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Before installing the latest version of the Network Magic software my printer was connected via USB to my computer running Windows XP. I am using a Linksys Wireless Router. I recently set up a new computer running Windows Vista in another room and wanted to network it wirelessly sharing the printer. I followed all the NM instructions and the printer was being recognized by the Vista computer but indicated it was offline and did not print. Thinking that it was a driver issue, I downloaded the latest drivers from HP but this did not help. On the HP website I read that I should connect the printer to my router using an Ethernet cable. Now the room that has the printer and XP computer has the printer connected with both the USB and Ethernet cables, Ethernet directly into the wireless router and the USB still to the computer. This enabled the Vista computer in the other room to work with the printer. I am able to see both computers and the printer on the NM Map online and ready to print. The issue that I am having now is that after awhile, maybe a half hour or so, the printer shuts down. Is it the connection, the NM software or a combination of both? Should I disconnect either the Ethernet or USB cable? I am happy that I am now able to share the printer, but it is annoying that I have to check to see that the printer in on before attempting to print something from the Vista computer in another room.
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Printer Shuts Down On Shared Network Using Network Magic Software
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#2
smax013 
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Posted 13 December 2007 - 07:43 AM
Jamcony said:
Before installing the latest version of the Network Magic software my printer was connected via USB to my computer running Windows XP. I am using a Linksys Wireless Router. I recently set up a new computer running Windows Vista in another room and wanted to network it wirelessly sharing the printer. I followed all the NM instructions and the printer was being recognized by the Vista computer but indicated it was offline and did not print. Thinking that it was a driver issue, I downloaded the latest drivers from HP but this did not help. On the HP website I read that I should connect the printer to my router using an Ethernet cable. Now the room that has the printer and XP computer has the printer connected with both the USB and Ethernet cables, Ethernet directly into the wireless router and the USB still to the computer. This enabled the Vista computer in the other room to work with the printer. I am able to see both computers and the printer on the NM Map online and ready to print. The issue that I am having now is that after awhile, maybe a half hour or so, the printer shuts down. Is it the connection, the NM software or a combination of both? Should I disconnect either the Ethernet or USB cable? I am happy that I am now able to share the printer, but it is annoying that I have to check to see that the printer in on before attempting to print something from the Vista computer in another room.
What model of HP printer is it? I am wondering if it has some sort of power management/saving feature that is causing it to shutdown. And when you say the printer shuts down, I am assuming you mean it completely powers down, correct? Or is it going into some power conservation mode? (I will note that my HP all-in-on goes into a "stand by"/"power save on" mode when I don't use it for a long periods of time)
#4
Jamcony
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Posted 13 December 2007 - 09:16 AM
I may have solved the problem. I disconnected the Ethernet cable from the printer directly to the wireless router and was now able to print from the computer in another room on the wireless network. I supect that my printer shutting off issue was caused by the two connections from the printer, one being the Ethernet cable and the other being the original USB connection. The above double connection was the only way that I was able to share the printer with both computers on the wireless network originally using the Network Magic software. Thanks to the HP website which advised me to use the Ethernet cable, and as I recall, it said "temporarily,"...I guess to establish communication seetings with the router. Hopefully all is well for now.
#5
smax013
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Posted 13 December 2007 - 12:31 PM
Jamcony said:
I may have solved the problem. I disconnected the Ethernet cable from the printer directly to the wireless router and was now able to print from the computer in another room on the wireless network. I supect that my printer shutting off issue was caused by the two connections from the printer, one being the Ethernet cable and the other being the original USB connection. The above double connection was the only way that I was able to share the printer with both computers on the wireless network originally using the Network Magic software. Thanks to the HP website which advised me to use the Ethernet cable, and as I recall, it said "temporarily,"...I guess to establish communication seetings with the router. Hopefully all is well for now.
Sounds like you are set, so you probably want to let "sleeping dogs lie" as the saying goes...but...
Personally, if the printer has a network connection (which it appears to have from your posts and from the specs on the HP website), then I would use that connection NOT the USB connection. The advantage is that you will NOT need to have that one computer turned on all the time to get able to use it from the other computers. Using an ethernet connection should put it "directly" on your home network WITHOUT having to share it from a computer.
#6
Jamcony
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Posted 14 December 2007 - 03:21 PM
The only problem with networking the printer via wireless router and Ethernet as opposed to printer USB connection is that if the cable signal providing me Internet service goes down, and it does every so often, how do I print a document from my HD? At least if I have a computer connected to the printer with USB, I can still print.
#7
Jamcony
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Posted 13 December 2007 - 03:38 PM
Unfortunately, I still have the problem, printer shutting down after about half an hour. Accessed HP online support and they advised several things to no avail. Print sharing only works when I have either the USB and Ethernet cables connected at the same time or if USB is connected without Ethernet to wireless router but not if Ethernet is connectly only. I think it is a software glitch or a Vista bug. I'll keep trying but at least I get print sharing even though I have to turn on the printer manually every so often.
#8
smax013
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Posted 13 December 2007 - 04:19 PM
Jamcony said:
Unfortunately, I still have the problem, printer shutting down after about half an hour. Accessed HP online support and they advised several things to no avail. Print sharing only works when I have either the USB and Ethernet cables connected at the same time or if USB is connected without Ethernet to wireless router but not if Ethernet is connectly only. I think it is a software glitch or a Vista bug. I'll keep trying but at least I get print sharing even though I have to turn on the printer manually every so often.
That is odd. You printer should be able to use the ethernet connection to put the computer directly on the network. Have you installed the HP All-In-One software for each computer that you want to use the printer with? Have you looked at the manual for how to setup the ethernet connection? If not, here is the manual...take a look at section 4, "Connect to a Network".
#9
Jamcony
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Posted 13 December 2007 - 07:24 PM
Thanks for taking the time to provide me with the setup guide online. HP tech support in an online chat suggested that I unplug the computer from the printer, removing the USB connection and leave the printer on in stand alone mode, not connected to anything. I did this and the printer is still shutting down after a short period of time, usually within a half hour. I don't think the printer has a power saving mode and shuts down by itself. I guess I should time the shutdown more closely. It looks like it might be a problem with the printer. I don't think fixing it pays since a new one is not too expensive these days.
#10
Jamcony
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Posted 13 December 2007 - 08:02 PM
Just a short follow-up. Since I am getting print sharing with the USB connection...printer to XP computer vis USB in one room and Vista in another, using wireless router, it is not necessary for me to change HP printer settings to Network using the wireless router. The XP computer stays in one location and prints in the same room as the printer. I guess if I wanted to take it into another room, Hp Network with the Ethernet to router would be the way to go, and I just might do it eventually. For now, it's the Vista computer that gets moved around and it print shares with the current connection.
#11
smax013
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Posted 13 December 2007 - 10:48 PM
Jamcony said:
Just a short follow-up. Since I am getting print sharing with the USB connection...printer to XP computer vis USB in one room and Vista in another, using wireless router, it is not necessary for me to change HP printer settings to Network using the wireless router. The XP computer stays in one location and prints in the same room as the printer. I guess if I wanted to take it into another room, Hp Network with the Ethernet to router would be the way to go, and I just might do it eventually. For now, it's the Vista computer that gets moved around and it print shares with the current connection.
As I said before, if it works, then you might now want to change it at all. That is certainly up to you.
Having said that, if you use the network ability of the printer, then you don't need to have a computer in the room with it at all and don't need to have a second computer (i.e. the one that the printer is connected to) turned on to use the printer. If you use the built-in networking ability, there is no need to "share" the printer. That is the whole point behind a printer with networking capability. In general, it is a much better way to go. I wish I could hook my printers up that way instead of havng to share the printers through Windoze on my one Windoze XP desktop. It would make my life a WHOLE lot easier. But, none of my printers are network aware by themselves. It HAS to be done by printer sharing through a computer.
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