Can't Wirelessly Connect New J4680 to Airport Extreme 802.11n

[WrteStuf]

1. I first attempted usual set-up procedures several times.  The set-up assistant doesn't "see" my wireless.  Tried resetting the device's wireless, to no effect.

2.  Followed the steps as outlined in HP's "YouTube" video.  Was once able to proceed to the point of at least getting a "Network Configuration Page" report printed that indicated success in setting the device in "ad hoc" mode on its "hpsetup" network, but then couldn't switch over to the Airport network in infrastructure mode, as input on the devices imbedded webpage.  (But I now at least know theJ4680's IP address.)

3.  Usually can't find "hpsetup" automatically listed as a network on Airport.  Can sometimes get it there by manually setting it up via the J4680.  But this method won't work consistently.

4. Based on another posting (someone using Windows, Fios), tried temp-disabling my Airport security (a WPA2 Personal), but that didn't have any positive effect.

5.  J4680.  Airport Extreme 802.11.  Mac OS 10.5.6.  No firewall that could be interfering.  My MacBook is the only device on my Airport network.

What else should I be trying?  Thanks in advance for any further tips/techniques y'all might provide.

[Wi-Fi-Guy]

Here are a couple of things to check:

1. Please check that your Airport Extreme wireless radio mode is set for 802.11n (802.11b/g compatible).  If it's set for 802.11n only or 802.11n (802.11a compatible), then the printer will not be able to see the network.
2. Let's run an internal diagnostic report and check the wireless survey to see if the printer can see the Airport Extreme.
   1. Press the  * and # keys together then press 1, 2, 3
   2. Press the right arrow key until you see the Connectivity Diagnostics Menu
   3. Press OK
   4. Press OK.  You should get a print out.
   5. Towards the bottom of the report, you should see a list of all the wireless networks your printer sees.  Check that the SSID for your Airport Extreme is on the list.

Regards / Jim B

[WrteStuf]

Hi Jim, thanks for your help.  (God bless HP's retirement plan!):

1.  The diagnostic report lists 16 different routers/ SSIDs (I'm in NYC) -- unfortunately, mine isn't one of them.

2.  Where "802.11" is listed on the report as a "type," it's generally not accompanied by a b, g or n.  (If this is meaningful.)

3.  A troubleshooting note at the bottom advises that "the printing device is configured to connect to an ad-hoc wireless network in 802.11b mode.  This default behavior is required for WiFi certification due to compatibility concerns with older 802.11b devices.  As a consequence you will not be able to to use 802.11g extended data rates unless this setting is changed."  (If this is meaningful.  The "radio signal" indicator on the J4680 is 802.11g.)

4.  Re: your #1 below-- are you saying there might be a way to change the "n" mode on my Airport Extreme to a "b or g" that might be compatible w/ the J4680?  Or better, is there some way to instead change the mode on the J4680?  (I'd like to avoid messing w/ the router.)

5.  On the device's inbedded page, I tried checking off different boxes in the "compatibility" section at the bottom.  Also retried just disabling the router's security, in case that might be blocking things.  Again, didn't help.

5.  As much as I dislike the idea of giving up, if this is indeed solveable -- I always learn something going through these exercises, no matter how momentarily maddening -- will you recognize if this one's an unsurmountable, unique "b" vs "g" vs "n" compatibility issue?

Thanks again for your help.

Mark G/ I WrteStuf

[WrteStuf]

BTW:

1.  I did change the router's set-up-- it previously was "n" specific.  -->

2.  The device then showed up -- for the first time -- as a Network Device in HP's set-up.  So I completed the set-up, designated the device in my computer's preferences.  But it still didn't print wirelessly. -->

3.  SoI pulled up the "hpsetup" imbedded page, went through that again.  Although the Configuration Page printed off that doesn't indicate any positive change, I must be getting closer, because "hpsetup" no longer appears on my Airport "pull down" list of networks or devices.  But my own SSIDnow appears twice-- once underavailable "networks," and again under available "devices."

4.  So yeah, I must be getting closer.  I'll try again tomorrow.

[Wi-Fi-Guy]

OK -- I think we're close.  Now that your wireless network is detectable by the printer, I would try the normal setup process using the CD.

If you want to try the manual method using the printer's embedded web server, please be sure to change the mode from ad-hoc to infrastructure.  This video shows you how (I think you might have seen this already).

As for your other questions:

1. Finding 16 wireless networks means you're in a congested area.  I'd love to see the report.  Once you get your printer setup, scan this with your J4680 and email it to:  HP.wireless at yahoo dot com (replace at and dot with their respective symbols).
2. We don't distinguish between 802.11b, 802.11g or 802.11n networks from the connectivity report (I think we will in the future though).
3. Don't worry about the advisory note at the bottom of the report.  It's normal for the default settings of the printer.
4. Please clear the compatibility setting that says "In an infrastructure network use 802.11b behavior".  You definitely don't want to be in 802.11b mode when in infrastructure mode.
5. 802.11n wireless-routers should be compatible with 802.11g as long as:  (a) you're operating in the 2.4 GHz band and (b) the wireless-router isn't set for 802.11n only operation.

 Regards / Jim B

[WrteStuf]

1.  I scanned/emailed to you the Connectivity Report. 

2.  I'm confident that the J4680's wireless presence is now being picked up via Airport Extreme --> my notebook.  But when trying to print wirelessly, I get the message "Printer is currently offline."  So I still have a bit of trial-and-error troubleshooting to do, before I can actually use the device wirelessly.

3.  Also need to better familiarize myself w/ how to access/use printing options (like designating which specific page(s) of a document I want to print.)

4.  There's a real performance difference (downgrade) with the Airport Extreme configured in "b/g compatible" mode.  Much slower, to the point that web pages have problems loading and streaming media easily stalls.  If that's a requirement to have wireless printing, probably won't be worth it-- increasing perfomance speed is why I got a 802.11n router in the first place.  (I doubt that's an issue excusive to HP's products, but to any brand's devise whose software isn't specifically configured for "n".  I assume you'll all get there soon enough.) 

5.  I'll keep this forum posted.

6.  Thanks for all your help, Jim.  Interesting and informative journey.   

[Wi-Fi-Guy]

Thanks for sending me your connectivity status report.

I've noticed that while you got good signal strength to your wireless-router (SSID WrteStuf, RSSI ~ -30dBm), there's strong interference from another wireless network on channel 11.

In North America, the only non-overlapping Wi-Fi channels are 1, 6 and 11.  It's better to share a channel a channel with your neighbor than to select an in-between channel.

Here's the of wireless-networks and their signal strength in vicinity of the printer:

Channel  : RSSI dBm

07 : -29

11 : -44

01 : -69

10 : -70

09 : -73

11 : -73

06 : -73

03 : -74

11 : -77

11 : -80

01 : -80

06 : -81

10 : -82

11 : -82

01 : -85

06 : -87

My recommendation is to move your Airport Extreme to channel 01.  While you have an interferer on channel 03, that network is over 40 dB down from your network.  The other access-point on channel 01, while only 40 dB down, will coexist with your wireless-router on channel 01.

Also, I want to verify that you selected as the Radio Mode "802.11n (802.11b/g compatible)" from the wireless section of Airport Utility.

Finally, you may want to try experiment with enabling "Use interference robustness" from the wireless options section.

Let me know if you continue to have performance problems.

Regards / Jim B

[WrteStuf · Accepted solution]

It works! It works! It works!

I basically needed to wait until the weekend to get back at it, so when I did, decided to just approach it all completely "clean":

1.  Uninstalled the J4680 driver -->

2.  Did a factory-reset on the Airport Express -->

3.  Configured the reset Airport Express -->

4.  Reinstalled the J4680 driver, using one I'd earlier downloaded (instead of the CD) to make sure I had the most recent version -->

5.  Turned off/on everything (to reset): MacBook, modem, router, printer -->

6.  Then simply followed the HP set-up prompts -->

It works! It works! It works!

Thanks for all your help and for hanging in there, Jim.  (Still... kinda anticlimatic.)

Mark

[Wi-Fi-Guy]

Glad to hear everything is working.  You still have an overlapping Wi-Fi channel problem in your area.  If this is the list of channels used in your area ...

Channel  : RSSI dBm

07 : -29

11 : -44

01 : -69

10 : -70

09 : -73

11 : -73

06 : -73

03 : -74

11 : -77

11 : -80

01 : -80

06 : -81

10 : -82

11 : -82

01 : -85

06 : -87

,,, then I still recommend setting your Airport Extreme to channel 1. 

Regards / Jim B