Printing to AppleTalk printer via Ethernet

Question

Level 2

189 points

Printing to AppleTalk printer via Ethernet

I’ve read all the pages I could find about this topic, and several threads on this forum, and tried everything suggested but I still can’t get my Mac Mini with OS X 10.7.4 to print to my HP printer.

My hardware setup is thus: HP LaserJet 6MP is connected by its AppleTalk cable through an AsanteTalk bridge to an Ethernet hub. (There is also a DSL box connected to the same hub). The hub is connected to my Mac Mini via the Ethernet port. This setup worked fine with my old eMac with 10.3.9. The printer was recognized automatically and I did not need to do any special setup, at least with 10.3.9. I understand that Apple dropped support for AppleTalk with Snow Leopard, but is there any possible way to make this work?

I bought a Mac Mini with OSX 10.7.4, and I have connected the same hub to the Mac Mini via the Ethernet port. The DSL works fine. But I am unable to print. I have read through the following pages and tried everything suggested on these pages:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4670

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4507

http://gigaom.com/apple/how-to-resurrect-your-appletalk-printer-in-snow-leopard/

What I have done to set up the printer is:

1) I have downloaded the latest HP drivers and run Software Update today, to verify that all my software is current.

2) I powered down everything and then powered everything back up starting with the printer, then the hub, then the Mac.

3) In System Preferences -> Network, I noted that it says “Ethernet is currently active and has the IP address 76.212.150.40” So I am assuming the IP address of the printer is 76.212.150.40 However I'm not sure if I'm correct in assuming that.

4) I ran Terminal and typed PING 76.212.150.40 and got a series of replies,

64 bytes from 76.212.150.40: icmp_seq=0 ttl=64 time=0.071 ms and so forth.

5)I go to System Preferences -> Print & Scan. I click the + to add a printer, then the IP icon. For Protocol I have tried all 3 options, but the last time I chose Line Pinter Daemon - LPD for the protocol, because it’s an old printer.

6) For the address I put in 76.212.150.40

7) The “Print using” field came up automatically with Generic PostScript Printer, but I chose Select Printer Software... and chose HP LaserJet 6P/6MP - Postscript.

8) I click “Add” and I get a warning message, “Unable to verify the printer on your network. It cannot be currently determined if ‘76.212.150.40” supports the Line Printer Daemon Protocol. Would you still like to create the queue?” I click Continue.

9) The next dialog box asks me to verify my printer’s options (the only one is Total Memory and I set that to “6 Mb or more” because the printer has 7 Mb of memory. I click OK.

10) The printer shows up in the list of printers. Under it says, “Idle, Last Used.” I print a test page of one sentence, using Tex-Edit Plus. The printer’s status changes to “In use” in printer list. In the Print Queue, it says that it is printing my document, but under that it says “The printer is busy.” And it stays like that.

I have tried deleting that printer, and adding it again with all the above steps. I have also powered down the whole system and started up again. Now it says, “The printer is not responding.” and if I turn the printer and hub off and then back on again, I am back to “The printer is busy” message.

Is the problem here that I am trying to still use AppleTalk or LocalTalk? Besides the LocalTalk port, the printer also has 2 parallel ports (a B-type and a C-type) and an infrared port that I have never used. Would a parallel-to-USB cable or adapter solve this?

Is the problem that the DSL is interfering with the communication between the Mac and the printer? Is the problem with OSX 10.7.4? Or did I make a mistake in the setup process?

Is there a solution for this or will I have to buy a new printer? The printer still works fine and worked well with 10.3.9. I would hate to just discard the HP LaserJet because it is a workhorse that has printed over 120,000 pages for me and still seems perfectly useable.

Thanks for any help or suggestions.

Mac mini, Mac OS X (10.7.4), HP LaserJet 6MP

Posted on Jul 9, 2012 12:11 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Glenn Leblanc

Level 6

12,515 points

Jul 9, 2012 12:51 PM in response to Bob Weaver

I understand about trying to save a good old printer. I finally gave up trying to make an appletalk printer work 2 years ago. I also had the Assente Bridge and I never could find a decent solution or get it to work since SL.

I finally traded mine in with Office Depot on a promotion where they gave $50 on a trade in. Sold the rest of the setup on ebay.

Laser printers are cheap today. You can get a good HP All-In-One printer for under $300, or a very good stand alone Laser printer for less than $200. Or a cheap one for under $100.

A new one will be much faster and no hasle setup.

You can sell the old equipment on eBay. Someone using old Mac equipment or windows would buy it.

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Answer 2

Bob Weaver Author

Level 2

189 points

Jul 9, 2012 1:00 PM in response to Glenn Leblanc

Thanks for your reply. That will be my last resort. I have ordered a Paralle-to-USB cable for $10, hopefully that will work. If not I'll have to move on and buy a new printer.

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Answer 3

Jul 9, 2012 2:02 PM in response to Bob Weaver

According to the HP website, there does seem to be some support after all for the HP LaserJet 6MP printer. So you may have success with the USB hookup. You may want to check and make sure you have the latest driver for it.

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/Document.jsp?&objectID=c0292511 4

Good Luck.

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Answer 4

Bob Weaver Author

Level 2

189 points

Jul 9, 2012 2:15 PM in response to Glenn Leblanc

Thank you Glenn, I will look into that.

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Answer 5

Jul 10, 2012 7:45 AM in response to Bob Weaver

Were you able to resolve this issue Bob?

I work with HP.

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Answer 6

Jul 10, 2012 4:18 PM in response to Bob Weaver

Forget about AppleTalk. There is absolutely no way to directly print to an AppleTalk printer from OS X 10.6 or later.

The only way you can print to an AppleTalk printer from OS X 10.6 or later is if the printer is a shared printer running on a Mac running OS X 10.5 or earlier.

Some have had success using a parallel to USB adapter as you mentioned. Quite often it is helpful to use the alternative communications software usbtb instead of the usb software supplied by Apple. Not every combination of printer and parallel to USB adapter are compatible however. I always caution users to buy such an adapter from a source where they can return it for a full refund if it does not work.

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Answer 7

Bob Weaver Author

Level 2

189 points

Jul 11, 2012 12:46 PM in response to D_Lockwood

Thank you for asking. I don't have a permanent solution yet. My temporary solution for the moment is that I have added my old Mac onto the Ethernet hub and shared it. So if I need to print something I can make a PDF of it and copy it over to the old Mac, then print from it. It's cumbersome, but I can still print, without having spent any money to upgrade. I have tried sharing the printer on the old Mac, and adding it on the new Mac, but it still woudln't print.

My next step is to try using a Parallel-to-USB cable connecting the HP LaserJet 6MP directly to the Mac via the USB port. I don't know if this will work or not, but it's worth a try, and if it doesn't work all I'm out is the $10 for the cable.

The next step to try is the HP JetDirect 300X print server for the printer. If I understand this correctly, it will give my printer a true IP address, which I can then print to from my new Mac, via the Ethernet hub. I don't know yet whether this will work, but from reading through some other threads on this forum on this same topic, the print server seems like it could work.

If none of the above work, I guess I will have to buy a new printer. But many other users of older printers, potentially millions of people, will have the same problems and I think these should be addressed by Apple if possible. I don't understand why they dropped AppleTalk support. Even if only a small percentage of users still need it, why not just keep it in the system for their sake.

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Answer 8

Bob Weaver Author

Level 2

189 points

Jul 11, 2012 12:47 PM in response to Matt Broughton

Thank you for your suggestions. I will look into those.

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Answer 9

Bob Weaver Author

Level 2

189 points

Jul 13, 2012 2:34 PM in response to Bob Weaver

Update... the simple solution worked. I bought a Parallel-to-USB cable and connected the printer directly to a USB port on the Mac Mini and I was able to add the printer and print to it. $10 solution.

I also tried the HP JetDirect 300X hub and parallel cable, but that did not work... still got the "printer is busy" message. So I wasted $40 on that. But at least I am able to print now.

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Answer 10

Bob Weaver Author

Level 2

189 points

Jul 16, 2012 8:24 AM in response to Bob Weaver

Well, it worked briefly... I got one page to print, just a page saying "test print."

But now I can't get it to print, and I tried installing usbtb, but it just says, "No USB printer found."

So I'm back to square one... getting ready to give up and buy a new printer, sadly.

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Answer 11

BADD

Level 1

0 points

Aug 9, 2012 12:55 PM in response to Matt Broughton

Matt

You suggested earlier that "The only way you can print to an AppleTalk printer from OS X 10.6 or later is if the printer is a shared printer running on a Mac running OS X 10.5 or earlier.

I am using a Macbook Pro with 10.7.4 and like Bob Weaver, I have tried all of his methods as well. What is the set up as you describe above. I have an old HP laserjet 5m with the Directjet. I am trying to use it with my mac using an ethernet cable. I cannot ping it, I cannot see it but my ethernet shows its connected with the green light. The HP is a work horse and I would hate to turn it into a door stop. Iv'e printed the config sheet and have entered the IP address with no luck.

I cuurently use a Netgear Wireless Router/Modem and have tried using its ethernet ports as well but I continue to have no luck. Can I print to this thing or is it a paperweight

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Answer 12

Bob Weaver Author

Level 2

189 points

Aug 9, 2012 1:43 PM in response to BADD

The way I got it to work is this:

LaserJet 6MP is connected to JetDirect print server, which is connected to Ethernet hub, which is connceted to the Mac. DSL box is also connected to the hub.

In System Prefs -> Network, note the IP address. Print a test print from the JetDirect, by pushing the button on the back of the JetDirect. The IP address on the test print should match the IP address in System Prefs -> Network.

Go to System Prefs -> Print & Scan, and add a new printer, by clicking on the +, then click on the IP icon, then select HP Jetdirect for the protocol, and type in exactly or paste in the IP address for Address. Enter the other options as needed, then add the printer.

Try printing a page from some application. Note that you must be connected to the Internet to print. It will not print if you are offline.

It took dozens of tries but I finally got it to work. You will need to leave the power on all the time to your JetDirect and Ethernet hub, or else if you power down everything, you may end up with a different IP and you will need to add the printer all over again with the new IP.

Hope this helps!

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Answer 13

Aug 9, 2012 5:40 PM in response to BADD

BADD wrote:

Matt

You suggested earlier that "The only way you can print to an AppleTalk printer from OS X 10.6 or later is if the printer is a shared printer running on a Mac running OS X 10.5 or earlier.

I am using a Macbook Pro with 10.7.4 and like Bob Weaver, I have tried all of his methods as well. What is the set up as you describe above. I have an old HP laserjet 5m with the Directjet.

To be absolute about things, I should change that wording to indicate AppleTalk only printers need to be shared from a Mac running OS X 10.5 or earlier.

You have a JetDirect card that allows for other connections/protocols other than AppleTalk.

I am trying to use it with my mac using an ethernet cable. I cannot ping it, I cannot see it but my ethernet shows its connected with the green light. The HP is a work horse and I would hate to turn it into a door stop. Iv'e printed the config sheet and have entered the IP address with no luck.

I cuurently use a Netgear Wireless Router/Modem and have tried using its ethernet ports as well but I continue to have no luck. Can I print to this thing or is it a paperweight

You appear to be on the right track here, but you appear to need to make some changes to the JetDirect setting to use it on your network. I have never worked with a JetDirect card, so I cannot give you all the specifics. Bob Weaver's post will probably be of more help than my outline. You may also want to search the Apple Discussion boards a bit more -- especially the OS X 10.6 archives. There were a lot of posts regarding switching over from AppleTalk to network cards.

The basics are:

1. Set the JetDirect card to use a routable address that your router can use. You can look at the router's configuration to get the expected range of addresses and the gateway address for the router. You will also need to pay attention to the subnet mask to make sure the two devices are on the same network.

2. I generally recommend that you reserve an IP address on the router for the printer. You will need the JetDirect's MAC address to do this. The benefits of setting a static IP address for the printer is that you can power down the printer assuming it will hold the set address. This saves a lot of time and headaches.

3. When you configure the printer with the static IP address, subnet mask, and router gateway, be sure to turn off the option for it to get its address using DHCP. That is, you don't want the printer to get a new address from the router every time you power it up or down.

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Answer 14

BADD

Level 1

0 points

Aug 9, 2012 5:53 PM in response to Matt Broughton

Matt,

I set my two printers (HP laserJet 5M & Tektronix Phaser 750N) up on my neywork using an additional Mac with 10.5.8 and now everything can be seen throughout the network, even on my MacBook Pro using 10.7.4.However, when I go to print a word file or pdf using my MacBook, the print queue says Cannot find printer (Tektronix) When I try to print the same word file on the HP laserjet 5M it closes the word software.

I have reset the printing system several times, reviewed both HP and Apple forums but nothing has worked.

The other mac's all can print fine to each of the printers.

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Answer 15

Bob Weaver Author

Level 2

189 points

Aug 9, 2012 5:59 PM in response to BADD

Have you tried adding them as printers using IP addresses? That is the only way I got it to work, using IP.

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