Duplicate IP address Wireless HP Printer

[GuyToronto]

I have an HP printer connected by wifi to an Orbi network. When printing from the various iMacs and MacBook Pros (all on 10.13.3), we regularly run into problems - and when checking the printer panel, I see 'Duplicate IP address' on the printer panel. This sometimes (but not always) goes away after a minute or two - and then things start to print. I have now assigned a static IP address to the printer and even tried reserving this address on the Orbi system, but the problem continues. I am trying to understand what would trigger the duplicate IP call. Could it be the Orbi sattelite and Router making a simultaneous call? Is it something completely different?

Incidentally, we have struggled with printing issues for years - different printers (although always HP), different router (previously AirPort Extreme). But troubleshooting tools on the earlier printers were more limited - it is only now I am seeing the issue of duplicate IP on the (new) printer's panel. Could this be an HP issue? Any ideas for a solution?

[sabretooth04 · Accepted solution]

Try setting a static IP address outside the DHCP addresses of the router. 

These settings are for setting up your wireless or wired printers to:

* Stay connected to your router
* Fix printer ‘offline’ status
* Wake from sleep mode
* Speed up wireless printing

While DHCP is convenient, devices such as printers (wired and wireless) should always be assigned a static (fixed) IP address manually to avoid conflicts on your wireless network and MUST be outside the DHCP address range of the router. This is because printers are the only external devices that do not have the ability to automatically interrupt the router for a new DHCP address once the least time expires.  Again, do not have the printers static IP within the DHCP range of the router as this is against Networking 101 rules and will confuse the router.  Make things simple – In the router, set starting DHCP address range 192.168.1.100 (or 192.168.0.100). Ending DHCP address range 192.168.1.150 (or 192.168.0.150).  Set Printer Static IP to 192.168.1.10 (or 192.168.0.10). 

After setting the static IP, the computer(s) must be updated under Printer Properties/Ports to show a Standard TCP/IP port with the printers’ new static IP address.

1. Set a static IP in the printer outside the DHCP range of the router (check your manual).  This Static IP is important as DHCP IP addresses will change upon different power up sequences of your devices.  You always want your printer to come up with the same IP address all the time.  See how to do this here:

http://www.watchingthenet.com/linksys-tip-assign-static-ip-address-to-printer-while-using-dhcp-on-yo...

This is for Linksys routers but can be used for all routers. Verify your DHCP range and change this first if needed.  Then after setting the static IP in the printer, the computer(s) must be updated under Printer Properties/Ports to show a Standard TCP/IP port with the printers IP address. 

To see why this problem exists and how to fix it, watch this video here for Windows.   Scroll down for MAC information.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEqvUKxWmq4

How to set a Standard TCP/IP port.  This is important.

a).  Click Start/Devices and Printers. Right click on your HP Printer.  Select Printer Properties.  Select the Ports tab at the top.

b).  Select Add Port. Select Standard TCP/IP Port.  Select New Port.

c).  Follow the Add Port Wizard. Under Printer Name or IP Address, input the Static IP address you just set from the above information.  Example:  168.1.15.  The IP address will be copied under Port Name.  This is OK to leave this alone or you can put in your Printer Model.

d).  Select Next and Finish the Wizard.

If you create a TCP/IP port without a static IP above, you may lose your TCP/IP connection and have the same issue. This is because your network has powered up differently giving you a different DHCP address to the printer that does not match the TCP/IP address above.  This could occur at anytime just like the video shows.

For MAC PCs perform the above Static IP setting in the router and then watch here on how to perform your IP setting for MAC computers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5tNFjEBDOw

By performing the above, the printers Embedded Web Server (EWS) will now work all the time by going to your Printers Static IP address in your browser. 

2.  Wireless connection only, turn off the Wired LAN in the printer.

a).  Login to your printers EWS from a web browser using your Static IP in the address bar.

b).  Go to the menu item Network at the top.

c).  On the side menu expand WIRED network settings.

d).  Click on advanced.

e).  Set the Network Interface to off.

 3.  Verify in the printer that 'Auto Off/Sleep/Energy Saving Mode' is disabled and/or the System Mode Time Out is set to zero (0) if your printer supports this. Use the Embedded Web Server (EWS) by going to the printers IP address in your browsers address bar, click Settings Tab/Auto Off, or use the Printer Assistant, Printer Home Page (EWS). Also check your Printer Properties. This feature is automatically disabled when the printer is connected to a computer or mobile device, a network, or a fax line (if supported).  However, you may not find this setting.

4.  If the printer supports and has IPv6 enabled, disable IPv6 in the printer.

5.  Make sure printer is plugged directly into a wall outlet and not into a UPS, power strip or surge protector. This may cause the printer to intermittently drop offline and disconnect.

6.  Make sure your printer and router are at least 5 feet apart from each other.

7.  Check the HP web site for your printer to see if there is a Firmware Upgrade that affects the wireless operation. If yes, update the firmware via USB cable only.  Never wireless.

Additional steps to be taken if you continue to have the problem (if they are posted)…

[dot11]

This could be caused by a flaw in the Orbi DHCP server implementation. Netgear has been updating their Orbi firmware fairly frequently lately, you might want to confirm that the firmware is up to date. If like most users your LAN use mostly involves connecting to stuff on the Internet rather than locally, you may have had network infrastructure issues for some time but it only becomes visible for those infrequent times when you have 2 devices communicatinog with one another directly, such as when you print over the LAN.

I have been running an Orbi with 3 satellites at home for about 4 months, and haven't encoutered this problem. However, my Orbi is configured to operate in "AP Mode" so it just provides Wi-Fi. (Apple calls that "Bridge Mode" in its AirPort configurations' "Router Mode" setting in AirPort Utility). DHCP is provided by a different box. But even so I have had to reboot my Orbi base station and satellites periodically because they seem to "lose their mind" from time to time.

 Also, IPv6 should be enabled and preferred by both the Mac and the printer, making any dysfunction with IPv4 address assignment (static or otherwise) irrelevant. Setting a static IPv4 address should be unnecessary and can in fact cause other problems. Since you probably added the printer by name (using Bonjour discovery), even if your IPv4 address changes across DHCP leases. It could be that the delays are evidence of the Mac trying for some reason to use IPv4 before IPv6 (it should be preferring IPv6 over IPv4 as of macOS 10.7), and the lag may be caused by IPv4 failing, and it then shifting to IPv6, where it succeeds. So the lag But something is not working properly for you. If you were going to add a printer using a raw IP address, I would recommend using the printer's link local IPv6 address (starts with "fe80::") rather than assigning it a static IPv4 address and using that.

[GuyToronto]

Hi Tutor,

Thanks for the comments. I am intrigued by your recommendation to enable IPv6. Almost all of the advice I have received - including on this same discussion - has suggested the following i.e. to disable IPv6. 

Also FYI, the same challenges precede the Orbi - and my current HP Priner (although I have always had HP printers and Apple computers).

I am now testing the recommednation given on the above post - too early to know if they are totally effective.

[dot11]

I won't speak to the other commenter's recommendations except to say that they seem to reflect a _very_ antiquated way of managing small networks such as those found in the home. Technologies such as Bonjour eliminate the need to set static IPv4 addresses in each host, manually manage a bunch of settings, create bookmarks to static IP addresses, etc.

I have never disabled IPv6 in any of my printers at home or at work, and there are more reasons to leave it enabled than to disable it. If your network is structured properly (no dual NAT, no cheap "Wi-Fi repeaters") and you use discovery protocols such as Bonjour rather than setting static IP addresses, then IPv6 is your friend. This is especially true if you swap out a router and your new router has a different subnet range (quite common) - your static settings will now make the printer unreachable...unless you leave IPv6 enabled and discover the printer using Bonjour. You won't even notice that the IPv4 settings are non-functional or incorrect.