Network Settings section.
   4.

      Close all open programs and TSRs before running the software installation program.
         1.

            Simultaneously press and release the Ctrl, Alt, and Delete keys on the computer keyboard to open the Windows Security window.
         2.

            Click the Task Manager button and then select the Applications tab.
         3.

            Highlight one item and then click End Task.
         4.

            Repeat this procedure until all items are closed.
   5.

      Insert the HP Color LaserJet 2600n printing-system software CD into the CD-ROM drive.

            NOTE: If the CD does not start automatically, click Start, Run, and then browse to and double-click the SETUP.EXE file in the root directory of the CD. 
   6.

      Click Next on the Welcome screen.
   7.

      Read the Software License Agreement and then click Yes to continue.
   8.

      Verify that Connected via the network is selected on the Printer Connection screen, and then click Next.
   9.

      Select Specify a printer by address on the Identify Printer screen and then click Next to go to the Specify Printer dialog box.
  10.

      Select IP Address on the Specify Printer screen, type in the printer IP address identified on the HP Color LaserJet 2600n Configuration Page printed in step 3, and then click Next to start the installation process.
  11.

      Verify the product is correctly identified as HP Color LaserJet 2600 on the Printer Found screen. Select Yes install this printer, and click Next to continue.
  12.

      Confirm the network settings. Change settings, if necessary, or click Next to accept the settings and continue.
  13.

      Click Next on the Start Copying Files screen to install the printer software. A progress bar reflects the status of the install process.
  14.

      The setup must reboot the system dialog box appears, select Yes, I want to restart my computer now and then click Finish to restart the computer.
  15.

      The Setup Complete dialog box appears after reboot. The Register Color LaserJet 2600n Online check box and Print Test Page check box are selected by default.
          *

            Click Finish with the Register Color LaserJet 2600n Online check box selected to open the Online Registration page in a Web browser and the Setup Complete dialog box appears.
          *

            Click Finish with the Print Test Page check box selected to send a test page to the printer and the Setup Complete dialog box appears.
#5

Worked brilliantly, you LEGEND!