Officejet Pro 8600 All-in-One connected as network printer loses connection

[pcwizard]

Hi BobP, 

Sounds good thank you for the update.

[pcwizard]

Hi BobP, 

Did you have the same issue with a different router?

[BobP]

I have obtained the new router, but haven't been able to install it yet. I hope to install it today, but I won't know if the problem is solved or still occurs until at least tomorrow morning, as the loss of connectivity usually occurs overnight.

I'll post more information as soon as I know it.

[BobP]

I installed the new router yesterday (Linksys/Cisco WRT310N); this morning I have again lost connectivity to the printer from all computers. I have changed the cable which goes from the nearby gigabit switch to the printer, but changing out all of the other cables is going to take some time. I will have to temporarily run cables over the floors, etc., to test out the connectivity, and if that solves the problem, then re-pull cables through the walls, etc., so it won't be quick - but I should have an answer from the temporary test in just a few more days.

[pcwizard]

Hi BobP, 

Sounds good thank you for the update. One other thing to try is a direct connection between the router and the printer bypassing the switch. 

[BobP]

All computers lost the printer again overnight. Here is the current hookup: the printer is connected directly to the router via a 75 foot cat 6 cable run across the floor, through doors, etc. The computers, unfortunately, have to be connected through one gigabit switch, as there are only four ports on the router, and I cannot accommodate all computers and printers in those four ports. I have returned the printer to having a static IP address, as that is my preferred way of connecting it. The computers all use DHCP to obtain their IP addresses. I don't have any indication of what happens overnight when the conncectivity is lost. By the way, it isn't that connectivity is really lost: all computers still can ping the printer, and all of them show the printer as being there in any network test, but all of them show print and scan functions as being disabled. This disabling of print and scan functions did not happen with the Officejet 6500 I had before purchasing the 8600.

[pcwizard]

Hi BobP, 

OK, it sounds like there may be an issue with the printer. Just to help isolate it to the printer is there a way you can hook up the printer at a friends or relatives house, and then see if you have the same connectivity lose?

If you have the same issue at a total different location then this would verify a printer failure. At that point i will have you call our support lines this way they can get this printer replaced for you.

[BobP]

Is it possible that this is Windows XP related? In other words, do I need to find someone who is running Windows XP Pro SP3 to do this test?

Right at the moment I can't think of anyone who could do this test for me. I will have to do some searching around to see if I can find someone.

[pcwizard]

Hi BobP, 

It is possible that the OS can be contributing to the issue. By placing the printer into a different enviroment will help isolate what is causing the issue. Let me know if you are able to install the printer in a different location?

[BobP]

I did install the printer yesterday afternoon on a different network, and this morning it was still working fine, so apparently the problem is with my home network.

Differences: (1) the test network has Windows 2003 Server providing DHCP service (I installed the printer on DHCP rather than static IP) whereas my home network has the router Linksys/Cisco SRT310N) providing DHCP service; (2) the printer and the computer on which I installed the driver software were both connected to the network through the same 10/100 switch, whereas on my home network all switches are 10/100/1000; (3) the computer on the test network is running Windows XP Professional, the same as all the computers on my home network.

Since I don't know how the drivers and the printer firmware are designed, I'm not sure what I should be looking for on my home network. Do you have any suggestions?