Macos and LJ 1606

[pfisher]

A teacher has a new MacBook Air running Sequoia 15.1.   He has a LJ 1606 printer.  I am not able to successfully add this printer to his Mac either by IP or USB.   Normally, the computer will detect the correct driver either using IP or USB cable.  In this case, it is not working. 

I have installed Gutenprint drivers but it doesn't help.  I have tried to use a different driver but it doesn't work. I have gone to HP site and tried to install an earlier package but I get stopped with an error message saying something about it reuquires macOS 15 or below. 

How do I fix this problem? 

[Hawks_Eye]

Hi @pfisher 

Welcome to the HP Support Community! We're here to help you get back up and running.

Thanks for laying this out so clearly—it’s genuinely frustrating when a reliable printer like the HP LaserJet 1606 refuses to cooperate with a new macOS version. Since Sequoia 15.1 blocks older HP driver packages and Gutenprint isn’t resolving the issue, let’s walk through a workaround that restores full functionality using the original HP drivers manually.

 

Step-by-Step Workaround for HP LaserJet 1606 on macOS 15.1

 

1. Enable CUPS Web Interface

CUPS (Common Unix Printing System) allows manual driver configuration.

• Open Terminal and run:cupsctl WebInterface=yes
• Then open http://localhost:631 in your browser
• This interface lets you manually add and configure printers

 

2. Download and Extract HP Printer Drivers

Since the HP installer blocks macOS 15.1, you’ll need to extract the driver manually.

• Download the HP Printer Drivers v5.1 for macOS
• Mount the .dmg and locate HewlettPackardPrinterDrivers.pkg
• Open Terminal and extract the contents:mkdir ~/HPDrivers cd ~/HPDrivers xar -xf /path/to/HewlettPackardPrinterDrivers.pkg
• Inside the extracted folder, locate the hp directory and copy it to:/Library/Printers/hp/
• Also copy any relevant .ppd.gz files to:/Library/Printers/PPDs/Contents/Resources/

Note: You may need to fix permissions if prompted. Do not overwrite existing files unless necessary.

 

3. Add the Printer via CUPS

Now that the drivers are manually installed:

• Go to http://localhost:631
• Click Administration > Add Printer
• Select your LaserJet 1606 (USB or IP)
• Choose the correct HP driver from the list (not Generic)
• Complete setup and test print

 

If You Still Encounter Issues

• Try resetting the printing system:
  System Settings > Printers & Scanners > Right-click > Reset Printing System
• Reboot the Mac and re-add the printer using the CUPS interface
• If the printer still defaults to Generic, manually select the correct .ppd file during setup

This workaround has helped others bypass macOS version restrictions and restore full driver functionality. I understand how disruptive this has been—especially in a classroom setting. If you'd like help locating the correct .ppd file or verifying driver integrity, I’m here to assist. 

Let’s get that printer working smoothly again.

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Take care, and have an amazing day!

Regards, 

Hawks_Eye