New Airport, old Airport, network printing problem

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Level 1

18 points

New Airport, old Airport, network printing problem

Up until a few days ago, we had no problems with our WiFi setup here. Then an old, 2004-vintage Airport Extreme started to go bad and needed to be replaced. We replaced that old Airport Extreme with a refurbished "new" (current-generation) Airport Express. Since then, we have had major problems.

Here was our "old" configuration

Internet > DSL modem > Ethernet cable >

> round, white Airport Extreme (connected to Epson printer via USB) > WiFi network > computers & Airport Express (2005-06 vintage, 802.11g; set up as a range extender, plugged into Dymo LabelWriter via USB and also to HP LaserJet 4100N via Ethernet cable)

OUR COMPUTING HARDWARE:

iMac (late-2012 slimline model, Core i5 @ 2.9 GHz, running MacOS 10.9.5)

MacBook Pro w/ Retina Display (2013 model, Core i5, running MacOS 10.9.5)

iMac G4 (late-2003 model, 1.25 GHz PowerPC G4, running MacOS 10.4.11 and 9.2.2 in "classic mode")

iPad Mini (2013 model, iOS 8.1.3)

The Airport Extreme was getting old and cutting out on us, so we bought a refurbished "new" Airport Express (current generation) to replace it. The Extreme was the network hub, serving as our wireless router ("the Mothership"). The "old" Express served as part of the Extreme's network.

Upon receiving the "new" Express, I used it to create a new WiFi network with a new identity. We had some minor problems with this. The Airport Admin Utility reported a problem with the internet connection that never existed before; it said there was an "IPv6 Relay Error", whatever that means. I spoke on the phone with my ISP and tried reconfiguring the connection between the modem and the new Mothership ("new" Express). We fiddled with it some. The internet connection is slower, but it works.

More alarming is that our HP Laserjet stopped working. Now, no computer on our network can print to it. As far as the computers are concerned, there's no HP on our network anymore. The HP just sits there, no matter what we do. At AppleCare's suggestion, we tried re-installing the printer driver, but the "Add" dialog box does not even recognize that the HP is there. We tried printing a label from the Dymo Label software, and the Dymo LabelWriter (connected to the "old" Airport Express) did print the label correctly and quickly. No problem there.

But nothing we do can coax the HP to work. AppleCare suggested we disconnect the Ethernet cable and try using a powered USB hub to connect to the HP via USB cable. Past experience proved this approach is more trouble than it is worth. The HP only offers Ethernet and Centronics Parallel ports. There is no USB. A parallel-to-USB adaptor can be used, but this arrangement proved to be unreliable in the past. The best and most reliable approach (up to now) was using an Ethernet cable to connect the HP to the "old" Express. This arrangement has been working since about 2007. The AppleCare rep said that Apple doesn't support a printer connection via Ethernet. I have no idea what to say to that.

We also have, in our custody, an 11 to 12-year-old LinkSys 4-port Ethernet cable router for use with Ethernet connections. This device has not been in use since 2004.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get the HP to work again?

iMac, OS X Mavericks (10.9.5), late-2012 Core i5, 8GB RAM, 1 TB HD

Posted on Mar 1, 2015 6:41 PM

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Answer 1

Mar 1, 2015 6:59 PM in response to Walt_Atwood

As a test, I suggest that you temporarily connect a laptop or desktop to the same Ethernet port on the old Express that the printer has been using in the past. Turn off the wireless on the computer for the "test", and see if you can get a good Internet connection this way on the computer.

If you can....then we at least know that the Ethernet port is working.....(and the Ethernet cable is working as well).

If you cannot....as I suspect will be the case.....then you know that the old Express is either not going to match up with the new Express to do what you want, the Ethernet port on the old Express is no longer working correctly, or you have a bad Ethernet cable.

Try another Ethernet cable that you know is working. If things still don't work, and you want to connect the HP to an Ethernet port on an AirPort Express, I think you will need a new Express to allow that to happen.

Have you thought to temporarily connect the HP printer to the LAN <--> port on the new Express to see if it works that way? If it does, then you know the printer is working.

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Answer 2

Walt_Atwood Author

Level 1

18 points

Mar 1, 2015 7:06 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Your Ethernet experimentation suggestions are intriguing.

It would take some effort to move the HP to the other room where the "new" Express mothership is operating.

But the idea of connecting the "old" Express to a computer's Ethernet port is do-able and I will have to try it this evening.

Thank you for the suggestions.

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Answer 3

Mar 2, 2015 12:18 PM in response to Bob Timmons

I have very similar HP printing problem after changing airport old with airport new. Using OS x Yosemite 10.10.02. Printer just totally unresponsive and HP wireless test report comes back with "No problem found. Congratulations ..." but it still doesn't respond.

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Answer 4

Mar 2, 2015 12:23 PM in response to philippefromnew malden

You have already started another post, so you need to post information there. Please, do not double post.

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Answer 5

Mar 7, 2015 3:03 PM in response to Walt_Atwood

Walt, I am very interested in the results of your equipment testing.

I, too, have an HP printer (HP p1505n) that had been working just fine connected to an Airport Extreme via ethernet cable. I disconnected the printer from the Airport Extreme and unplugged both the printer and the Airport Extreme from power, just so I could do some spring cleaning. I reconnected everything only to find that my printer no longer responds to documents lined up in the print cue.

I can see the printer in Utilities > Printers & Scanners, and I can install it without difficulty. But the documents will not print. They line up in the cue and either disappear into thin air or I get the message that the printer is not responding. I tried another printer (Epson Pro 3880) in the same configuration (ethernet to Airport Extreme) and got the same result. I have swapped out the ethernet cables and have tried all the ethernet ports on the Airport Extreme. I have uninstalled, rebooted, reinstalled, waited, swore, threatened, ignored, uninstalled, and reinstalled, but no luck.

Connecting either printer to the Airport Extreme with a USB cable works just fine; however, the Airport Extreme has only one USB outlet and I have two, sometimes three, printers.

What would have changed over the hour of being disconnected, unplugged, and then reconnected and plugged in?

(Using Yosemite 10.10.2 and Airport Extreme 7.7.3)

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Answer 6

Walt_Atwood Author

Level 1

18 points

Mar 7, 2015 9:55 PM in response to Bob Timmons

UPDATE:

Because of time constraints, we decided to to pick up the HP workgroup printer and move from its usual location to the room where the "new" Airport Express "mothership" is operating. After plugging in the HP to the "new" Express via prefabbed Ethernet patch cable, the problem vanished instantly. Upon trying to "add" the HP back in "Print & Fax", we found the HP readily available. For the time being, it looks like the HP is working (though not in an ideal location) so we are dealing with it. At least we have our main printer back on-line.

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Answer 7

Mar 8, 2015 12:47 PM in response to Walt_Atwood

Thanks for the update. I think you may be saying that the Ethernet port on the old AirPort Express is not working. Were you able to test the port by temporarily connecting a computer to see if it could obtain a valid Internet connection that way?

Since the printer could not get a good connection, I take that the computer did not either, but wanted to confirm for clarity.

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Answer 8

Walt_Atwood Author

Level 1

18 points

Mar 8, 2015 1:16 PM in response to Bob Timmons

No, I never got around to testing the "old" Express by connecting it to a computer. We've had projects that required the use of the HP so that took top priority. I eventually plan to try using the "old" Express as you suggest, but no right now. Soon, though.

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