Network Printer Issue

[stevef1]

Hi all, we have several HP2600n printers installed on a windows 2003 R2 print server with SP2, for some strange reason some printers seem to stop working, the job is sent (from windows xp pro client) to the server and just site in the print que, it says its printing but it never does.....any ideas? I tried upgrading the firmware on the hp2600n's and have the latest driver from HP..

Thanks

[Hybrid]

Are the port settings setup correctly?

Personally i don't use the 'HP Network Port', I just select 'Standard TCP/IP Printer Port' and it works fine.

Can you access the 2600N's via the web interface? If not then theres a problem with your network settings on the JD Card.

[stevef1]

Ports are OK, using MS TCP/IP and i can access the web interface ok

grrrrrrrrr i hate printers

[bossman]

@stevef1:
I know it sounds a silly question but are your printer ip addresses static?

[mattx]

Also worth checking the:

'Start Printing after last page is spooled'

Setting - [ on the advanced tab ]

[FN-GM]

Also another obvious one, but is the set as offline and you haven't noticed?

[Michael]

Have you tried stopping and starting the Print Spooler service? Both locally on the client and on server itself?

Can "everyone" print permissions wise?

Do you have time restrictions implemented?

Do you have a print management tool like Print Manager Plus? Try temporarily stopping its service.

Is the Windows Firewall disabled? If not try disabling it.

Can you ping the printer IP from the client and server ok?

Do the printers have a static IP allocated in a reserved range? A range outside DHCP.

Does the printer have paper? I've lost count how many times teachers have forgotten about it!!!!

Hope this helps

[SYNACK]

I had this sort of problem with a 2605dtn it turned out that it was really picky about its physical network connection. Swapped it to a brand new patch lead and the next port down which cleared the problem up. Got to get the cable layers back to see what they stuffed up with the first port. Strangely the first port runs a PC just fine.

[stevef1]

Thanks for all the posts:
Printers are static IP address
No firewall (or its off)
Nothing blocking port 9100
Printers have paper (yeah aint teachers daft
Spooler has been restarted (several times)
No print management software (on a new server)
I can ping and connect to the web interface
Permissions are ok
Using MS TCP/IP printer port
Tried this:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/934885
Now in contact with HP and they say that its not 100% compatible with windows 2003 and that its not a good network printer (a host printer) need to install the firmware for Windows XP to resolve the issue, hey guess what it didn’t work......

[mrbios]

are printers mapped via scripts? we have an issue where by we have to run the script once as administrator the first time the printers mapped (only has to be done once per machine) in order for it to put some drivers on that the kids cannot

works from then on, but same issue as your getting if we dont, we have 3 2600ns and there run from a windows 2003 server

[nicholab]

Try using a LPR printing port instead of a TCP/IP it seems to be a bit more robust.

[stevef1]

Printers are set in a log on script, LPR in windows? how if you dont mind, never used it before always used TCP/IP

[nicholab]

If you go into the port config you can change it from "RAW" to "LPR" you need byte counting enabled as well. (This is also the best way of using a Netgear print server.)

Have you tried a different printer with this que or changing the print processor to the windows standard. I would suggest setting up a workstation to print directly with out going through the main server.

[Geoff]

You must Install 'Print Services for Unix' from Add/Remove components to install the drivers for the LPR Printer port type.

[m25man]

The 2600N is a Host based printer it only has 16Mb of RAM and is not upgradeable.
It requires the full host printer driver installed on the client and the TCP/IP port installed on each host then it'll work like a dream.

You really do not want to be setting these up on windows server spool queues they are so unpredictable.