HP 2600n Printer Problems

[reprised]

Hi all,

 

I hope someone can help me with a problem we've been having with our HP Colour Lasjerjet 2600n printers lately. We have 2 of these connected up via the network shared on a win 2003k file/print server and for 2 days cannot print to either of them on XP clients. When you send a job it just sits in the queue and says "printing". The green light does not flash as usual when receiving/printing the job. Here's what I've tried:

 

1) Tried on/off

2) Pinging - pings fine

3) Restore default settings on the printer

4) Deleting the printer and port from the server and reinstalling

5) Restarting the print spooler

6) Installing locally (tcp/ip port)

7) Deleting DHCP reservation and recreating

 

I can access the web interface for the printers and can also tell it to print config pages etc but can't get it working over the network. The printers print ok when with a usb. I guess it must be something network related but i'm not sure what else to try. Does anyone have any ideas as I am tearing my hair out over this problem.

 

Thanks

[AngryTechnician]

There are a few threads about this model on here, largely because a lot of people have these sorts of problems with it (myself included):

 

HP 2600n

http://www.edugeek.net/forums/hardware/61879-hp-2600-wont-work-network.html?highlight=Laserjet+2600

http://www.edugeek.net/forums/windows-server-2008/21198-laserjet-2600-windows-2008-a.html?highlight=Laserjet+2600

 

In my opinion, it's one of the worst network printers ever made.

[MrEprise]

I've found installing the 2600n driver update via Windows Update (on your 2003 server rather than on the clients) helps... A LOT. HP's drivers for this printer are just terrible.

 

Once we did this, our umpteen 2600's became fairly trouble free, at least on the software side of things. We do get odd printout quality issues every now and then, but they're easily sortable. However, YMMV.

 

Footnote:

 

I've really gone off HP printers - used to swear by them. Once upon a time, they used to make some of the best workhorses money could buy, then they reached a somewhat rocky period where by they made some good printers (CLJ 3800 - bought one 4 years ago and still haven't had any problems with it) and some real naff ones (CLJ 4650 - complete waste of time AFAIK, have 2 of them and (I) wish we'd never bought them.)

 

Nowadays, all printers HP churn out are a complete load of toss, and would happily not recommend any of their printers to anyone.

[AngryTechnician]

HP's drivers... are just terrible.

Fixed that for you.

 

The tip for Windows Update is a good one; though I never tried it for my former 2600s, I use it all the time now. There was once a time when WU drivers were a pile of pants, but these days I actually look there first and only resort to a driver from HP if WU doesn't have one. The only printers I have problems with right now are using drivers from the HP website.

[j_carlyle]

Had same problem

 

Created a pcounter port and my 2600s started behaving

[reprised]

Hi chaps,

 

Just tried the disable bidirectional support and it seems to have worked on both printers as the print job doesn't get stuck any more. Now just have to make sure the test pages I sent (remotely) have come of the printer in the morning .

 

and some real naff ones (CLJ 4650 - complete waste of time AFAIK

 

Dont' get me started with these . We have 1 and what a pain in the neck it is! Ours seems to jam on every other printout.

[FN-GM]

CLJ 4650 - complete waste of time AFAIK, have 2 of them and (I) wish we'd never bought them.)

 

We have a few of these and they have never skipped a beat. We love them and wouldn't think twice about getting more (if we had the money)

 

If they are jamming like that it sounds like it needs a new feed kit. Just a simple change of the rollers. They are cheap. You can try putting something like meths on all the rubber rollers this will help.

 

Also just check the paper isnt damp. The slightest dampness can upset these printers.

 

I think the HP Laser Printers are good, these 2600 are the only ones i have had problems with.

[MrEprise]

If they are jamming like that...

 

You've got it in one.

 

I guess I overreacted a bit with our 4650's, they produce a very nice print that our Art Dept. is reasonably happy with, the toners last a fair while & the drivers actually work, but our paper (and we've tried a few different brands) doesn't like feeding through the printers. We seem to have a particular brand at the moment that isn't misfeeding as much as others were (almost not at all) but occasionally we still get the odd paper jam. We did ask our Head of Art to try storing her paper somewhere that wasn't damp, but this didn't seem to make any difference.

 

Although we bought these refurbished rather than new, I still would have thought that our supplier would have checked the paper feed on both printers before selling them.

 

Also, I don't hate HP's older printers (about 2004 and older) of which we have quite a few and are satisfied with, I just don't think very highly of any of their newer printers which seem to have all sorts of problems with them.

[FN-GM]

I would try the thing with the meths its worth a try. Im sure your science department has some.

[ricki]

HI

 

I have had this with the 3600 and had to change the driver I am not sure which one I ended up using but I think it was the pcl5 driver. The other problem I have had is the printer did not like the switch it was plugged into and I have to move the patch cable in the cabinet to another switch.

 

I hope this helps.

 

Richard

[David_PCN]

Any HP printer which is GDI/Hostbased will cause problems - especially networked. Document size is often an issue with communication problems.

That said, they can be cost effective for low usage areas - when they don't have 30+ users trying to print at the same time!

[ricki]

HI

 

I have had another idea under advanced on default tab can you set the paper size to resize to the paper in the printer. I have seen when prints get sent in strange sizes and printers just stop working.

 

The other idea I had was do you have enough room for the spooler file. If people have been sending big prints than it could crash the driver or fill the spooler so it will not work. Try moving the spooler to another drive.

 

I am guessing here.

 

Richard

[rahool]

I faced same problem in this model and as a final solution the technician changed the control board.

These tips may help you

Printer problems

[Agent1]

We have a 2600 n networked printer that allows two XP desktops to print while the third is unable.

 

Things I have checked...

I can print from the print server windows 2003 server.

I can browse to the web-interface via the ip

I can ping the ip address from the PC that is unable to print

I have remotely connected my desktop to the printer, on a completely different network ip and have submitted a successful print job.

I have installed and re-installed printer, and drivers both on local pc and server.

I have checked the bi-directional settings, they are currently disabled.

Still this one desktop is unable to print. ( This happened at another site as well.)

I have read that 2600n are not fit for print servers and should not be configured as such. Any truth to this rumor... we have a few of these printers but TCO is not worth keeping them around.

All desktops are XP pro service pak 3

Any suggestions are appreciated.

If not repairable at least a valid argument to replace this HP model printer with something else.

 

Thank you