Laser P1102W loses connectivity at every power down

[dbmamaz]

I had just upgraded the firmware. which totally killed the printer.  HP customer support spent 45 minutes with me, getting the printer up and running, and after that, I could print from my ipad2, which was my goal for the original attempt at firmware upgrade.

However, now every time the printer powers off (every 4 minutes), when I turn it back on, it has lost all wireless connectivity.  NO ONE in the house can print.  This problem was not happening before this whole upgrade fiasco. 

If i run the wireless configuration, I can get it up and printing again in a few minutes . .. but that's a lot of work to do EVERY time we want to print 

I have Verizon fios and an actiontec modem - but that didnt change when I did the printer upgrade, of course.  Thats been stable for over a year.

any ideas?

(oh, running XP)

[PrintDoc · Accepted solution]

Let's set a static IP address for the printer:

- Print a Network Config Page from the front of the printer. Note the printer's IP address.
- Type that IP address into a browser to reveal the printer's internal settings.
- Choose the Networking tab, then Wireless along the left side, then the IPv4 tab.
- On this screen you want to set a Manual IP. You need to set an IP address outside the range that the router automatically sets (called the DHCP range). Let's use an IP address that ends in .250 for your printer (change the last digits from the original IP address).
- Use 255.255.255.0 for the subnet (unless you know it is different, if so, use that)
- Enter your router's IP (on the Network Config Page) for the gateway and first DNS. Leave the second one blank.
- Click 'Apply'.

Now, shut down the router and printer, start the router, wait, then start the printer.

After this you may need to redo 'Add a Printer' using the new IP address.

[dbmamaz]

Thanks - i did eventually figure that out!  I found the stickyd post, which i couldnt follow, and then found the HP article, which I could follow.  My family hasnt managed to print yet (but i'm sure we could if they cared to) but i've had no more problems from my PC or my ipad2!

[dbmamaz]

I spoke too soon . . . kept its new IP address, but not printing today.  Darn.

[PrintDoc]

Hmm, that is strange.  Sorry.  So you have to enter the encryption key on the front of the printer every time?  Painful.

If that is the case, let's change the encryption type on the router.  Using a web browser, type 192.168.1.1 in the address bar.

Go to the Wireless tab, then find the encryption type.  Change it to WPA and make up your own password.  Use at least 13 characters, numbers and letters, upper and lower case.  Click Apply.

Now, all devices attached to the router will have to re-login with the new password (once), including the printer.

If this does not work, I'd suggest a decent router.  Actiontec is, frankly, junk.

[dbmamaz]

Well, after having it not up for a few days, I finally rebooted my router again, and it printed everything that was waiting. 

there are two reasons I'm not interested in changing the security key on my router;

1, that would mean changing the setup on my ipad, my son's ipod touch, my daughter's lap top, my son's dsi, and the Wii (which we all use for watching Netflix on the tv, sometimes).  I think its easier to just flip the power switch on my router when we need to print . . .

2. This was not a problem until the printer's firmware upgrade.  This is a problem with the printer, NOT with the network!!

[selleraj]

 I am having the same problem with a brand new unit.  The first thing I did was upgrade the firmware and it took me a day to figure out that power cycling was what killed the connectivity.  This is even more frustrating when a lot of the support content says to do xyz and restart the printer.  Additionally every time I try to setup eprint it tells me that it can not connect.  I am confused why Apple has associated themselves with a product that takes a Masters in Computer Science to setup.  What am I missing in the eprint configuration?

[PrintDoc]

What type of router are you using?  What type of encryption (WEP, WPA, etc)?

[selleraj]

Using a static IP solved the issue of the printer forgetting its wireless settings on each power off.  The first time I tried it I did not move it outside the dynamic range.  Thanks.

However, I still have the issue with not being able to connect on eprint.  I get "Connection Error.  Check Internet Connection".

I am using a Netgear WNDR3400 with WEP.

Any suggestions on getting an outside connection would be appreciated. 

Thanks.

[PrintDoc]

Here are a couple of ideas:

1. For connecting the printer to the Internet, go through the static IP routine, but this time enter Google's DNS in the two DNS field.  Enter 8.8.8.8 in the first DNS and 8.8.4.4 in the second.

2. Change from WEP to WPA.  WEP is not in the least secure as it can be broken in about 10 minutes with freeware.