Photosmart C309a : 3 Months Tech Support 100+ Emails Problem Persisting Machine Freezing

[bernhardus]

OS 10.4.11 (Tiger) , HP Software Bundle 10.2, Printer Firmware 1.2.1

Hello,

if a HP technician should be reading this post I would be very grateful for a response. Of course, I would grateful for all responses not only from HP.

We have several printers (HP and others) on our hardwired LAN network and 3 months ago we purchased a Photosmart C309a.

This device freezes on a regular basis when starting a scan, both from the printer itself or from HP Scan Pro. When the printer is NOT connected to the LAN, it never freezes. Of course, then one has to scan to a flash drive.

After more than 3 months of troubleshooting, after having installed two replacement printers I believe that I have located the root of the problem:

Our router re-boots once every  24 hours in the night. In the following morning,  HP SCAN PRO does not see the device anymore, although the device's built-in webserver can still  be accessed from Safari, the device is present in the "HP Device Manager" , the print utility software and the widgets are all working  and one can print. Even worse, the printer software crashes and one has to pull the power plug to re-start it. When running the  HP Installation Assistant  the scanner function is working again until the next morning.

when I start a scan from the Photosmart, or from HP SCAN PRO, the application HP SCAN PRO opens, but it does not see the scanner (NOTE: the device is present in the "HP Device Manager" !!!) and then the entire process hangs and the Photosmart has to be re-started by pulling the plug.

To sum it up: it appears that the fault lies in the HP SCAN PRO application which fails to see the printer on the network, despite the fact that all other device related applications (built-in webserver, printing, print utilities etc.) do work.

It appears that SCAN PRO is the problem, not with the printer itself, unless Scan Pro is waiting for some network information from the printer and does not receive it.

Not to re-boot the router is not an option for us.

Any help would be very much appreciated.

[Wi-Fi-Guy]

What kind of wireless-router are you using?

Is the printer connected wirelessly or via a wired connection to your network?

Have you tried setting a static IP address in the printer?  If you have, have you tried installing the printer via an IP connection instead of Bonjour?  Look at this link for how to setup an IP connection to the printer.

[Brent]

1- I'd start by ensuring you have the latest firmware.   (C309 Firmware update)

2- Ensure the printer has good power. Try bypassing any surges/powerbars/splitters/extension cords etc if using any.

3- Search the forum for the "scrubber" to uninstall the software completey then reinstall.

4- Set a static ip address for the printer , see above reply.

[bernhardus]

Sorry for the late response. All of your suggestions have been tried before to no avail. HP Tech Support in Cebu City, Philippines,  have escalated the problem to their "mentor" but no response for weeks.
I have re-capped the situation:

1. Our Networking Set-up

We have a home office with an ethernet (hard-wired) LAN in all rooms. All our computers are Apple computers running Mac OS  10.4.11, all devices use fixed IP addresses 10.1.1.xx, DHCP is off.  We use a Belkin switch and a Belkin ADSL modem. Several printers, a HP Colour Laser, an Apple Laser Writer (Apple Talk via Asante Talk) and a new HP Photosmart are connected (wired) to the switch. We tried both Bonjour and hpip.

IMPORTANT: the Belkin ADSL modem is re-booted once every 24 hours (at night).

2. Our Problem

Three months ago we bought a new HP Photosmart C309a and we connected it directly to the switch. When, for the first time in the morning, one tries to fax or to scan with the Photosmart C309a the device hangs, it appears to be frozen. Interestingly, one can still print from any computer, showing that the printer is visible on the network.

The problem does NOT occur when:

1. the printer is first shutdown and then re-booted first thing in the morning

2. the printer is not connected to the network with an ethernet cable (faxing OK, scanning to USB flashdrive OK)  We have never had any problem with the HP Colour Laser or our other network devices.

We are desperate to find a solution. 

Thank you for your input.

Regards,

[Wi-Fi-Guy · Accepted solution]

You have an ADSL router?  Which brand and who is your ISP?

I assume you have a static IP address assigned to the printer.  Given this, let's make one adjustment:

1. Open the printer's internal web page by browsing to its IP address
2. From the printer's internal web page, select Networking, then Wireless (802.11), then IPv4 Addressing.
3. Erase the entries for the Manual Default Gateway and the Manual Preferred and Alternate DNS Servers.  Leave these blank and press Apply
4. Turn off the printer and all computers.
5. Turn off the ADSL router. Wait 30 seconds, Turn on the router.
6. Wait 60 seconds and then turn on the printer.
7. Now turn on your computers.

Let me know if this works to allow scanning and faxing while the printer is connected to the network.

[bernhardus]

Hi Brent,

thanks for your suggestions. We are using wired connections; the printer is cabled directly into a switch.

We use a Belkin ADSL/Router and a Belkin Switch, there is a second switch (Linksys), and two Airport Extremes, which have a wired connection to the backbone.

Do you have particular reason why you suggested a *wireless* set-up ?

We found Belkin's wireless connection troublesome with Mac's.

If you think it makes no difference I would do what you suggested for a wired connection.

We have indeed entered  10.1.1.1 for the default gateway and the preferred DNS. The second DNS is blank.

Do you think this could cause the freeze ? We use the same settiings for a HP 2600n Laser Jet, although that printer has no DNS server setting.

Best,

Bernard

[Wi-Fi-Guy]

Please try deleting the DNS and Default Gateway Router IP addresses from the printer.  You can do this from the printer's internal web page. 

You're right about the Belkin wireless-routers -- their Wi-Fi implementation is somewhat unreliable.

One note about my instructions above -- if the printer is connected via Ethernet, then in my step #2 you should select Wired (802.1).

[bernhardus]

Hi Jim,

I will do as you suggested and I will report back in a few days. 

Many thanks again,

Bernard

P.S.

Which ADSL router would *you* recommend ? Before we had a D-Link which had a horrible user interface, at least the Belkin has an intuitive interface.

[Wi-Fi-Guy]

I don't have a good ADSL wireless-router recommendation -- sorry.

[bernhardus]

It just occured to me that step 6

"Turn on the printer, wait 60 seconds and then turn on the printer."

should read:

"Turn on the ADSL router, wait 60 seconds and then turn on the printer."

This is what I did anyway, always reverse order.

Thanks again,