Cannot scan to network folder with HP Laserjet MFP

Question

FredB. Author

Level 1

15 points

Cannot scan to network folder with HP Laserjet MFP

Hi

I'm running MacOS Mojave 10.14.3 on MBA

I have an new HP Laserjetpro MFP M477fdw with built-in scanner

The problem is I cannot scan from the MFP to a network folder on my MBA.

Here's what I've done:

Updated printer driver and restarted printer.

Set up a new shared folder in the my documents folder.

Set file sharing to SMB

Allow everyone to read/write.

Using printer's internal web server, configured Scan to Folder options including my MBA user name and password.

When I test the setup I get the unhelpful error message "The test was unsuccessful. Try again".

Anyone have any idea how to fix this?

I know could use a USB stick to transfer the scans, but I bought this printer partially because I need to scan lots of documents and using the USB stick isn't very practical.

Thanks in advance for any help.

MacBook Air

Posted on Feb 13, 2019 1:11 PM

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Answer 1

John Galt

Level 10

155,750 points

Feb 13, 2019 9:28 PM in response to FredB.

Contact HP for support: Contact a third-party vendor - Apple Support.

... I bought this printer partially because I need to scan lots of documents

My recommendation is to avoid HP. Their Mac support has always been abysmal. Contact them if you so choose but it is certain to be a waste of your time. They will blame you, Apple, macOS, your network, your router... anything and everything but themselves.

Save yourself the hassle and return that printer for a cash refund. Months from now, you will wish that you had, but that time will have been lost forever.

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Answer 2

FredB. Author

Level 1

15 points

Feb 19, 2019 8:40 PM in response to mjlee

Thanks for your suggestion.

I had already translated my Mac's name in the network path to its IP address. Unfortunately I am still unable to scan to a network folder.

One thing I've learned is that despite my printer screen informing me that I had the latest printer firmware datecode (dated 2018) someone at HP provided me with an updated version from January 2019, which doesn't appear on HP's website.

Here's how my Scan to Folder setup looks… is this similar to yours?

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Answer 3

FredB. Author

Level 1

15 points

Feb 20, 2019 6:43 PM in response to mjlee

Hi MJ

Thanks for taking the time to share some more hints. Am I right in assuming that your shared_folder_name is at the root/highest level in your storage system rather than being nested in a folder?

I removed the computer name before my user name but it didn't seem to help.

The quest to scan to the network folder continues!

Cheers

Fred

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Answer 4

mjlee

Level 1

40 points

Feb 21, 2019 5:49 PM in response to FredB.

Sorry for the confusion. I was writing the way programmers and mathematicians use variable names.

“shared_folder_name” represents a variable name, such as X in the formula X + 2 = 5 (therefore, X = 3). And the “LJ400_SHARE” is a value for the folder name, I.e., what I actually named the folder I put on the desktop. In your case, your shared_folder_name = scans

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Answer 5

mjlee

Level 1

40 points

Feb 20, 2019 6:52 PM in response to FredB.

Interesting, hadn’t thought of that. My LJ400_SHARE is on my MBP Desktop. I also have it set so that pretty much Everyone has read/write access to it.

Good luck!

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Answer 6

FredB. Author

Level 1

15 points

Feb 20, 2019 8:00 PM in response to mjlee

I'm curious where you got the name "LJ400_SHARE" name from and how it's different from the \\192.168.1.66\shared_folder_name you mentioned.

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Answer 7

mjlee

Level 1

40 points

Feb 17, 2019 12:29 PM in response to FredB.

Did you figure this out? I am having the exact same problem. I have had my Laserjet MFP 475dn since 2013, and I used to scan to the shared folder on my MBP. But it seems like since Mojave, I can no longer do that. When I log into the Laserjet's web server page and try to configure the "Scan to Network Folder" settings, when testing it just says

"Cannot connect to the network folder. Ensure the shared folder name is correct."

I am pretty sure I have the shared folder name correct; It's the same folder I used before Mojave.

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Answer 8

mjlee

Level 1

40 points

Feb 17, 2019 12:57 PM in response to mjlee

OMG, after I posted my question, I tried one more time and got it to work!

Previously, I had used a network path of \\username\shared_folder_name, but with Mojave, this was getting the error message "Cannot connect to the network folder. Ensure the shared folder name is correct."

But what works now under Mojave is including the ip address of my MBP in the network path, i.e.

\\192.168.1.66\shared_folder_name

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Answer 9

mjlee

Level 1

40 points

Feb 20, 2019 9:56 AM in response to FredB.

My config is a lot simpler.

I think I tried the Network Path using the \\ipaddress\MacintoshHD\Users\fredb... approach, and i think the page would not accept it. So instead, for Network Path, I used the one I listed above:

\\192.168.1.66\shared_folder_name where shared_folder_name is the name of the folder you are scanning to
\\192.168.1.66\LJ400_SHARE is my folder name I input in the Network Path field

Another difference is username. I input simply my computer login username, I do not add in your prefix of "Fred-MBA\".

I think I tried that, and the page also did not accept it...

I did check for firmware updates, but my LJ is so old that they don't seem to be updating it anymore. But as I say, changing to IP address made it work again.

Good luck,

-mj lee

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