Having issues with HP Jetdirect on HP4200

Ok, the first thing you have to fix is the "lights not on" where you plug into the router. That indicates to me - either a bad cable or, the network adapter/port on the printer is bad.

Easiest way to test is a new cable. And try different port on the router, if possible.

Only thing I would try is use the jetdirect card in a different printer - probably not helpful. Sorry.

Those cards or external jetdirects are fairly cheap on eBay now.

Sounds like the card slot is bad?

You need to be sure the new card works - again, by testing in another printer.

EIO JetDirect cards are a pretty common failure with those older HP LaserJet series printers. Replace it. The replacement EIO modules are available, and fairly cheap, and those old HP departmental printers do still work reasonably well.

Remember to power down the printer when reconfiguring the EIO device. Don't hot-plug the EIO slots.

As for the IP address, gateway and related settings, you'll usually use the front panel on the LaserJet 4200 series printer to configure that.

The IP address you've listed is the address that the printer is set to.

If you're on a corporate network that's using what's variously known as network access controls or as port security, you may have to contact your IT organization and update the MAC address in their database — some IT organizations use MAC addresses for security, and swapping the EIO can prevent it from being allowed onto the local network. Yours looks to be 00-01-E6-AE-AE-AA, based on that listing — if that's the current/new EIO module. (This is the printer's MAC address, and nothing to do with Mac OS X.)

FWIW, Here are the HP manuals for that series of printer. Also available is the User Guideand the JetDirect manual for what I think is that series EIO JetDirect for that printer. (Looks like you have the 615n?) Page 189 of that lattermost manual has the JetDirect device reset sequence, and the basic IP network front-panel configuration for that series starts on page 38. (Here's a discussion of some previous problems with the 615n, and the free replacements that were once available from HP.) The newer replacement cards seem rather more reliable than the older EIO cards; the last EIO I replaced in this series is from a few years ago, and I used the HP JetDirect J7934G (620n), and that's been reliable so far.

FWIW, it'd probably be fastest to check with HP or with the HP forums about their printers — this question really doesn't have anything to do with OS X or Apple products, so you're probably not asking the best possible audience for your question. (I happen to have dealt with a few of these old printers over the years, and have one handy to look at the configuration...)

OK, back to where we were - the ping command will tell us if the printer is really on the network and responsive.

Use the Terminal utility and type

ping 192.168.x.x (obviously, put the real IP address here instead of 192xxxx)

stop the repeating messages of success with Control-c

failure will say timed out or unreachable.

IP of the printer, yes.