Easy Start won't work across 2 subnets?!

[AN_FFS]

I can't install printer drivers for OfficeJet 8610 on Mac because the laptop is on a wireless subnet and the printer is on a wired subnet. EasyStart can't see printers off of its subnet, and has no mechanism for specifying the IP address?? This is ridiculous. Or am I missing some hidden option to do this?

Thanks

[senan6806]

@AN_FFS

A warm welcome to HP Community!

Do you have any antivirus software installed on your Mac?

What's the make and model of your WiFi router?

Could you perform a ping test using the Mac Network Utility and let me know the results. Use the printer IP address to perform a ping test, the printer IP can be located by selecting the wireless icon on the printer display.

The wireless status menu on your Mac should also give us quite a lot of information that would help us identify the issue. You can access the menu by pressing the Option key(Alt) and then clicking the  Wireless icon on your Mac, if possible post a screen shot of the wireless status menu.

[AN_FFS]

The printer and the laptop can communicate fine (ping, printer admin web page).

The problem is that EasyStart, the only driver installer option available, can't see the printer. 

The printer is on one subnet (wired clients in bldg A) and the laptop is on a different subnet (wireless clients, bldg A) - this is not uncommon. The printer needs to be accessed by both wired and wireless clients, so my desktop machine on the same subnet had no problem with EasyStart. But if I moved the printer to the wireless network, then my wired clients wouldn't be able to run the installer...

In order to install the driver on any wireless clients I have to temporarily move the printer to the wireless network or move the computers to the wired network.  

In this particular case my new Mac laptop has all USB-C ports and I have no ethernet adapters with USB-C connectors, so I had to:

- patch the printer to the wireless lan to get EasyStart to see the printer

- install the printer on the laptop

- delete the printer from the laptop

- patch the printer back onto its wired lan

- reinstall the printer via its IP address using the Mac Printer setup (the driver's now installed)

It prints fine across multiple subnets, so why can't I install it in that environment?

Alternatives:

- HP could very easily post the driver on its website so I could download it and install it. (this worked fine for years I seem to recall)

- HP could allow EasyStart to install the drivers by model so I could then use my OS to finish the install

- HP could allow EasyStart to locate a printer by IP address for the very real likelihood that the printer and the computer are not on the same subnet.

I get HP's wanting to make a simple idiot-proof solution, but this is absurd. I will make sure we never buy another OfficeJet again;  I can't waste this much time.

Or is there some hidden way to get EasyStart to simply download a driver, install via IP, or something when it can't be used? Or are the drivers somewhere else on HP's site?

[senan6806]

@AN_FFS

Most of the HP printers uses driverless technologies such as AirPrint or IPP, which don't require additional drivers on your Mac. HP Officejet 8610 printer is AirPrint compatible, you may use the following steps to remove any existing printer driver and setup the printer with Apple AirPrint rather than using HP Easy Start.

Please ensure that the printer is up to date with its firmware and Mac is up to date with it's software. If you are unsure you may use the links below to update the printer firmware and Mac software:

Update printer firmware

Update software on Mac 

1.) Click the Apple menu, click System Preferences, and then click Print & Scan or Printers & Scanners.
2.) Check if your printer name displays in the Printers list, If your printer is listed, click the printer name, click the minus sign to delete the printer.

3.) If you see multiple printer queues for the same printer, remove all extra printers by selecting them one at a time, and then clicking the minus button  at the bottom of the list.

4.) Click the plus sign , click Add Printer or Scanner, click the printer name.

5.) Click the Use or Print Using menu, select AirPrint or Secure AirPrint in the pop-up menu. Then click Add.

6.) Try to print.

HP Easy start will also install the HP printer essential software's (HP Easy Scan and HP Utility). If you would like to use them, then you may download and install HP Easy Scan and HP Utility from the links below:

HP Easy Scan

HP Printer Utility for Mac OS X

Instruction on how to use HP Easy Scan can be found here. 

If the information I've provided was helpful, give us some reinforcement by clicking the Accepted Solution and Kudos buttons, that'll help us and others see that we've got the answers!
Have a great day!

[andybrucenet]

The answer provided does have details. I can assure the reader that the response Does Not Work.

Situation: MacBook Pro 2018 on wifi subnet, trying to register the *scanner* function of HP LaserJet 1536dnf MFP which is on *wired* subnet.

For one thing: the glib end to the response to "install ... drivers ... EasyScan ... etc." with some links...hmmm. The OP clearly stated that - unless EasyScan can find the printer / scanner to install - EasyScan won't install a driver by itself. That apparently would not be Easy. So the advice to install only driver software using...EasyScan...when EasyScan refuses to install the driver software...is an interesting Zen koan. I shall ponder it in my cave many-a-moon to marvel at its beauty as a (non)solution.

Now for my case, Dear Reader: It is indeed true that almost all HP printers you will meet in the wild do support AirPrint. In fact, I was able to register my HP LaserJet 1536dnf MFP printer with the Mac both by IP (driver) and by using AirPrint. Here's a screenshot with my AirPrint effort:

What is more - printing works Just Fine. See the following shot so that I stay versed in today's evolving social constructs:

However, I fancy and opine that the only reason any of my network-attached HP printers still work is because...I have declined the bliss of the partaking of Easy software.

To get to the OP's point about setting up scanning on an HP printer: EasyScan is useless - check it out!

How can that be? I have a printer up and running, the printer has a scan, all HP software driver versions up to "Version Easy" were able to print and scan without a problem. But - alack and alarum - there be no printer that I can see ("Arr, Matey!")

Shall I hear more, or shall I speak at this? Through the fillings in my teeth I can hear the HP expert on the other end speaking tinnily but sharply, as though with clenched teeth xemself: "Well...you must *add* the scanner!" Hmmm, let's see what the options are to add a scanner through EasyScan:

There are exactly 2 (two) options: Bonjour (which only works on current subnet) and USB (which requires direct connect).

So - to inform HP on how their corporate software actually works: if you have a printer on one subnet and a computer on another, you just ain't being Easy. HP won't play.

Now - I don't know about you all, but we use these HP printers in the business office all of the time. Oddly enough, in many office settings you will have a separate network (and thus separate subnet) for your wired and wifi devices. In fact, I venture to say that this would be...the normal and expected setup.

I believe this means that HP's Easy*** software (fill in as you like, it's all the same to me)  simply doesn't work. Except in the most trivial of edge cases: 1) either direct-connect from computer to printer device; 2) both computer and printer device on same subnet.

Too bad. HP took some reasonably well-running software and managed to break it for many. As with other posters - sayonara to HP for my office acquisitions.