Cannot use Easy Start to get driver for Color Laserjet Pro MFP M479; multiple VLANs

[cdstarkey]

I've seen this problem reported for other Laserjet printers. Here's the scenario:

I have my printers all on one VLAN, my desktops & laptops on a different VLAN. I just purchased a brand new CLJ Pro MFP M479. As with most of the printers now, no software disc comes with the printer; everything is "downloadable" (supposedly).

But when you go to the support page for the printer, the only option to obtain MacOS printer drivers is to use Easy Start. However, Easy Start will not "see" across VLANs (even though my computers can ping the printers and access the printers' web interface without issue). 

I've searched in vain for the MacOS driver online. Reading through these forums, I've run across previous users who had basically the same issue. They were consistently pointed to the HP ftp site, ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/softlib. But at this point, all help breaks down. The last "successful" user was directed to ~/software12/HP_Quick_Start/osx/Installations/Essentials/hp-printer-essentials-G-4_9_0.pkg

Well, that pkg file is no longer there. But there are lots of others. Not sure how one is supposed to choose the correct one.

I tried just going for the "newest" one (chosen by date), "hp-printer-essentials-L-5_10_6.pkg". But after running the pkg, there is still no driver available for this printer.

So, I'm stuck. I can load the "generic postscript driver" for the printer, but that does not allow me to use ANY of the features of the printer.

Any ideas where I can get the driver?

[IronBadger · Accepted solution]

Hp Easy Admin was created for scenarios exactly like you are describing.

You can download HP Easy Admin here.

And here is a document on how to use the utility.

This utility allows you download teh latest drivers for your device with needing to actually connect to it.

[cdstarkey]

IronBadger,

Thanks for pointing me to HP Easy Admin. I actually already had that utility but had forgotten. I used it and it found TWO pieces of software for download:

hp-printer-essentials-S-5_14_0.pkg

hp-easy-scan-1_9_2.pkg

I downloaded and installed both. But when I go to create the new printer on my Mac, it still does not find any driver for a HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M479.

So, even thought the Easy Admin recognizes the printer description, the downloaded pkg doesn't seem to have the driver. So, I'm back to square one, trying to find the MacOS driver for this printer.

[IronBadger]

That does not make sense.  I just downloaded the same package and checked the install files.

The HP Color LaserJet Pro M479 ppd is in the package and should have installed.

Check the PPD directory/folder on teh Macintosh and see if it is there.

./Library/Printers/PPDs/Contents/Resources/HP Color LaserJet Pro M479.gz

If it is not, try running the S_5_14_0 Essentials installer again.

If it is there, then the macOS is unable to resolve the printer on the network to the PPD for some reason.  If, for example, you do not allow bidirectional communication across the VLANs then you may need to manually select the PPD when setting up the printer. 

[cdstarkey]

Okay, well what you're saying is the driver does not match the printer's description:

you said, "HP Color LaserJet Pro M479"

I said, "HP Color LaserJet Pro MPF M479"

Now, maybe that's the correct driver. But my experience with HP printers is that, if a printer is an "MFP" printer, "MFP" is in the driver name.

I, too, see the "HP Color LaserJet Pro M479" driver in my list; but how am I to know that that is the correct driver, apart from someone like you telling me it is (or just installing it as the "closest match" and hoping for the best)?

[IronBadger]

The "M" means it is a muti-function device.  The Pro products have a slightly different naming convention now.  The Enterprise products still use the MFP moniker though.