NeRD Q

[-jk]

Thanks, I'll Google and see if I can figure out how to set this HP Evny 5660 to have a static IP. I can run a ethernet cable from the router to the printer if I need to (I have a few in my work bag). I tried to use a browser to get to it last night: timed out (expected since I can't even ping it). Naturally, I've Googled about the issue but most of the hits were a different issue (almost all were not being able to connect to the wifi and most were just telling the user to update their driver software on their devices).

I couldn't agree more about printers sucking. The sad thing about this printer is that it's a few years old and has been the best one I've had...no issues at all before now and HP instant ink has been great. It was working fine last weekend (my daughter prints math sheets on it a few days a week).

I've never seen an HP printer that can't take a static IP address. Don't use x.x.x.1 (that's your router) or x.x.x.255 (reserved for broadcast), and make sure it's outside the range of IP addresses your router hands out via DHCP - you don't want two devices having the same IP. You may have to narrow the DHCP range/pool - some routers default to .2 to .254, leaving no clear IPs for static assignments.

Do keep a list of any static assignments you make for reference. I generally label my printer with the IP it's on so it's easy to find when I add a new computer or if I need to get into its web interface.

For homes and small offices, I usually set DHCP to hand out addresses from .101 to .199 - saving everything else for any static/vpn addresses I want, using particular ranges for types of devices.

And putting an ethernet cable in your printer will make it as foolproof as a printer gets. I've never had to fix the network connectivity of an HP printer (or Brother, another of my favorites) that's using a static address and a cable.

-jk

[Nrrrrvous]

I've never seen an HP printer that can't take a static IP address. Don't use x.x.x.1 (that's your router) or x.x.x.255 (reserved for broadcast), and make sure it's outside the range of IP addresses your router hands out via DHCP - you don't want two devices having the same IP. You may have to narrow the DHCP range/pool - some routers default to .2 to .254, leaving no clear IPs for static assignments.

Do keep a list of any static assignments you make for reference. I generally label my printer with the IP it's on so it's easy to find when I add a new computer or if I need to get into its web interface.

For homes and small offices, I usually set DHCP to hand out addresses from .101 to .199 - saving everything else for any static/vpn addresses I want, using particular ranges for types of devices.

And putting an ethernet cable in your printer will make it as foolproof as a printer gets. I've never had to fix the network connectivity of an HP printer (or Brother, another of my favorites) that's using a static address and a cable.

-jk

OK, since we are solving problems here...

My Brother printer is hardwired directly to my router, my pc is hardwired to my router. My PC sees my printer and will print with no problems. But... My printer will not scan directly to my PC. It did for about 6 months and then all of a sudden decided to say "No PC found..." Thoughts? I've rebooted multiple times. I've "removed" the printer and then "added" back to my pc. Not sure what else to do.

[DukeBlueDevil]

OK, since we are solving problems here...

My Brother printer is hardwired directly to my router, my pc is hardwired to my router. My PC sees my printer and will print with no problems. But... My printer will not scan directly to my PC. It did for about 6 months and then all of a sudden decided to say "No PC found..." Thoughts? I've rebooted multiple times. I've "removed" the printer and then "added" back to my pc. Not sure what else to do.

It could be a case of the printer and scanner drivers being different. The printer one works fine but the scanner one might be goofed up. If you go to Control Panel (I'm assuming you're on Windows) and search for "scanner", you'll find View scanners and cameras. You can try adding the scanner in there if it's not there already. If it is, I'd check to make sure the IP address matches the one on the printer.

[cspan37421]

Just an update for anyone who finds themselves with this problem and a TP-Link router:

I did the beta firmware update, and it hung up at 93% complete. The power LED (which had been blinking, as now expected for firmware upgrades), well, that LED was out completely., and was staying off. Strangely, the others that normally light up during use (indicating wifi signals, network connection, those were still on!

I gave it a good amount of time but it wasn't budging. And the conundrum was that you were NOT supposed to use the internet OR cut power to the router while it's updating. Big no-no. So what to do? Waited a bit more. Still 93%. Finally, I said, forget it, I'm cycling the power. My reasoning was, maybe the last step is to restart, and somehow it got partway through the shutdown but then hung up. So ... I cycled the power. If I broke it (and there were warnings that I probably would), at worst, I have a new router in waiting, and an iffy old one in storage.

Well, it started up!! A new login / setup screen, and amusingly, a watermark with the words TP-LINK BETA repeating across my screen at a 45 degree angle (slope -1). Obscuring some of the normal text. Just had to set password for router, SSID, and passwords for wireless access, and not much else had to change. As mentioned, most other functions I left as defaults.

So, the router survived the upgraded firmware. It's still not clear if this addresses the random rebooting I was getting. Probably will know by tomorrow.

[fidel]

Re: printer ip and static ip’s: make sure you aren’t duplicating up addresses. The router can’t assign one elsewhere and the printer declare itself the same address.

Also, many printers have settings you can access by typing their ip into a browser — http://192.168.1.xxx.

[-jk]

OK, since we are solving problems here...

My Brother printer is hardwired directly to my router, my pc is hardwired to my router. My PC sees my printer and will print with no problems. But... My printer will not scan directly to my PC. It did for about 6 months and then all of a sudden decided to say "No PC found..." Thoughts? I've rebooted multiple times. I've "removed" the printer and then "added" back to my pc. Not sure what else to do.

Scanning can generally work two ways, both independent of the printing function (other than a shared network or USB connection). First, by the PC "pulling" a scan back via some program on the PC telling the scanner to scan. Second, by pushing the scan from the scanner, usually by pressing a button of some sort on the scanner itself. Both rely on the software being properly installed on your PC.

In the first scenario, the scanning software has to know how to find the scanner. A static IP address on the printer/scanner makes this easiest (while USB tends to just work). This way is generally less likely to fail.

For the second to work, something has to be set up on the PC, always actively listening. Sometimes the scanner is set to look for an FTP service, and a static IP on the PC would be needed. More commonly a background app/service is running on the PC doing the listening, and the scanner looks on the network for that listening service. Occasionally it needs the IP address of the PC.

Long story short, there are a lot of pieces. My first steps would be to set the printer/scanner to a static IP, then to download the latest driver set and reinstall it. That should fix the first scenario.

In the second scenario, make sure you don't have any firewall/malware software blocking incoming connections from the scanner. For a Windows machine, make sure your home network is "private", and that "private" doesn't block connections. If it got switched to "public", it blocks all incoming connections by default.

-jk

[elvis14]

Re: printer ip and static ip’s: make sure you aren’t duplicating up addresses. The router can’t assign one elsewhere and the printer declare itself the same address.

Also, many printers have settings you can access by typing their ip into a browser — http://192.168.1.xxx.

If I could figure out how to set the static IP on the printer, I'd make sure it's not a duplicate (which basically means ping the address I'm going to use and make sure it's not there).

I did try to user the address in my browser as you suggest but the connection just times out (which is what I figured would happen since I couldn't ping the address).

jk - I saw your post. If I can figure out how to set the static IP, I will. Haven't found it yet. Also, if I can figure out how to set the DHCP addresses to be .100 and above as you suggest, I'll see if I can (I'll google that tomorrow, worried that my router's current interface won't support it).

Thanks guys.

[fidel]

If I could figure out how to set the static IP on the printer, I'd make sure it's not a duplicate (which basically means ping the address I'm going to use and make sure it's not there).

I did try to user the address in my browser as you suggest but the connection just times out (which is what I figured would happen since I couldn't ping the address).

jk - I saw your post. If I can figure out how to set the static IP, I will. Haven't found it yet. Also, if I can figure out how to set the DHCP addresses to be .100 and above as you suggest, I'll see if I can (I'll google that tomorrow, worried that my router's current interface won't support it).

Thanks guys.

If your printer has an ethernet connector and you can wire it temporarily, it may allow you to debug if it works.

[camion]

One thing to check is you may be able to configure your router to reserve a particular IP address for your printer so you don’t have to set it at the printer. The address reservation would be tied to your printer’s MAC address.

MAC address: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MAC_address

[-jk]

One thing to check is you may be able to configure your router to reserve a particular IP address for your printer so you don’t have to set it at the printer. The address reservation would be tied to your printer’s MAC address.

MAC address: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MAC_address

Certainly a possibility. Some routers make ip reservations more obscure than others, though.

And if you have to factory reset your router for whatever reason, you lose all your reservations. When you make a list of static IP addresses for your various devices, be sure to record their MAC addresses, too.

-jk

[elvis14]

Certainly a possibility. Some routers make ip reservations more obscure than others, though.

And if you have to factory reset your router for whatever reason, you lose all your reservations. When you make a list of static IP addresses for your various devices, be sure to record their MAC addresses, too.

-jk

I'm going to see if I can figure out how to use static IP's for the devices that are persistent in my house. Have to figure out how to get to a real administrative menu on the router b/c the "My Spectrum" app (which is how they told me to administer) has very few controls added (they idiot proofed it which is great for people that want to plug and play and not be bothered...

Thanks again.

[Kdogg]

If I could figure out how to set the static IP on the printer, I'd make sure it's not a duplicate (which basically means ping the address I'm going to use and make sure it's not there).

I did try to user the address in my browser as you suggest but the connection just times out (which is what I figured would happen since I couldn't ping the address).

jk - I saw your post. If I can figure out how to set the static IP, I will. Haven't found it yet. Also, if I can figure out how to set the DHCP addresses to be .100 and above as you suggest, I'll see if I can (I'll google that tomorrow, worried that my router's current interface won't support it).

Thanks guys.

Is the printer showing up on the device table when you log into the router? It should show all connected devices.

Have you tried to connect to the printer wirelessly to the router or a computer?

[elvis14]

Is the printer showing up on the device table when you log into the router? It should show all connected devices.

Have you tried to connect to the printer wirelessly to the router or a computer?

Yes the printer shows up in the device table. Printer takes the wifi password and seems to log in successful. Printer can not be seen by any other device. Note, printer is not new. Router is not new. All of this has been working for months until this week.

[Kdogg]

Yes the printer shows up in the device table. Printer takes the wifi password and seems to log in successful. Printer can not be seen by any other device. Note, printer is not new. Router is not new. All of this has been working for months until this week.

Do you have a software firewall? What’s your antivirus software? Don’t think they are the issue because you said no devices can see it.

What about a firmware update? You should be able to do it from the printer as it seems to connect to the router and internet. You can also type changing the port on the router.

[elvis14]

Do you have a software firewall? What’s your antivirus software? Don’t think they are the issue because you said no devices can see it.

What about a firmware update? You should be able to do it from the printer as it seems to connect to the router and internet. You can also type changing the port on the router.

So, I get home today and notice a piece of paper on the printer. Odd. I check it out, it's something I tried to print yesterday. My daughter says "Oh yeah, that printed out at like 3am last night". I have my phone in my hand, pick a picture and act like I'm going to print it. All week, it wouldn't find a printer at all. Today, finds the printer no problem. Back to my MacBook...I print out another page. Comes right out. Ping the ip address: works like a champ.

Problem has disappeared without a warning or clue the same way it showed up. Magic? I test software for a living. I hate issues that don't have a good answer (or at least one I can't find).

[-jk]

So, I get home today and notice a piece of paper on the printer. Odd. I check it out, it's something I tried to print yesterday. My daughter says "Oh yeah, that printed out at like 3am last night". I have my phone in my hand, pick a picture and act like I'm going to print it. All week, it wouldn't find a printer at all. Today, finds the printer no problem. Back to my MacBook...I print out another page. Comes right out. Ping the ip address: works like a champ.

Problem has disappeared without a warning or clue the same way it showed up. Magic? I test software for a living. I hate issues that don't have a good answer (or at least one I can't find).

Well, all's well as ends well.

Intermittent problems are the worst!

-jk

[elvis14]

Well, all's well as ends well.

Intermittent problems are the worst!

-jk

I bought a printer at lunch today (Bestbuy had one marked down from $129 to $35). Somehow that cosmically triggered it? Who knows. I'll have to go return the printer tomorrow.

[gep]

I'm going to see if I can figure out how to use static IP's for the devices that are persistent in my house. Have to figure out how to get to a real administrative menu on the router b/c the "My Spectrum" app (which is how they told me to administer) has very few controls added (they idiot proofed it which is great for people that want to plug and play and not be bothered...

Thanks again.

For me, I have been able to get to the detailed router management by entering the router IP into a browser... always worked, whether cable modem, cable modem/router, DsL modem, DSL modem/router, and different router brands. I agree that the MySpectrum app may only provide minimal options... but should at least show you the router IP.

Also, some routers only allow router management when connection to router is wired... not wireless... don’t know about your router or MySpectrum app...