media type settings

[Keith_arran]

I'm using a Colour Laserjet Pro MFP M176n printer on my home network with a Macbook and an iMac desktop. Printing from the iMac gives me about 10 choices from the Media Type box. Printing from my Macbook gives about 40 choices. How do I get the full choice of media types on my desktop? I am trying to print on a media type not available on the short list. I must have set this up in the past on the Macbook but can't remember how. Please can someone help?

[DocCottle]

Hey @Keith_arran,

Welcome to the HP Support Forums!

I see that you are having some issues with printing from your Mac OSX 10.11 machine to your Laserjet M176n Printer. I can help you with that.

To start, make sure the printer is plugged directly into a wall outlet and not a surge protector. Once done:

1. If the USB cable is connected to your Mac, remove it.
2. Click on your Apple icon, System Preferences, and Printers and Scanners.
3. Hold down the control key and click on the icon of your printer on the left.
4. Click on Reset Printing System.

Now, if you removed the USB cable, connect it. If not:

1. Click on the plus button in the corner.
2. Select your printer from the list.
3. Click on the box next to Use and select your printer from the list.
4. Click on Add.

Please let me know the results after following the above. If you are able to print with more options, please click on Accept Solution. If you appreciate my help, please click on the thumbs up icon. Both icons are below this post.

[Keith_arran]

Thanks for the reply. I have reset the printer and reinstalled and the problem still remains.

When I try to print on my iMac I get the menu choice "Media & Quality, Layout, Paper Handling, Cover Page, Supply Levels." On my macbook, connected to the same network, I get, "Layout, Colour Matching, Paper Handling, Cover Page, Paper, Colour/Quality, Booklet Printing, Manual Duplex, Watermarks, Supply Levels".

The printer indicated on my iMac is shown as HP Colour Laserjet Pro MFP176n. On my Macbook it is shown as HP Colourjet Pro MFP176n[11BE79]

Does this help to explain the problem.

[DocCottle]

If you are not seeing different options after resetting the print system, I'm thinking it may be due to different versions of the Mac OS. Can you check and make sure both devices have the same version of the Mac OS?

[Keith_arran]

Both computers are running OSX 10.11.4. The two computers and the printer are directly connected to  the router by ethernet RJ45 cables. I am not using a wireless connection for the printer.

I could move my printer and use a direct USB connection to the computer but this would be quite difficult. My only other thought is to remove the .plist entries in the Library/Preferences files but these look complicated in OSX 10.11.4.

Have you got any more ideas?

Keith

[DocCottle · Accepted solution]

The last idea that would be printer related would be to uninstall the drivers and install again. You can download the latest drivers by clicking on this link.

If you are still not seeing the same options on both Macs after doing this, the next step would be to contact Apple for support as something is amiss with your print system or operating system. 

Please let me know the results after following the above.

[Keith_arran]

Thanks very much. After uninstalling and reinstalling the printer it now works. I have the full list of media types.

I had assumed that a printer reset would work.