Flash firmware on non-flashable HP P2015n

[dgsmith]

We have a HP p2015n and found that there is a firmware update here that is newer and seems to fix the problem of losing the static IP config.

However, our formatter appears to be unflashable, as it says the 3rd digit needs to be 0, 1 or 2, and our's is 5 (also tried flashing it but doesn't update it).

Now, what do we do from here? We have a printer which often forgets its IP and we can't upgrade the firmware because it isn't flashable! I have read somewhere that some have left it on DHCP then set an exception on the address it takes, hoping it keeps that one - I don't want to take that route.

Will HP fix or swap the printer for one with flashable firmware or a fixed formatter? We only bought it in July last year so still under the standard 12month warranty.

[kmount]

They'll supply you with a module to pop into the expansion slot on the side. (with the new firmware on)

Whether it works is then a bit of luck... We had 6 or so shipped out and took 3 out because it crashed the printers outright.

[dgsmith]

They'll supply you with a module to pop into the expansion slot on the side. (with the new firmware on)

Whether it works is then a bit of luck... We had 6 or so shipped out and took 3 out because it crashed the printers outright.

Is it just a case of contacting HP support then directly and requested one of these modules? I assume you asked for 3 more when those 3 didn't work? Is this module a new formatter board to replace the existing, or to go in as well as the existing one, or something else entirely?

It seems this printer has hardly been used, as we haven't been getting told about when the IP is getting "lost" - it happens so often they hardly see the printer working, so just ignore it!

[kmount]

It's a DIMM module that goes where you'd normally upgrade the memory.

I requested 6 or so at once and didn't bother with the ones that didn't work, have opted to replace them instead.

It might be worth you (it's how we've done it) leaving them to die and revert to DHCP and just have DHCP reservations set up to give them back the same IP. That's our method to shut them up for now!

[srochford]

We have a printer which often forgets its IP and we can't upgrade the firmware because it isn't flashable! I have read somewhere that some have left it on DHCP then set an exception on the address it takes, hoping it keeps that one - I don't want to take that route.

I think you've got a fix, but if that doesn't work, you should be able to just set a reservation in DHCP - the printer will ask for an IP but will always get the same one because you've said "give IP a.b.c.d to MAC 00:11:22:33:44:66:77"

[kmount]

^ Same back up plan as my post.

[dgsmith]

Well I have resorted to the DHCP method which seems to avoid it getting the wrong IP (setting a reservation for a specific MAC address); setting the IP as DHCP then saving changes meant it picked up the IP I set. Better than it not working at all I suppose.

This has really put me off HP printers, especially the issues with our HP 2600n issues too!

[kmount]

Yes, it's unfortunate that we're now looking at moving away from HP.