Problem connecting to network HP Color Laserjet printer

I have an HP Color Laserjet 4600 printer connected via ethernet to my Belkin router. My MBP was running Leopard and was able to connect and print to the 4600 just fine even though my wife's PC laptop running Windows 7 wasn't able to connect to it. However, I upgraded my MBP to Snow Leopard. Now my MBP sees the printer and will allow me to install it but will not connect to it so I can't print to it.

When I go to install the printer like I did with Leopard I see the printer listed as a bonjour in the default install window. My MBP automatically finds the correct driver and will allow me to click "add" to install it. But after clicking add the window stalls on "Connecting to printer" and never completes the installation. I tried installing by using the IP address but it still doesn't connect.

Help!!!

Leopard most likely used Appletalk to connect, not Bonjour as the 4600 supported Appletalk.

Snow Leopard does not support Appletalk anymore. I would suggest using the LPR/LPD option when installing the printer versus IPP.

You might also want to use the gimp print drivers as well.
Gutenprint for Mac OS X

IP > HP Jetdirect protocol is better than LPD because of two-way communication.
All you need is the IP address of the printer.

gsahli said:

IP > HP Jetdirect protocol is better than LPD because of two-way communication.
All you need is the IP address of the printer.

Click to expand...

Agreed, Though I guess I assumed it had been tried since the OP mentioned installing it via IP that they had used that option before.

If you haven't yet, use the HP JetDirect Socket option from the Protocol drop down in the IP section of the add printer assistant.

Well... No success...

@MacsWork: I tried using the LPR/LPD option when installing the printer with both the gimp driver and the native HP driver. Neither worked.

@gsahli: I tried using the IP > HP Jetdirect protocol with both drivers. Again, neither worked.

I'm wondering if my router has anything to do with it since I use WPA/WPA2 rather than WEP. But I doubt it since I have no problem seeing the printer - I just can't connect with it.

Any other ideas???

My printer is connected to my wireless Belkin router via ethernet. When I upgraded my wife's Acer from Vista to Windows 7, I was no longer able to connect with my printer. However, I was able to connect with it using my MacBook Pro. But last week I upgraded from Leopard to Snow Leopard. Now I cannot connect with the printer. When I go to add the printer my computer sees it. But it won't connect with it. I've tried all the installation options - Bonjour, IPP, LPD and HP Jetdirect. I understand that Snow Leopard doesn't support Appletalk. So neither of my computers will connect with the printer. Unfortunately, the printer doesn't have a USB jack so I have no other way to connect with it other than ethernet. I thought that sharing these details would provide a more rounded picture of my situation.

Just for troubleshooting, Add the printer using IP > HP Jetdirect and for model choose generic Laserjet PCL 6.

You should print out a configuration page, and look for protocols like Jetdirect turned Off.

So you can successfully install the printer using the assistant, but when printing the print job never reaches the printer?

Do you receive any actual error message?

If you put the IP of the printer into your browser does the printer config page load?

What firmware version is the printer?
Here is the latest firmware for that printer.
HP 4600 Firmware For Mac

Even though the firmware release is from 2007 it still may provide useful.

Problem finally resolved! Here is what happened.

After emailing HP, the rep suggested that I try to ping the printer to ensure that I was actually connecting. The ping failed. So I went into the printer config and realized that the printer's IP address was outside of the range of the router. I don't know WHAT my MBP was seeing but it wan't actually the printer. So I switched the printer setting from DHCP to manual TCP/IP and changed the printer IP address to an address that the router would recognize. Then I powered it off and back on. Then I added the printer to my MBP using the default add printer window. It works.

I guess the problem was that when I upgraded my OS and could no longer connect via AppleTalk then the IP address became an issue with my MBP just as it was always the reason why my wife's PC couldn't print to it. So now both of the computers are printing to the printer.

SUCCESS!!!