After 4 years with myZ3100 - Communication Problem - SOLVED

[Jim Cole]

Hi folks,

I haven't been around much lately, but though I might impose to ask for a few suggestions to try with my Z3100. I have never had communication issues with my Z.

After moving across the country in late September, my Z3100 survived the move and all was fine. I just made some prints a couple of weeks ago. Everything was peachy.

After my last print session, my wife needed to borrow the long LAN cable I use for the Z to do some work for a couple of weeks, so I turned off the printer and disconnected the cable. I then turned on the printer again so it would perform its self-maintenance

I just got the cable back and reconnected the printer and I cannot get any communication with the printer. I am on Windows XP Pro SP3.

The HP utility lists the printer, but cannot get updated. Photoshop sees the printer as " not available".

My XP printer and faxes dialog shows the printer as "Online"

I have tried:

Re-booting the computer (3 times)
Re-booting the printer (3 times)
Re-booting my router
Connecting the printer directly to the computer, by-passing the router
Pinging the IP address of the printer which was successful 4 out of 4 tries
Tried 3 different cables (Cat-5 and Cat-6)

Still nothing and I have run out of ideas to try . Any ideas out there?

Much appreciated,

Jim

[Jim Cole]

Thank everyone for looking. I've solved my own problem.

I have a networked ReadyNAS that was turned off, and was assigned the same ip address that DHCP automatically assigned to the printer. When I turned the ReadyNAS on to check its IP address and discovered the problem, all I had to do was reinitialize the TCP/IP settings on the printer's menu which assigned a new, non-conflicting address to the printer. All is well.

Jeez, I hate network stuff.

[John Nollendorfs]

Jim:
I've got static IP's for both my Ready NAS and Z3100! That seems to avoid the problem!

John Nollendorfs

[Jim Cole]

Thanks John,

That's a good idea, I was thinking of doing that. I never had the auto assignment of IP addresses go wrong before. Lesson learned.

[howardm]

there is almost never a good reason to let DHCP auto-assign things like printers, NAS or anything that realistically is not going
to leave the system.  Static IP's really are your friend for network 'resources'.

[Jim Cole]

Howard and John,

Thnaks for the suggestion. Everything is static.