Airprint seriously disappoints. HP Laserjet 1536dnf doesn't show up!

Question

Level 1

8 points

Airprint seriously disappoints. HP Laserjet 1536dnf doesn't show up!

I want a completely wireless office with only an ipad and the above printer. HP and Apple sites make it appear that the AirPrint printers are simple and automatically show up on a network and can automatically be accessed by the iPad. Not so.

I have already updated the driver for the Laserjet 1536 (on the list of supported printers) AND updated the firmware -- each of those downloads claimed to make AirPrint work. I've also unplugged the USB cable, reset my iPad, powered the printer off/on a few times, waited & waited....but "No Printers Found" is all I get when trying to print from iPad.

Should I mess with Network Settings on the Printer? TCP/IP? There were no instructions to change any of this! My office building has an open wifi network (linksys). Shouldn't this stuff just work? Can't find anything anywhere to say what to do in this case. I feel like I've been duped into buying the printer. Guy at the store said it doesn't have to be hooked to computer/ethernet to setup connectivity.

What is going on??? I'm sure I'm not the only one.

Macbook Pro, ipad, iphone, iOS 4

Posted on Feb 11, 2011 1:32 PM

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Answer 1

Chris CA

Level 10

82,513 points

Feb 11, 2011 1:48 PM in response to Chugnipolis

Does the printer show up in the wifi network?

Guy at the store said it doesn't have to be hooked to computer/ethernet to setup connectivity.

It doesn't need a wifi network if you enable an ad-hoc network with the printer (it creates it's own wifi network).

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Answer 2

Feb 11, 2011 2:39 PM in response to Chugnipolis

This printer is not a wifi enabled printer.
Not sure how you are hooking it up via USB.
If you are hooking it up via USB to the linksys, its not going to work for the ipad.

The printer must be hooked up to Ethernet for the printer to show up on the ipad.

Hope this helps
Ashish

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Answer 3

Chris CA

Level 10

82,513 points

Feb 11, 2011 3:06 PM in response to Ashish of Boston

The printer must be hooked up to Ethernet for the printer to show up on the ipad.

This is incorrect.
A wireless printer does not need to be connected to anything (except electricity) with a wire.
It needs to be on a local wifi network.

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Answer 4

JimHdk

Level 7

28,898 points

Feb 11, 2011 4:06 PM in response to Chris CA

Chris CA wrote:

The printer must be hooked up to Ethernet for the printer to show up on the ipad.

This is incorrect.
A wireless printer does not need to be connected to anything (except electricity) with a wire.
It needs to be on a local wifi network.

Yes, but the HP Laserjet 1536dnf is NOT a wireless printer per se which, I think, is the point that Ashish was making. It must be hooked up by Ethernet to a wireless router to function via AirPrint.

If the OP has installed the firmware update from HP for the printer and he hooks it up via ethernet to his router then it should be recognized.

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Answer 5

Chris CA

Level 10

82,513 points

Feb 11, 2011 11:36 PM in response to rs11gps

You neglect to say HOW to "enable an ad-hoc network" on the iPad

You don't set it up on an iPad.
You set it up on a wireless printer.
As JimHdk noted, you do not have a wireless printer, therefore you cannot create an ad-hoc network.
However, you should read your user manual and follow the link I posted above.

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Answer 6

rs11gps

Level 1

8 points

Feb 12, 2011 2:09 PM in response to Chris CA

You don't set it up on an iPad.

You set it up on a wireless printer.
As JimHdk noted, you do not have a wireless printer, therefore you cannot create an ad-hoc network.

Chris, you are responding to my post as if I were the original poster. I DO have an AirPrint enabled wireless printer: an HP c410a. I CAN, and HAVE created an ad-hoc network with my AirMac and printer.

My comment was directed towards those "answering" questions with explaining HOW to do anything. Usually very authoritatively, but with nearly zero information.

My 'answer' to the same situation with a second, Non-wireless HP 8000 printer, was to buy an Apple AirMac (AirPort) portable router, plug my printer into it's usb port, and log my iPad onto the AirMac's network ID. Works like a champ. The HP 8000 shows up when I click Print in an app.

Specific... to the point... examples. Useful.

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Answer 7

Chris CA

Level 10

82,513 points

Feb 12, 2011 2:40 PM in response to rs11gps

Chris, you are responding to my post as if I were the original poster.

Okay.

Apple AirMac (AirPort)

that would be an Apple AirPort, not AirMac.

Regardless, glad you got it working!
🙂

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Answer 8

Chugnipolis Author

Level 1

8 points

Feb 14, 2011 5:55 PM in response to rs11gps

Thanks. Will give this a try and report back. Does it matter what the age of the airport is? I have on from around '04 and a brand new one. Would like to use the old one as it's free and available. New on is extending a network.

So if I understand correctly, without a printer being wireless/wifi-capable itself, just using an airport connected to the printer via Ethernet will give me AirPrint capability considering that I have an iPad and the HP model that has updated firmware enabling AirPrint?

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Answer 9

Fred-M-

Level 4

2,397 points

Feb 15, 2011 9:50 AM in response to Chugnipolis

Chugnipolis-

I think you understand correctly. Just be sure you connect the printer to a LAN port, not the WAN port of the AirPort. If yours is the small AirPort Express, the older version's Ethernet port is WAN only, so it would not work with your printer.

The later version AirPort Express (MB321LL/A) has one Ethernet port that can be configured to be either LAN or WAN, using Apple's AirPort Utility.app.

Out of curiosity, I dug out an old White Flying-Saucer Apple AirPort base station. (It is one with a built-in dial-up modem.) The iPad could see the printer when connected through the old AirPort, and successfully printed a small photo. (This was a WiFi connection, not via Ethernet.)

Fred

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Answer 10

Chugnipolis Author

Level 1

8 points

Feb 15, 2011 1:27 PM in response to Fred-M-

Thanks Fred. Looks like I need to buy another new Airport Express. Also found this reviewing the 1536dnf::

"All of the other AirPrint compatible HP printers I’ve tested have had Wi-Fi, so connecting my iPhone 4 or iPad to the same network and printing was never a problem. I’ll admit that at first I was a bit confused at how this feature would work on a system without wireless connectivity, and there isn’t much documentation on Apple or HP’s websites to help. I tried connecting the printer via both ethernet and USB to my iMac, connecting the Mac to a wireless network, and then using OS X’s Sharing preferences to share the printer over the network, but it wouldn’t show up as an available AirPrint device. I then connected the printer directly to the wireless router using an Ethernet cable and, voila, AirPrint started working." -- http://pingpond.com/hp-laserjet-pro-m1536dnf-multifunction-printer-review-825048 .htm

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Answer 11

Chris CA

Level 10

82,513 points

Feb 11, 2011 3:05 PM in response to Chugnipolis

See this -> http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/ePrint-Print-Apps-Mobile/HP-Laserjet-1536dnf-MFP-no t-in-list-of-ePrint/m-p/478979

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Answer 12

rs11gps

Level 1

8 points

Feb 11, 2011 10:50 PM in response to Chris CA

You neglect to say HOW to "enable an ad-hoc network" on the iPad, and HOW to make it "with the printer". The statement is not at all helpful without those tidbits.

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