HP Laserjet 6MP

I'm trying to print to my HP Laserjet 6MP via Airport Extreme base station. I'm using a Keyspan USB to parallel cable. I've had good success printing from the USB port on my iMac, but when I connect via the Airport Extreme, I can't print. I can see the 6MP as a Bonjour printer using the hpijs-foomatic driver, and there was a time when I actually had success, but I think I lose the ability to print when I shut down. When I restart, I can still see the printer, but it won't print. It spools into the twilight zone, but no printing. Thanks for any help.
iMac G5, PowerBook G4 Mac OS X (10.4.7) 2 GB RAM

The 6MP is Postscript Level 2 and since your operating system is attempting to print to Level 3 I would think the problem is with the operating system. Unless you can get your operating system to print to Level 2 you are out of luck since there is no upgrade for this printer to Level 3. It is just too old.

Similar Messages

Printing problems with HP LaserJet 6MP

Does anyone know if there is a way for my old HP Laserjet 6MP printer to work with my new IMac? It has a 8 pin serial connector and HP no longer offers support for this older printer. They have suggested I buy a HP JetDirect 500x J3265A but those are over $300. Surely there must be a less expensive solution. HP also suggested checking out Strydent Software but I couldn't find anything that seemed applicable.
I have a Keyspan USB to serial adapter and everything is hooked up. I found my printer on the IMac list but when I try to print it says "Unable to connect to IPP host: Unknown error 0" So I must be doing something wrong......

Asante used to make a Mac serial to Ethernet device,
AsanteTalk. If they're still available that may be
an alternative. They used to sell for $99.00. I
used one with an HP-4MP printer (which my daughter
and son-in-law are still using.)
I think you may try what you are doing but do not use
IPP printing because you have the printer connected
to a USB port not an Ethernet port.
Thanks for the info.
Another question.... if I hook the printer up through the Ethernet port can I still run DSL through it?
Also the printer browser forces me to choose either IPP, LPD or HP Jet Direct-Socket.

HP LaserJet 6MP & HP JetDirect 300x connection problem

I've done a search and read these threads:
http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=11078808#11078808
http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=11086516#11086516
Still can't get my printer to print.
Here's my set-up:
I have an iMac and a HP LaserJet 6MP. I used to use the AsanteTalk gadget (and an AppleTalk cable), which enabled my printer and iMac to communicate perfectly via an ethernet cable and the ethernet port on my computer. Now I've upgraded to Snow Leopard. So, I read the discussions here, and purchased the HP Jet Direct 300x (from eBay... it took me two tries, 7 days for the auction to end and another 4 days for the thing to be delivered).
What I've done so far:
Purchased a parallel cable for the printer.
Connected the cable to the printer and the JetDirect.
Connected the ethernet cable from the the JetDirect to the iMac's ethernet port.
Hit the "test" button on the JetDirect to get the "Configuration Page".
FIRST, using the same ethernet cable I'd been using with my AsanteTalk, it gave me an IP address of "0.0.0.0". Then I tried changing to a different ethernet cable. (I'm not sure what the difference between the two are, other than one is yellow and one is orange.)
Then I got the Configuration Page printout of: "IP ADDRESS: 192.0.0.192"
(which I discovered from the HP website is one of two factory defaults for this device.)
I tried going to "Add Printer" in my "Print & Fax" settings.
I chose the Protocol: "HP Jetdirect - Socket"
In the IP Address field, I tried typing that IP address, but then all I get is the endless Status window that says "Determining Installable Options..." and "Status: Connecting to printer..."
I went to the "Network" settings and under "Ethernet" it has sayings "Configure Using DHCP" and has an IP Address that starts with 169... so I tried putting that IP address in the Add Printer field. That didn't work either.
So, now what?? I've been unable to print for two weeks and it's maddening.
Your help would be much appreciated.
Thanks!

It sounds like you figured it out, but the HP JetDirect 300x needs to be connected to your Network, not directly to your Mac. If your AT&T DSL/Cable Modem doubles as a router with additional Ethernet ports, you plug the HP JetDirect 300x into one of the modem's available Ethernet ports. The router will assign an IP address to the JetDirect. You then print the configuration page for the JetDirect to see the IP address that it was given. Then you add the Printer to your Mac using the IP option, and the HP JetDirect-Socket selection. Type in the IP address in the top section, and then choose HP LaserJet 6P/6MP - PostScript for the PPD file in the lower section. You can also change the IP address in the lower section to re-name the printer as HP LaserJet 6MP before clicking the Add button.
If the AT&T Modem only has a single Ethernet port to connect to your Mac, then you would have to buy a Cable/DSL Router (such as the Linksys WRT54G) to connect additional computers (and the HP JetDirect) to your modem, essentially creating your own home network to share your internet connection. It sounds like your AT&T Modem has additional Ethernet ports since it also features Wireless access.

Setting up IP Printing for HP Laserjet 6MP

Hello friends.
I hope somebody can help me out as I have spent hours trying to get this solved.
I have an HP Laserjet 6MP, connected to a HP JetDirect Ex Plus print server, and I would like to setup IP printing on it. (I do not want to use AppleTalk printing)
My setup is as follows:
- A home network running from a wired router.
- Another second router connected to the first one (because all the ports are used up), with DHCP disabled on it, providing four more spare ethernet ports.
- The Jet Direct is connected to one port
- My MacBook Pro (OS X 10.5.7) is also connected to another port
I have tried setting up the printer through OS X, using the 'Add Printer' function in the printing preference, and selecting both 'LPD' and 'HP Jetdirect socket' options. Neither appear to work though and I think I am getting the addressing incorrect.
I am getting stuck is the following:
- Not sure how to check that the IP address I am entering for the print server is correct
- Not sure how to test if the printer / print server is actually being recognised on the network
- Not sure if I've missing anything else along the way...
Any help or guidance would be really really appreciated.
Thanks,
G

Wow. After continuing to wrestle with this I worked out the problem. What I needed to do was first reset the print server to it's factory settings. I then printed it's configuration page, by holding down the Test button. This lists all it's details, including the correct IP address. In my case it was 10.1.1.5
I then created a new printer using the OS X printer setup function in the System Preferences. Selected IP Printing > jetDirect, and entered the IP address. From there it just worked. Everything connected and printing perfectly.
A nice end to a Friday.

Suddenly, my HP Laserjet 6mp won't print. The icon says it's in use (but it isn't), at other times it says it's not connected (but it is). Help!

Suddenly, my HP Laserjet 6mp won't print. The icon says it's in use (but it isn't), at other times it says it's not connected (but it is). Help!

That page's troubleshooting for the "Filter failed" message worked out. I consulted the Wiki before but never found that exact page. I guess I didn't use the best search criteria. Thanks for pointing it out.

Getting IP address for 2nd hand HP LaserJet 6MP?

We don’t have the user manual, because the printer is 2nd hand and did not come with one. I had read that the IP address might be on the back, but there are no IP-like numbers there.
We are trying to get this printer running with an old clamshell iBook (OS 9.2) and an Asante bridge. Some posts in other threads say the Asante won’t work with this, but if we can get an IP address for the printer then perhaps we can be sure.
I have read threads about running this printer, which is extolled as a workhorse, with 10.6 and we might try that next but it means buying another piece of equipment & maybe a new cable. We’ve already bought a used Apple Laserwriter 16/600 that turned out not to function (printed a test sheet fine then always reported a paper jam though there was none). And we bought the Asante bridge.
All this in aid of occasional use for artistic purposes, using the printer to fuse (commercial) colored lettering onto regular black lettering printed onto gold-leafed paper. We did this for many years with our Apple Laserwriter that we raised from a pup, until it just finally wore out. Other modern printers either don’t get hot enough or aren’t forgiving enough to accept paper with gold leaf.
I felt I had to mention this because so many of the other threads had replies like “Get a new printer, they’re faster and sweller“ etc. but there is not a one that will last for 15 years of regular use as our Apple Laserwriters did, and as many peoples’ old HP 6MPs seem to be doing. We threw away a Kodak printer, cheap thing clacked and vibrated like a rube goldberg machine.
Anyway, suggestions on finding IP address for this printer?

Cynthia Cheney wrote:
Thank you, Greg. I tried the reconfiguration you suggested. In the Appletalk control panel I turned Appletalk off, then in that same panel chose “Connect via:” Ethernet. It then says below “no zones available” . When I try to print I get an error message, “Laserwwriter 8 cannot be used because of an internal error, -43” (I remember error #43!) Laserwriter 8 requires Appletalk, and I turned it off but it shows as active in the Chhoser when Laserwriter 8 is selected. When I went back to the Appletalk control panel Appletalk had been reactivated, though the pulldown menu still showed “Connect via:” Ethernet and “no zones available” . Appletalk address reads Node 128 and Network 65280, which either I chose many years ago or it was automatically chosen. After checking all this, still got the same error message when trying to print.
You must have AppleTalk turned on to print to that printer _from a Mac running OS 9.2_. You must have AppleTalk turned off to print from a Mac running OS X 10.6.5.
We’re only using the clamshell iBook because we thought it would work without buying additional equipment; we got the Asante box to go with the old Apple Laserwriter purchased previously (had mechanical problems). My husband would use the HP Printer perhaps twice a month, for a few copies of fairly short text each time onto goldleafed paper, so the iBook would be adequate.
If the printer has an Ethernet port, either built in or using a DirectJet card, you should be able to print to it without the Asante Talk device. You can print to it from OS X using IPP. You can print to it from OS 9 using AppleTalk.
I had read that 10.6 ended Apple support for certain old printers, but recent reading of threads has shown me that’s not so in this case. The old HP JetDirect things are on eBay but there’s quite a variety.
Yes. And not all of them work with OS X 10.6 (or Windows 7). That would be why some of them are on eBay: the owners can't get them to work anymore and are making them someone else's problem.
One there now, is: HP JetDirect 200M LIO Internal Print Server (J6039B) Feature
Serves Ethernet and Fast Ethernet 802.3, 10BaseT and 10/100 BaseTX network types
Supports any LIO-based printer
[http://cgi.ebay.com/HP-JetDirect-200M-Print-server-/250742520371?pt=LHDefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a616b3a33#ht_485wt1158]
Anyone know if this would work with the HP LaserJet 6MP and my husband’s iMac running 10.6?
I'd look at HP's site.

HP LaserJet 6MP Print Adjustments

Hello Forum,
I have a LaserJet 6MP with a JetDirect box in front of it. The printer only has 5000 prints on it - it's like new. Trouble is, it doesn't print black very well anymore.
A little investigation and a few test pages later, I find that the REt (Resolution Enhancement Technology) setting and a few others need tweaking.
Question is, Does anybody know how to do this across the network? Since I have it connected with the JetDirect, there is no serial connection to it.
I guess what I really need to get to is the "DOS Remote Control Panel"
I'm running OS X 10.4.7 with a G5 desktop box.
Thanks!

There are a couple of things to check.
1. Did you use an "upgrade" disk to upgrade you computer from Panther to Tiger? You may need to reset the printing system from Printer Setup Utility.
2. Do you have any non-ASCII characters, spaces, or hyphens in your short user name or password? The CUPS server can choke on these.
3. Are you trying your short user name? There are quite often differences between the user name and short user name. I believe that you can use either the long user name or short user name for installing software or other OS X authentication. The CUPS server though requires the short user name.
Matt
Mac Mini G4; B&W G3/300

Snow Leopard and HP DirectJet 300X / LaserJet 6MP communication problem

I've just upgraded to Snow Leopard and found that due to discontinued support for AppleTalk, I could no longer print to my LaserJet 6MP. Following advice posted elsewhere in this forum I got hold of a JetDirect 300X but can't get it to work with the upgraded Mac, though other computers can work with it.
I have Snow Leopard 10.6.3 installed, which I understand includes all the latest HP drivers. I can print successfully to the JetDirect/6MP from two laptops with OS X 10.4 (Tiger) installed, also from a PC under either Windows XP or Vista, so I know the JetDirect and printer combination is working. I'm setting up with the same LPD information on the Snow Leopard Mac - same IP address and queue name. The printer appears to set up properly, the Add Printer correctly identifies it as a PostScript printer, the only difference is that I only get the Gutenprint driver, the HP one doesn't appear in the list. But when I print, the Mac gets stuck at the 'Connecting to printer...' stage. The Activity light on the JetDirect flashes intermittently so I think something is reaching it, but there's no activity on the printer itself.
I have also run this Mac with 10.5.8 (Leopard) via a bootable external drive and get the same problem with that. I've tried changing the Ethernet cable from it to the router, resetting the JetDirect box (that got it working with the PC and the two Mac laptops) and upgrading its firmware to the latest version via the PC but I can't get my main machine to work with it.
I have reviewed the thread at
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=11281487&#11281487
and those to which it refers, but I can't find anything quite like this.

I just found and applied the 10.6.4 update. After attempting to reinstall the printer using the same LPD settings as work with all the other computers (now including an ancient clamshell iBook on OS 10.3, which printed first time), I just get a message 'copying print data' for about a minute then back to the usual 'connecting to printer...' hang.
I did notice I got a choice of the Gutenprint and the 'proper' LaserJet driver when selecting the driver software. Is that wrong? I thought I read somewhere that under 10.6 you should only see Gutenprint for this machine. Maybe I have an outdated set of drivers still installed?
I tried again but choosing the Gutenprint driver, but that just gives the 'Printing page 1, 21%' message and then gets stuck. It's like the Mac is talking a print language or dialect that the JetDirect can't understand. Did Apple change something with 10.5 and later?

HP Laserjet 6MP: what do I need to save from old system?

I recently moved from a G3 iMac running 10.2 to a G5 running 10.4. I have a great old HP Laserjet 6MP. Right now, my system is successfully printing (through an AsanteTalk box that goes from the printer to the Appletalk slot). It was able to find my printer, showing the name "Buster," a name which I had chosen a long time ago when I was on System 9. The only place where the name "Buster" appears in my files is on two ppd files on my external nonbootable backup disk, in the old "System Folder." One is in the Printer Preferences and the other in the Extensions in this old System Folder. I have several questions:
1. Are these two files named Buster essential to my system being able to find my printer? I'm surprised that the system would have found the printer in the backup disk rather than through a newer driver on the current system.
2. If the Buster files are essential, where should I put them on my current system? (I'd like to be able to remove the old system files from the external backup drive eventually.) Or do I just need to keep them where they are, on the backup disk?
3. I've noticed there is an HP Laserjet 6MP driver on the new system. Would my system be able to find my printer with just this driver?
4. Is there any danger of my system not being able to find the printer if I move these "Buster" ppds to a different folder on the backup disk?
Thanks,
Donna
Message was edited by: Donna Kossy
Message was edited by: Donna Kossy

You should be able to use the printer independent of old system
folders created in another computer at a different time. Perhaps
the AppleTalk connection is why this old information comes up;
presumably you are still using the printer via AppleTalk, and so
that configuration must be running under Classic in OS X 10.4.
The OS X 10.4.x Tiger system probably has excellent drivers;
but you could use Gimp prints, too.
Did you use the Migration Assistant to move from the old Mac
to the newer one? If so, it copied over stuff; and any old alias
or links to sources no longer available to the computer would
be null and void, unless or until some other drive with old info
relative to this were available.
I'd change all that; and re-think the need to use AppleTalk,
unless you have other hardware or needs only fulfilled with it.
You should be able to get a good driver for the printer as a
download, something newer than the printer's old one. The
Gimp Print or gutenprint open source page has free drivers.
There probably is something there to update the old printer.
You may be able to move the printer driver from one system
into another; but not sure how compatible that bit of old data
would be in a newer OS X 10.4 system.
Gutenprint - Gimp print:
http://gimp-print.sourceforge.net/MacOSX.php3
Gutenprint supported printers lists your model:
http://gutenprint.sourceforge.net/pSupportedPrinters.php3
I'm not sure about the rest of this question; in that the need
for the configuration as it was has not been established as
a single and valid way to go. You should be able to get newer
drivers and consider other means to use the printer outside
of AppleTalk, if necessary. There should be no need for the
old system parts, if you can get a newer, better driver; etc.
Good luck & happy computing!

The HP Laserjet 6MP driver in Lion seems to be missing. Any solutions?

HP's and Apple's website say the Laserjet 6/6MP is compatible but when I go to Add Printers it is not in the list of Laserjet drivers as it was with Snow Leopard.
Anyone figured out how to make a 6MP work in Lion?
It is recognized on my Airport network, but cannot select the right driver because it is not in the list.
Thx
Ed

No drivers are included with Lion, whereas Snow Leopard had a minimal set of drivers by default.
The way Lion works is that when a printer is connected to, the OS queries the model and then downloads the supporting driver from Apple Software Update. So when you see the printer in the Default view of the Add Printer browser the Mac should be connecting to the Internet to download the appopriate driver. If the driver is not found on Software Update then a message is displayed under the Print Using menu stating as much. So do you get a message about no driver being available?
Note that it is possible to download the entire HP driver update from Apple, but this is close to 500MB and installs a lot of HP printer drivers for models that you don't have.
It is also possible to add the printer using the Generic Postscript driver included with Lion, assuming your LJ6 does have the Postscript option installed. If it does not have Postscript support then you can use the Generic PCL Laser Driver included. Note this driver only prints in black & white and has a default resolution of 300dpi.

Will LaserJet 6MP with AssanteTalk work in Tiger?

One of my old workhorse printers is an old HP 6MP Laserjet (AssanteTalk through ethernet hub) which works great in 10.3.9.
Any reason to think it won't work in 10.4?

There are no changes in Tiger that would cause this to fail. I have a Apple Personal LaserWriter NTR hooked up through a LocalTalk to ethernet adapter and it works fine in Panther and Tiger.
bd

HP Laserjet 6MP fails to print with parallel-to-USB converter cable

I have a LaserJet 6 MP parallel printer which I was using in 10.3.9 with a parallel-to-USB converter cable. The Printer Utility saw it natively as a USB device and it printed just fine most of the time, although it would occasionally fail to print, so I installed a different driver called usbtb 1.0.15, and after that it printed very reliably.
Now I've upgraded to 10.4.9, and the Printer Utility still detects the HP printer natively as a USB device, and I also installed the formerly-reliable usbtb driver again, but the printer now fails to print with either driver. It acts like it's going to, but then it quits.
When I choose Print, all the features of the printer are shown, and I can select which tray to take paper from etc., and the printer dialogue box says "Printing," the activity light on the printer flashes just as it always does when printing is in progress, but then, instead of printing, the activity light stops flashing and the print job disappears from the dialogue box.
Can anyone tell my why this printer is failing to print now, and how I might be able to get it working again?
Thanks,
Tom

Wait a minute! It's only certain Indesign documents that won't print.
All TextEdit docs will print.
I created a few scribbles in Photoshop and they print.
But with InDesign, there is no predicting which documents will print or will not print. On some that will not print, if I remove all but one text box, then they will print. On other documents that do print, if I copy some text off of one that won't print and paste it in, then that one stops printing too.
On some that won't print, if I erase everything on the page and create a new text box and type a few words into it, the page will print. If I revert to the previously saved version, once again the page won't print.
What kind of craziness is this, anyway? It seems random. I can't figure it out.
Even on the documents that won't print, when I try to print them the printer's activity light blinks as though it is just about to print, but then the light goes out without printing.
Anybody got any ideas what this problem is and how to fix it?
All I know is that EVERYTHING printed before I upgraded from 10.3.9 to 10.4.9.
Tom

HT3669 OS 10.9 and HP Laserjet 6MP

Seem to have lost my ability to pringt to the ole 6MP after the upgrade.
Any ideas?

Reset the printing system as described here: Mac OS X: How to reset the printing system
After you do that you will need to add the printer again: OS X Mountain Lion: Set up a printer
The instructions are identical for Mavericks.

How to connect my LaserJet 6MP?

I just bought a new iMac, and I have yet to figure out how to make it communicate with my laser printer. (Obviously, the printer worked like a charm with the previous system, due to Apple Talk.) I have searched through several of the discussions on this topic with no luck, so I think I must be missing something.
Currently, I have the printer connected through a Farallon Ethernet router (adapter?). Both my printer and my DSL cable go into the Farallon, and then a single cord connects the Farallon to the computer.
IP address - 172.16.1.10
Subnet mask - 255.255.0.0
Router - 172.16.0.254
One of the threads mentioned that the Farallon does not work with Snow Leopard, in which case I would have to get a different gadget. Is that the JetDirect card that people keep mentioning?
Please forgive my ignorance. Any and all assistance would be greatly appreciated.

I did set a static address using Telnet via Terminal to turn off DHCP and set a static address.
Print a configuration page to get the current local address of the JetDirect. Then open Terminal.
If you don't have Terminal set up, it is found in Applications/Utilities/Terminal.app. Then the command is the following, substituting the current JetDirect address for <ip address>
*telnet <ip address>*
After the JetDirect responds to this, follow its directions by typing "?" or "/" as indicated. Typing the question mark gives Help and the slash will give your current settings.
To turn off DHCP, the command is
*dhcp-config: 0*
Then check your setting again with the "/"
Then to change the ip the command is:
*ip: <new ip address>*
where you substitute the new static ip address that you want for <new ip address>.
Make sure your new desired address is on the same subnet etc as the rest of your network of course.
Then check your settings again with the slash. If everything looks good, you are done. Type "quit" to quit and save your changes. Then "exit" from your Terminal session and quit Terminal as usual.
If you have a PC (or Windows available via Bootcamp or virtualization on your Mac) there are several other ways to access the JetDirect and set a static address such as via Explorer or Firefox or HP's software that you can download from them. (HP is more Windows-centric since they make PCs and they are rather obtuse with their manuals.) Unfortunately the Firefox access is Windows-specific and doesn't work directly via OS X. But, the Telnet procedure is actually very easy, just text-based instead of GUI.
See pages 45 to 51 and 131 to 137 of this JetDirect manual for more info:
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/DocumentIndex.jsp?lang=en&cc=us &contentType=SupportManual&docIndexId=64255&prodTypeId=18972&prodSeriesId=27316& lang=en&cc=us

HP LaserJet 6MP 1/2" wide wet looking smudge

10 years no problems with this printer. I just put in a new cartridge. The pages are printing with a 1/2' wide smudge, 1.5" inches from right side, 11" length and looking wet, gray, and with black fleck blotches. The blue cartridge roller is delivering the smudge and leaving a little pile of printing powder along the bottom where the cartridge site next to the metal spline and black roller. I cleaned it after the first page but it keeps happening. Faulty cartridge?

You should be able to use the printer independent of old system
folders created in another computer at a different time. Perhaps
the AppleTalk connection is why this old information comes up;
presumably you are still using the printer via AppleTalk, and so
that configuration must be running under Classic in OS X 10.4.
The OS X 10.4.x Tiger system probably has excellent drivers;
but you could use Gimp prints, too.
Did you use the Migration Assistant to move from the old Mac
to the newer one? If so, it copied over stuff; and any old alias
or links to sources no longer available to the computer would
be null and void, unless or until some other drive with old info
relative to this were available.
I'd change all that; and re-think the need to use AppleTalk,
unless you have other hardware or needs only fulfilled with it.
You should be able to get a good driver for the printer as a
download, something newer than the printer's old one. The
Gimp Print or gutenprint open source page has free drivers.
There probably is something there to update the old printer.
You may be able to move the printer driver from one system
into another; but not sure how compatible that bit of old data
would be in a newer OS X 10.4 system.
Gutenprint - Gimp print:
http://gimp-print.sourceforge.net/MacOSX.php3
Gutenprint supported printers lists your model:
http://gutenprint.sourceforge.net/pSupportedPrinters.php3
I'm not sure about the rest of this question; in that the need
for the configuration as it was has not been established as
a single and valid way to go. You should be able to get newer
drivers and consider other means to use the printer outside
of AppleTalk, if necessary. There should be no need for the
old system parts, if you can get a newer, better driver; etc.
Good luck & happy computing!

HP Laserjet 6MP

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