m477 installation cannot find printer and no way to continue

[SquaredCubed]

Sometimes the installer can find the printer - most times it cannot. No firewall or defender enabled. Tell it the actual IP and it still refuses to install - STILL CANNOT FIND THE PRINTER. OH WAIT!!! There are TWO m477s!! And it cannot find EITHER of them. What is wrong with this picture? The other problem: the TWO m477 printers go OFFLINE frequently and usually right in the middle of a important project - then go all the way to the printer, do a complete COLD RESTART and then print. Nothing like screwing up your trend of thought because of a PRINT FAILURE. These printers are networked for a reason. Additionally, I have three other HP printers, 2 HP print servers. NEVER had network issues with any of them in YEARS. Since buying these? Headache after headache. Burnt transfer belt - under warranty. Something should have been done about this. It should still be updated and made to work properly. Hardware is up to date. Obviously the software needs an overhaul. If someone can be real clear and dead on nuts about what is causing it, I am all ears.

[Repairatrooper]

your post does not give enough details about how the network is configured and how you are trying to configure the driver. 

[SquaredCubed]

Network config?  Okay - does not matter where it is ... however ... what I have tried to do:

It used to work most times as it resides 4 hops down to a 8 port 10/100 switch.  This switch handles the m477, HP 4000 and a HP6500 printers.  No problems with the 4000 laserjet or 6500 inkjet, just the m477.

I put a switch between the PC and printer, short of a network direct connect.  It cannot be found and still cannot install.  I have tried using the WiFi through the primary router, nope no good.  I tried using a WiFi access point directly connected to this PC - still does not work. 

I CAN ping it and use the web interface when it is wired or wireless. 

I have serious doubts in regards to my current Windows 8.1 installation.  Needless to say, Microsoft has a profound way of screwing things up and then blames the other people.

Let me back the truck up --- for years I ran Win 8.0 Pro without any serious problems.  SINCE Microsoft has poisoned Win 8.0 (seriously, no joke here) - I started having all sorts of problems, one after the other.  No virus, just a problem with ONE WINDOWS FILE that affected several other processes.  NO FIX would work. 

SO - after this 8.1 "UPGRADE" - I have had nothing but problems.  REAL PROBLEMS.  Never had a BSOD - EVER.  Never had issues with networking, performance or software issues.  Since 8.1 - I have had nothing but headaches, one after the other. 

One situation which could be a part:  Disabled Windows Firewall b/c of another issue.  That did not work.  4 days trying to discover WHY I cannot see other computers on the network, including 2 Windows server.  Sure, you can MAP the drives, use Remote Desktop, ping and everything else -BUT- you could not see the machines in the network folder.

NOTE that Windows FIREWALL is turned "OFF" for Domain, Public and Private networks. There is no reason I should not be able to see computers in the network folder, RIGHT?   BUZZZZZZZZZ!  Wrong answer!

After several days of research and trials, I was pretty sure the firewall had something to do with it.  ADVANCED SETTINGS:  noticed many ports were DISABLED. THEN - as a last desperate act - I enabled EVERYTHING.  Incoming and Outgoing.

OOOOOOOO -- THERE THEY ARE!!!   ****Keep in mind, Windows Firewall is still in the "OFF" state.

Now how the hell did this work when the firewall was suppose to be OFF?? 

**OFF** means inactive and unable to do anything except SIT THERE.  Apparently this is not the case.

And for the record, I made sure all the HP exe files had full access to all networking - noticed the programs entered themselves into the Incoming and Outgoing rules.

So, turning off the firewall does exactly SQUAT.  Since it cannot be permanently removed and disabled from windows - it becomes a bigger problem.

I am still investigating a way to completely eradicate Windows FIREWALL from the system.  I use a WatchGuard firewall between the modem and first router. The WAN network and LAN network are physically separate.  In reality, I cannot see any practical reason for Windows Firewall.  ESPECIALLY since it has caused more problems than it is worth.

Lesson Learned.

[SquaredCubed]

UPDATE:  Something is really screwy here. 

Now, for unknown reasons at present, I can no longer print to the HP6500 or either of the two m477 printers. 

Noticed a strange port configuration and cannot modify the port WSD Port?  This is new.  I let Windows add the printer since all the drivers were installed using a USB cable across the study floor (and a freaking trip hazard).

One other note, not sure if this applies or not.  This machine is part of a domain, however, using it as a stand-alone.

The DNS server has made a mess of this so I will go back and fix the DNS since the Win 2k3 servers became ignorant - dang it.

I used the servers and workstations in stand alone (workgroup only).  NEVER used that stupid HOMEGROUP ... never found any value in it.

So - looks like there is more to do now. 

***ANY INSIGHT*** to a solution would be appreciated. 

I wish I had the time to go back to school for a computer science and networking degree. 

Oh - most people know this - Google knows NOTHING.

[SquaredCubed]

This is nuts ... not only is this machine having this problem, now it seems to have propagated to my laptop --- time to check the other machines.

Needless to say - windows cannot fix itself, never has, never will.

[SquaredCubed]

Okay - UPDATE ...

Here is how things went and Windows is definitely part of the problem.  I noted seeing some OTHER TCP/IP ports, namely HP "Printer Port"?   Something like that - it was in the port listing but since vanished since I applied the actual, in this case, HP-CLJ-OFFICE TCP/IP port.  My take on it is a virtual port.

Note IPv6 is disabled network wide.

Here is where it now became evident Windows has allot to do with it. 

I am no GURU when it comes to networking and domain membership and switching between them.

What I did discover:  I cannot print to the HP6500 or either of the two M477s when I am signed onto my PC as a stand-alone. 

I.E. - PC\USER

When I signed onto my PC with domain creds - ALL the printers work.

I.E. DOMAIN\USER

I have not tried the 2nd part - finding the printer to install properly.

Oh, and the reason for using my machine in stand alone mode?  Because of the work involved with setting up my desktop - more so because Outlook is a total pain in the ASSet.

If I get time, I will run the printer installation again to see IF it finds any of the printers.  Much to do and not allot of time.

If anyone has insight to why the PC cannot print when signed in as  PC\USER  instead of  DOMAIN\USER - THAT would be appreciated.