Hp and Airport Express

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Level 1

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Hp and Airport Express

First I want to say I am not a Mac person but I'm trying to help some friends hook up their Hp C4280 printer to their Apple Airport. I hooked the printer to the Airport and attempted to install the software/drivers on my friends laptop but we could not get the laptop to install the drivers for the printer? The printer doesn't show up in the printer utilities either. I thought Mac was suppose to be pnp but no go. Do Hp printers work with Mac? My friend said that only Mac approved printers will work. That seams odd to me. This problem has been going on for nearly 3 weeks now. Please help! I just don't know why I can't plug this thing and print! The laptop she has is one year old and has all the current updates.

Mac OS X (10.4.4)

Posted on Feb 2, 2008 7:19 PM

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Answer 1

Henry B.

Level 9

78,731 points

Feb 2, 2008 7:46 PM in response to brbrem

Absolutely yes - HP printers work with Macs. If a printer manufacturer says their printer is supported for use with a Mac - then it will work, and that includes this HP Photosmart C4280 All-in-One.

Did you try downloading and installing the latest version of the software for this printer from HP's web site. It is a big download (over 190MB), and it can be found here

The printer must be connected directly to the Mac, and must be proven to work when connected directly to the Mac, before attempting to test it when connected via an Airport Express. With that being said, keep two other things in mind:
1. others have reported here that they had no problem getting the C4280 to print when connected via an Airport Express, but...
2. the other functions of this multifunction printer will not work when connected in this manner. This is normal and expected.

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Answer 2

brbrem Author

Level 1

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Feb 2, 2008 8:56 PM in response to Henry B.

Thanks Henry B I will pass this info on to her. I did try to hook up the printer to her laptop but the OS did not even see the new printer? Shouldn't it automaticly recognize the printer or at least a new device? I'm totaly lost when it comes to Macs.

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Answer 3

Henry B.

Level 9

78,731 points

Feb 2, 2008 9:02 PM in response to brbrem

The MacOS can recognize and install drivers for many printer products. However, some printers (like this one) require installation of software before the printer can be used on the Mac.

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Answer 4

brbrem Author

Level 1

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Feb 3, 2008 6:30 AM in response to Henry B.

Ok. I get that, but the software will not install. When it comes to picking the printer form a list the Hp C4280 is not there. It shows a printer model that they don't even own! A search comes up with nothing. Can the just drivers be downloaded for the Mac? This is very frustrating for me.

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Answer 5

Henry B.

Level 9

78,731 points

Feb 3, 2008 7:21 AM in response to brbrem

Since the drivers for this printer are not built into the MacOS,it isn't possible to just pick this printer from a list. It is essential that the driver software HP supplies for this printer be installed - and that driver software can be downloaded from HP's web site at the link I provided.

What happens when you attempt to install the software? Nothing happens? No error messages?

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Answer 6

brbrem Author

Level 1

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Feb 3, 2008 6:09 PM in response to Henry B.

While trying to install the software we get to a screen that lists the printers to install. In the list is a printer that is not the printer we are trying to install! Can't get any further than that. I brought this printer home and pluged it into my laptop (PC) and windows installed the driver and the printer works great. I think we will give up on this. They are heading back to the Apple Store to see if they can get a printer to work with their Airport and laptops.

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