Cannot find HP8500A Plus from AirPrint

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Level 1

10 points

Cannot find HP8500A Plus from AirPrint

Hi All;

I have been looking through the various discussions but not yet able to find the key piece of information that will allow me to get my new printer working. I purchased an HP 8500A Plus (CM756A, A910) and installed it. Before doing anything I went to HP support and looked for the latest firmware for the printer, which was listed as 4/1/2011 LRP1FN1107AR, which of downloaded and ran the executable which then updated the printer to that version. I went about completing the setup of the printer for my home network and finally got round to trying to check printing from my iPad, the family has 3 iPads and 4 iPhones and I've had no luck running airprint service on my Windows 2003 server and my old HP OfficeJet Pro L7750 (the only machine in the house that runs all the time) as it appears Bonjour would hang after each access and need to be restarted, ah but I digress here. Bottom line is I bought the 8500A so I could use AirPrint directly with all these mobile devices. The iPads and iPhones all return "No Printers Found" when I attempt to print from them. I've attempt to methodically go through other threads and make sure that the issues discussed there are not present at my house but I must still be missing something. On difference I've noted is it appears folks hit the web app to get firmware updates but I went to HP site and downloaded latest firmware Possiblely two different flavors? When I do the web app thing it tells me there is no later firmware available which seems reasonable given the 4/1/2011 date on the firmware.

1. Printer is really an 8500A Plus model (supposed to have direct AirPrint support) CM756A, A910 with firmware revision LRP1FN1107AR dated 4/1/2011

2. Printer is connected to a wired ethernet network although I have tried wireless as well.

3. Home network is rather complex consisting of several AirPort Extreme dual band base stations, an Airport Express and a number of Cisco SLM2008 switches and a single router Cisco RVS4000, however no traffic except that leaving or entering the house touches the router, everything goes through the switches and various AirPorts.

4. The Mac's (2 mac mini's, 2 macbooks, 1 iMac) and PC's (1 Windows 2003 Server and 4 Windows XP Pro) in the house some wired and some wireless can all "see" the printer (Safari->Bonjour) or Ping HP525A81 and HP525A81.local

5. The printer works with HP ePrint (but I really really don't want to have to email stuff to the printer when I'm right next to it, just on principal)

6. I've powered down everything and restarted a couple times but still no joy

So this is all I can think to say, hopefully I've missed something stupid and a kind sole here will illuminate it and I can get this darn thing working before the wife and kids lose confidence in dear old dad.

Posted on Apr 22, 2011 3:34 PM

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Answer 1

Fred-M-

Level 4

2,397 points

Apr 22, 2011 6:05 PM in response to rfh723

Rfh723-

It sounds like you've tried everything, but here are a couple of points to consider:

1. I was not aware you could install a printer firmware update from your computer. Perhaps you did, but it also could be you merely updated the printer drivers in the computer.

Normally the printer firmware update is done from the printer's control panel. If you tried that approach and it told you there were no updates available, then your printer is probably up-to-date.

2. I'm worried about the Cisco equipment. If an iPad-to-Printer link passes through them, it may not support the Bonjour data required for AirPrint. I don't know if the Mac's use of Bonjour is sufficient to prove the link would work for the iPad.

I suggest you set up a simple test system with a single AirPort Extreme connected via WiFi or Ethernet to the printer. A USB connection will not work. If you can successfully print to this system, it shows the iPad and printer are OK, and the problem is in the communications link.

Fred

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Answer 2

rfh723 Author

Level 1

10 points

Apr 23, 2011 2:15 AM in response to Fred-M-

Fred

Thanks very much for the reply. Yes apparently you can update the firmware from a computer. All I did was go to hp.com followed support links for drivers and when I entered my printer CM756A it ask for the OS providing a list of many Windows OS's, Mac OSX and linux. After selecting WinXP you get to the drivers, firmware and applications. I downloaded the firmware and ran it after the download.

So at any rate I tried your advise in item 2, I took an Airport Extreme (one generation older a/b/g/n but not simultaneous dual band) hooked it to a motherboard I keep around for just such occasions and to the printer ethernet port. After a little configuration magic I could ping everyone and the airport was serving 10.0.1.x address via dhcp. When trying to ping from the iPad to HP525A81 no response (a dns lookup would have been required and no DNS on this little play network), however HP525A81.local worked fine. As I recall Bonjour is responsible for the mDNS and .local suffixes. However when I attempted to print an email I once again got the "No Printers Found" message arghhhh!

I've never used or setup an ad hoc network before but figured I'd give that a try as well. I may have screwed it up but I attempted to create an ad hoc network on the printer with an SSID of TestNet, the iPad was able to find that SSID and I got a check mark showing it was connected but alas still the dreaded "No Printers Found". At this point I'm at the end of my rope, like banging my head against the wall, it feels so good when you stop.

So any ideas? Anyone know how to go back a revision in firmware or where to get older revisions? I'm still stuck on the idea that the way I updated I may have gotten some odd ball version or something. Anyone have it working with firmware LRP1FN1107AR? I'm desperate at this point and I know if I call HP support I'll just tear out what little hair I have remaining.

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Answer 3

Fred-M-

Level 4

2,397 points

Apr 23, 2011 5:49 PM in response to rfh723

Rfh723-

You are technically way ahead of me, so I can't argue with what you did.

How about an even simpler WiFi network consisting of only the AirPort connected by an Ethernet cable to the printer? If the iPad still can't find the printer when connected to this network, then something is broken!

(Also try a different Ethernet cable.)

Fred

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