Vista - HP network printer error on Vista

I need help!

I have a wired network, using a Linksys sd2008 unmanaged switch. I have 4 computers hooked up; 3 running XP, one Vista Ultimate x64. I added an HP LS7680 network all-in-one. Then the problems started.

I installed the HP software on each machine. Each machine found the printer and can send print jobs to it.

After any reboot of my Vista machine, or a power cycle to the sd2008 switch, the IP address of the network printer changes.

The XP machines have a checkbox in Control Panel, Printers, Properties, Ports (I think) which says something to the effect "Use this printer even if the IP address changes." That works!

The Vista machine has no such selection. I _THINK_ the IP address is the culprit. How do I enable Vista to see the printer after a reboot? How do I enable Vista to see the printer if the printer IP address changes?

Thanks,
Ken

I have a HP ALL in one printer like that also, networked , what I did was to go to the printers setup page and give it a static IP.

wwoods,

Thank you!

Now come the questions...

First, I freely admit my network newb status. With an unmanaged switch, like I have, I assume that the ports I plug into get their own, static addresses. The first port is xxx.100, the next one is .101, etc., down to the eighth and last which is .107: is that correct?

If so, assigning a fixed IP address should be easy.

If not, how do I do so?

Specifically, how did you assign a fixed IP address to your printer?

Thanks,
Ken

OK, there should be instructions how to access the printer setup somewhere, via web page or somethji9ng similar. Once there, look for networking setup, on there it should allow a static IP setup. It sounds like your printer is getting a DHCP IP from the switch, so just tell the printer to use a STATIC ip. Let me know if this helps , and no the ports are just that, ports, the IP is being assinged to the devices attached to them by a DHCP server. What you will be doing is telling the printer to NOT request a IP but sue this one.

wwoods,

Thanks. Accessed the network menu via the printer faceplate menu. I've assigned a manual IP address. I'll let you know how it goes over the next several days. (It usually takes some sort of recycling or rebooting to lose the IP. Obviously I don't understand the DHCP/IP protocols.)

Thanks!
Ken

What I would do now, is re-install the software for the printer, so it re-associates with the new static IP. Its not 100% nessarry, but I like to be sure about things. Just for kicks, ya might want to reboot manually after you re-install the software and see if it worked.