can't get ip address of printer
 

Howdy folks,

I inherited an HP Laserjet 2100TN. It seems to boot and print the test page ok. I've got it connected directly to my Intel Powerbook via the ethernet port, no hub in between. I use an Airport Express for internet connectivity.

When adding the printer via the Print and Fax control panel, I want to be able to enter the IP address of the printer but for the life of me I can't figure out what it is.

I've read about how to ping the broadcast address (.255) of my local subnet to see what responds. My PB sits on my Airport's subnet (10.0.1.x) and I can ping 10.0.1.255 and see the Airport respond. The printer sits on my PB's ethernet port however. I don't know what the leading digits of the printer's IP address are in order to ping.

I probably want to specify the ethernet port as the destination for the ping so I can be sure I'm sending a ping down the right interface. Supposedly doing ping -I will accomplish this however I get an "invalid multicast interface" when specifying en0, 1, 2, or 3 in the ping command. Ex ping -I en1 10.0.1.255 (should try to ping the Airport, which after doing a netstat -i, seems to be on interface en1).

There is no LCD panel on this printer, so I can't go through a setup menu to figure out its configuration. I've tried all the tricks I have in my bag. Any guesses?

Thx.

What IP does it show for the printer on the printer's test page?

Trevor

So that's the issue - you are trying to use two network interfaces. You need to manually setup the ethernet interface with an IP address in a different subnet (10.0.2.x will be OK). Subnet mask 255.255.255.0.
Then it will probably work best to set the printer in this subnet, too. But may not be needed, because you can then set appletalk On for ethernet and probably Add the printer via appletalk (default browser instead of IP printer).

HTH

Oh, and I think there's a test button near the ethernet connector on the printer. Press that to get the network info including IP address.

Don't use AppleTalk.

1. the IP address should be on the test/configuration page, which most HPs produce by holding down the OK button. Alternatively, you should be able to see it in Network Utility > NetStat > Display Routing table info.

2. To adjust your printer's IP address, you may need to telnet to its current IP address, and follow the commands there. Or, you can try putting the IP address into Safari, as HP printers have web-based control panels. However, you'll need to change the User Agent in Safari to Internet Explorer, as it won't let Macs on. (Access the Developer menu from Safari preferences.)

3. Assuming you have your Airport set to 192.168.1.x: set up your printer's IP to 192.168.2.y. Configure the Ethernet port on your Mac to 192.168.2.z, and order the items in Network Preferences, so that Ethernet is below Airport. (Or 10.0.... for all IP addresses.) Subnet 255.255.255.0.

4. Use HP Jet Direct Socket protocol.

Thank you everyone. I've got things working via one of the solutions provided though I'd like to try the other if I can make sense of the netstat output.

Trevor: unfortunately the test page (which you get by holding down the big button on the printer's top panel) does not display the IP address that the printer is currently configured with.

Gsahli: this solution works well, and I've gone with this approach pending resolving the IP address issue. Unfortunately there is no hidden button next to the ethernet panel on the printer, but that's a non-issue using this method.

Benwiggy: I'd like to use this approach, but doing the netstat I can't intuit where the printer would be. The ethernet port is manually configured with IP 10.0.2.2, a different subnet than the Airport (PB sits at 10.0.1.2). Here's a snippit of the netstat output:

Destination Gateway Flags Refs Use Netif Expire
10.0.1/24 link#6 UCS 2 0 en1
10.0.1.1 0:19:e3:e4:5a:a3 UHLW 12 1074 en1 1117
10.0.1.2 localhost UHS 0 0 lo0
10.0.1.255 link#6 UHLWb 2 38 en1
10.0.2.2 localhost UHS 1 159 lo0


I've downloaded a PDF of the manual. I suspect there was a utility program that came on an install CD. I'm digging around for a binary of that.

Thank you very much everyone. I greatly appreciate your insights.

.c.

Thank you everyone. I'm able to use the printer as a result of gsahli's suggestion, though I'd like to get the IP address sorted out. To respond individually:

trevor: Unfortunately the test page does not print out IP configuration information.

gsahli: This worked like a charm and has allowed me to print. There is no magic button next to the ethernet however. Not on this model, at least.

benwiggy: I'd like to get the IP address sorted out. I'm not sure what to look for in the netstat output. There doesn't look to be anything out there on the ethernet's subnet. I'm wondering if the printer is expecting to get an IP address via DHCP.

All of those are en1 (Airport) or lo0 (localhost).
Is there nothing for en0? (Make sure the printer's on.)
I presume you've looked through the menu control panel on the printer?

You say you have an Intel PowerBook? The PowerBooks were PPC only. Or do you mean a MacBook? If you have a PowerBook, you may be able to use the old OS 9 HP Laserjet Utility.

From the manual

To print the configuration page, press and
release the GO and JOB CANCEL buttons simultaneously when the
printer is ready. If you have an EIO card installed, a second page will
print listing all of the EIO information.

You should see the IP address there.

Sorry for the double-reply. I thought something happened to my first post and that it didn't get swallowed. I do in fact have a MacBook. (difficult for an old-timer to change nomenclature).

>Is there nothing for en0? (Make sure the printer's on.)

Yes. It was on. The only entries for en0 were in a later section of the netstat output.

Internet6:
Destination Gateway Flags Netif Expire
...
fe80::%en0 link#4 UC en0

I've looked through the manual I downloaded. Its a home-scan of a 2100 manual, which may vary slightly from my 2100TN. It does not mention what Baf suggests. It could be that I don't have the entire manual here.

Nonetheless, Baf's solution works and the LaserJet prints out the config info. Seems the printer is at 10.10.0.20. Awesome.

I set my ethernet port's address to 10.10.0.2. I can ping the LaserJet directly just fine however when I use the broadcast address and ping .255, nothing responds, not even localhost. There is obviously a hole in my understanding of network utilities that I need to fill.

For the sake of argument this thread resolved, I got the IP address of the printer, though not in the manner I expected. Thank you everyone for chiming in. :)

Some hole plugging.
10.10.0.255 is a broadcast address only if the netmask is 255.255.255.0
usually for 10.x.x.x the mask is 255.0.0.0 so for that net's broadcast is 10.255.255.255 also notable is that many gadgets don't respond to broadcast pings.

Hi,

As the printer is directly connected to the Mac via Ethernet, I trust you used an Ethernet crossover cable...

Regards,

Nick

A crossover cable should not be required for any Mac sold since about 2002 or so, as modern Macs include autosensing ethernet interfaces.

Trevor

I agree, that is the theory.

However, I have a HP Laserjet 2100TN in the office that would only work 100% of the time with a crossover cable in a similar situation.

Regards,

Nick

can't understand "gshali's" advice for manual IP insert
 

Looking sooo forward to owning Ist Mac, saved forever & got 6mo. old MacBook Pro w/ OSX 10.5, & parallels w/ Win. XP. Owned it a week & just finally got it connected to my wireless ethernet, now cannot get HP 2600 series All-In-One installed anywhere, not on LAN, not on Bonjour (which I totally do not understand!), not on Airport. Tried to understand & follow your advice about manually installing the IP address, but it will not allow me to do so on my LAN & using the one you listed for Airport gives me error message saying I've entered too few numbers, but I don't know what other numbers to enter! Don't know enough about Macs, or computers in general for that matter, to know how to ping for address either. Could you (or anyone) please explain in plain English, how I get this printer set up, AND, what the heck Bonjour is & does (the tutorial taught me NOTHING - just confused me more)? I would really appreciate the time & patience it would take to deal w/ a non-techie, frustrated mother of 2 teens (whose "help" is not helping!).
MANY THANKS:confused:
PS: Can you also advise on any good reference books/manuals that might help me better understand how to use &/or troubleshoot my MB Pro (other than my mine that each walk on 2 feet!)?:)

What gsahli is saying is that if you use a wireless network only for your networking, but connect your ethernet printer directly to the computer using ethernet, then you should make the ethernet printer use a different subnet (different IP addresses) than your main (wireless) network.

An example: let's say that your wireless network uses IP address numbers in the range of 192.168.1.0 to 192.168.1.255. Then what gsahli is saying is that the printer needs to be on a different networking subnet, and one possible example of a different subnet is 10.0.2.0 to 10.0.2.255. (He or she used an x to indicate that there was another number that needed to go in that fourth place, which was undefined. The long way to write that is 10.0.2.0 to 10.0.2.255. Pick a number, any number in that range.)

This is all correct given the original question's requirements, but it's a way to fix a problem that doesn't really need to be there. The right way to do this is to really put an ethernet printer on your network. Use the same subnet numbers, and every computer on your network will be able to use it. So don't connect it directly to your computer, connect it directly to your router, using an ethernet cable. This solves all the problems, in a much easier way.

Trevor

Thanks Trevor, but I obviously didn't explain things correctly. My printer has always been connected directly to the router, [B]not[B] to the computer. When my daughter got her Dell, I didn't have to do anything but use the Network Setup Wizard & once her computer was on the LAN, it recognized the printer w/o any trouble. I think therein lies @ least part of the problem,I did not do that w/ this computer, my son did, & he had all kinds of problems, hence do I because I did not a) do it myself & b) did not supervise what he was doing! A lot of headaches could most likely have been avoided if I had. As a result, thinking that he knew more about Macs than me (OK, most anybody does) because he's used them before, & all his friends have them, that he was better suited to the task, unfortunately I don't think in this instance he was & as a result things have gottenvery complicated now! He decided that because this was a Mac, that he had to use the original MAC install disc that came w/ the printer. All that's done is make the HP Setup Assistant pop up every time you turn on the computer (or wake it up, etc) & scan for the printer via the TCP/IP address, which it says it cannot find. There are 3 columns on that message screen, 1 for Device Type, 1 for IP Address & 1 for Mac Address but you cannot enter data in any of the columns manually! After consulting his techie buddies, it was decided that he needed to get an updated HP driver for Mac from their site, which he did & downloaded, still no printer. After reading the threads on here, I told him I didn't think that any driver needed to be installed, that there was just some problem getting the Mac to recognize the printer. I believe that problem lies in how he set up the LAN because no matter how many times you set it for our home LAN, it just goes to belkin54g, which is my airport card, on its own. I believe that the other 2 ethernet connections are in fact both from my router as its IP address is not static. They are both configured w/ DHCP (whatever that is) & have same subnet but different IP addresses, although neither of which is in the 10.0.2.0 to 10.0.2.255 range.
When I manually set it to use our home LAN, that then replaces the belking54g as the airport card. The day after I told my son that I shouldn't need a driver, what I needed was to get the Mac to recognize the printer via the network, because if a dumb Dell can, than this certainly can, he took it back to the techies @ school who decided to download a program w/several HP drivers for Mac, oh yeah!
I will be the 1st to admit that I really don't know anything about Macs, or even PC's for that matter, but after having to deal w/ a PC & all the screw-ups my kids made on them over the years, I do know a little, but you have me lost w/ where & how to put in these IP addresses. I don't understand how the Airport card works, & I'm totally out in left field when it comes to Bonjour, and I'd really like to know if I can set this keyboard to recognize my soft touch, because I'm not a "key banger" like my kids & it's taking forever to type this thing because I keep having to go back to add in letters it doesn't feel me type!
Now that you have all this updated 'data', could you help me further? How do I backtrack & figure out where the mistake was made & how in the heck do I get this Setup Asst. to stop "assisting" me?! And if I don't need these drivers, how do I seek & destroy them & go about getting my Mac connected to my LAN? And can you please explain the Airport card & Bonjour, in very simplified terms, or tell me where to go (Freudian slip) to find out more about them, what I've read from Apple's tutorial does not help me much w/ Airport & not @ all w/ Bonjour!
I also need to find out about if & how I can download my info from my desktop onto this somehow, so I can have my favorites list & passwords, et al. I'm running the same version of Windows XP on both w/ Parallel on the Mac for it. Like I said, if I'm ever going to understand this w/o asking question a day in every forum, I really need a suggestion for a good manual for this thing too!
Thanks much for your time & patience in even reading this, your help it's greatly appreciated.

SL

Trevor: Just wanted to let you know that I actually figured out how to get the darn thing working by myself! Pretty amazing, huh? I was right, my son had not connected to our LAN correctly, so 1st I corrected that problem. Then I used "assist me" & followed all the directions & found that I did in fact require a downloaded driver, but not from HP's site, I needed one from Apple's site. Once that was downloaded I could put in the printer IP address, etc. & just like that I was up & running. Also got HP Setup Asst. to run finally, except for one thing. The registration for the printer went fine & printer configured thru it, however the Instant Share registration just keeps running & running w/o registering or configuring. It's showing the correct device, IP address, etc. but will not automatically show the registration like it did for printer, or allow any configuration, it just keeps running & running until I push the stop button. Any idea why?
Well anyway, for those of you out there who don't think you can handle things on your own, let this be an inspiration. If an old lady can figure out how to do something her kids have messes up (again), then so can you! Just keep reading the threads & posts on here & like me, you may be able to figure it out yourself, & if not, there are certainly enough knowledgeable people on here willing to help.
A kernel of wisdom I got from this experience: I bought a Mac because I was sick of spending the last 15yrs. trying to use my Windows PC only to spendhours having to fix something my kids had screwed up, or worse, replacing 3 of them that my son had crashed beyond repair. Once you have yours, don't let anybody touch it unless they're certified to repair Apples, no matter how much more experience they have w/ Macs, or how non-"techie" you are, unless you want to end up like me! Work w/them (ie: monitor what they're doing to your precious Mac), &/or, try using reputable sites like this & read & re-read the tutorials. Believe me, if my non-technical brain can absorb it, so can yours! (Sorry, don't mean to preach, just hope to save someone else a weeks worth of grief)
Now Trevor, bout this darn keyboard! See, I purposely left the "a" off about, which I typed but didn't pound hard enough, just what forum would this problem fall under?!
SL

keyboard & guidebooks questions
 

Hi guys & gals: still looking for answer to 2 questions. Can I do anything to "reset" this keyboard to recognize a lighter keystroke, & can anyone suggest some [I]very[I] plain English, but comprehensive written guidebooks for Mac "newbies" such as myself?
SL

PS: Trevor (or other moderator), am I doing this right by "posting quick reply"
or should I be posting elsewhere & where should that be? :confused:

No, sorry. You need to find a keyboard that responds to the weight of keystroke that you prefer, and if the one that came with your Mac doesn't suit your preference, then there are lots of other keyboards that will. Pretty much any USB keyboard, whether designed for Macs or Windows, will work just fine, but the location of the Control, Command, and Alt keys may be confusing on a keyboard designed for Windows. If you need keyboard recommendations, tell us what your priorities are, and someone here can steer you in the right direction.

David Pogue's "Mac OS X: The Missing Manual" (be sure to get the right one for the version of OS X that you are using, such as Leopard or Tiger) is very good for people in your situation.
http://www.amazon.com/Mac-OS-Leopard...6283983&sr=8-1

Since you used to use a Windows PC, you might also benefit from "Switching to the Mac, The Missing Manual Leopard Edition" (or Tiger edition, etc.):
http://www.amazon.com/Switching-Mac-...6283983&sr=8-2

Yes, you are doing exactly the right thing by "posting quick reply".

Trevor

Yes, because HP Setup Assistant is a buggy mess. Personally, I'd remove it completely from your computer, and use Apple's driver (as you already did! Good job!).

Trevor

In case this is still bugging anyone, to get the IP configuration page on this HP LaserJet 2100TN printer, you need to hold down both buttons together for about 5 seconds. This produces not a regular test page but a different page with ALL the details and specs of the printer, including network information.