HP LaserJet 4050N set up using IP *SUCCESSFUL step-by-step guide*

Question

I have had sooo many difficulties in attempting to set up my HP LaserJet 4050N using an IP address connected to my iMac via Ethernet… but tonight I have finally succeeded! So for the benefit of anyone else who is having difficulties here is a complete step-by-step guide to how I achieved it.
1.
In ‘System Preferences’ in ‘Network’, I made sure that ‘Ethernet’ is set to the following:
‘Configure IPv4: Using DHCP’
Two numbers are given:
‘IP Address’ and ‘Subnet Mask’
(you might need to click ‘Renew DHCP Lease’ by clicking ‘Advanced’ and under ‘TCP/IP’ clicking ‘Renew DHCP Lease’)
WRITE BOTH OF THESE DOWN!
2.
Go to ‘Applications’ folder and click on ‘Utilities’ and open ‘Network Utility’. Click on the ‘Info’ tab and from the drop-down menu select ‘Ethernet’.
The ‘IP Address’ should be the same as that given in the ‘Network’ settings panel for the Ethernet port.
3.
On my HP LaserJet 4050N I went through the following menus:
Click the green ‘GO’ button until the display reads ‘Offline’
Click ‘MENU’ 7 times or until ‘EIO 2 JETDIRECT MENU’ shows
Press ‘ITEM’ button until ‘CFG NETWORKJ=NO *’ is displayed
Press ‘VALUE’ button until value reads ‘YES’
Press ‘SELECT’
Press ‘ITEM’ button until ‘CFG TCP/IP=NO*’ is displayed
Press ‘VALUE’ button until value reads ‘YES’
Press ‘SELECT’
Press ‘ITEM’ button until ‘BOOTP=NO’ is displayed (or press ‘VALUE’ button until value reads ‘NO’ and then press ‘SELECT’)
Press ‘ITEM’ button until
‘IP BYTE 1=XXX’ is displayed and where I have put ‘XXX’ using the ‘VALUE’ button enter the first number of the ‘IP’ address given in ‘Network Utility’.
Repeat this procedure for ‘BYTE 2, 3 AND 4’ by using entering a value each time using the ‘VALUE’ button and then pressing ‘SELECT’ before finally moving onto the next ‘IP BYTE’ value using the ‘ITEM’ button.
After all of the ‘IP’ values have been entered pressing the ‘ITEM’ button will display ‘SM BYTE 1=XXX’ – this is the ‘Subnet Mask’ value. Follow the same process as for the ‘IP’ address and enter the values given in the ‘Ethernet’ pane in ‘Network’ under ‘System Preferences’.
After entering the final ‘Subnet Mask (SM)’ value (BYTE 4) press ‘SELECT’ and finally press the green ‘GO’ button.
As soon as the green ‘GO’ button has been pressed the ‘IP’ value in both ‘Network’ (under ‘System Preferences’) and ‘Network Utility’ (Applications/Utilities) will change to display a new ‘IP’ address. The ‘Subnet Mask’ value displayed in ‘Network’ (under ‘System Preference’s should display the same ‘Subnet Mask’ value).
4.
Now close ‘Network Utility’.
Click on the ‘SHOW ALL’ tab in the open ‘NETWORK’ window.
Click on ‘Print & Fax’ in ‘System Preferences’.
Click on the ‘+’ tab on the left of the ‘Printers’ Pane.
Click on the ‘IP’ tab.
From the drop down menu ‘Select HP Jetdirect – Socket.’
Now in the Address field enter the ‘IP’ values that you entered in the printer (and that you wrote down earlier).
Once entered click ‘Add’.
I really hope that what has worked for me works for anyone else who is struggling to set up their HP printer using IP over Ethernet. Please post any success.
Kind regards
Neil.

Answer 1

Thank you, Neil! Your instructions worked.
Several comments to clarify your instructions.
They mostly expose my simple minded understanding of computers....
1. At the line in part 3 beginning with " ‘IP BYTE 1=XXX’ is displayed...", the 'XXX' means the first set of numbers before the first '.' in the IP address. For an IP address of '78.123.4.56', that means '78'. You push the 'VALUE' button many times if the number is three digits. IP Byte 2 for the same IP address is '123'. Etc.
2. When you have finished all the steps, it works! What a relief.
The printer will appear in the print dialog box as an IP address.
3.You can change the name of the printer if you want.
Go to System Preferences>Print&Fax
Select the printer. (it is listed by its IP address number)
On the right side of the box will appear several buttons.
One button is 'Options & Supplies'. Click it.
Another box will drop down.
Choose 'General' from the 'General / Driver / Supply Levels' buttons at the top of the box.
The name of the printer will be defaulted as the IP address.
Type in whatever name you want for the printer
Click 'OK'
4. It may be possible to go one step further and connect the HP LaserJet 4050N
printer to the computer through an airport express, but I have
had enough frustration the past two weeks that I am not that curious. Yet.
Once again, thank you Neil!
Bob