BT Home Hub Printer woes

[hellymedic]

My BT Home Hub finally seems to be working OK but I'm having trouble getting my (wireless) netbook to speak to the ethernet network printer.
With my previous router, the printer was allocated a different IP address every time it was powered up, I could find this on the router's home page, enter it as a port on my printer's Properties and print.
It seemi s the hub doesn't 'see' the printer or at least let on its IP address if it does.
I can print from my (Vista) laptop by entering the printer's defaul IP address as a printer port but this trick does not work with the netbook.
I can share the printer on the laptop with the netbook but that means switching on the laptop.
BT Broadband desktop help, the hub's home page and Windows help have not yet helped me.

Is anyone here clueful?

[MercuryKev]

You could try going into the homehub set up page and assigning a static IP address to your printer. 

If you don't know how to access these setting: Type 'bthomehub' into your browser address bar and press enter.  The settting page should come up and click on the 'advanced' link and then 'continue to advanced'.  You'll be asked for your password.  The default user is 'admin' and the default password should be on a label on the back of the hub.  Select 'devices' and try to find the printer from the list (if it's not there then that's your problem).  Select 'edit' and check the 'always use same address' box and save.  Write this ip address down.

Now try setting up the printer in your netbook via the devices and printers dialogue and the add a printer option.  Using the ip address you might be able to get the connection even if you can't see it.  Failing that it could be a firewall issue.

[hellymedic]

Thanks. I haven't yet dared setting static IP addresses.
Weird thing is Hub manager can't 'see' printer, while it can 'see' all other connected kit and assign IP addresses.
I have been in the Hub Manager's home page quite a bit.
BT Broadband Desktop Help can 'see' printer but not tell me any IP address for it, unlike other computers on network.
Will have to wait until grmpy partner is off his computers and powers up printer in his study.

[hellymedic]

Is there any way I could detect the IP address the dynamic allocation gives the printer?
Can anyone guess what it may be? I really don't want to annoy my partner.
Computers are all allocated to 192.168.1.64 and up. (This is 192.168.1.67) Hub gateway is 192.168.1.254)

[Roadie]

It's being assigned a DHCP address each time. As others have said - best way with printers is to assign them a static ip address, further up the chain, so it won't affect new devices as you add them to the hub.

[fred the great]

Printer's are very cheap these days and buying one exclusiely for yourself seems to be a good solution to me.       

[hellymedic]

Thanks for suggestion but printer's upstairs and I am downstairs, existing printer (HP LaserJet 5100) does A3 as well as A4, there's no room in the kitchen for a printer and I've just bought new toner for £143.
Inkjet ink is pricy and smudgy.
I need access to a wireless network printer!

[Diver300]

Is there any way I could detect the IP address the dynamic allocation gives the printer?
Can anyone guess what it may be? I really don't want to annoy my partner.
Computers are all allocated to 192.168.1.64 and up. (This is 192.168.1.67) Hub gateway is 192.168.1.254)

I would see if it is an option within the printer to fix the ip address. I would go for something like 192.168.1.99, which gives you 30 odd dynamically allocated ip addresses. 

[Feanor]

I agree with Diver here.

If the HomeHub is not able to assign the printer the same IP address every time as an option, ( technically, called a 'DHCP reservation' ) then go to the printer and do it manually.

Find the options in the printer control panel where the IP address is set.
It will be set to 'DHCP' or 'Automatic' or somesuch.
Set the printer itself to a manual IP address, and choose one outwith the range which the homehub issues to PCs.

From what you say, you should set it to 192.168.1.x where x is between 2 and 63.
Set the Subnet mask to 255.255.255.0.
Set the Default Gateway to  192.168.1.254 ( not important, the printer doesn't need to connect to the Internet ).

Then create printer ports on the PCs to point to this IP address.

[hellymedic]

That makes more sense, thanks!
It's maddening that I can't read the DHCP address from here as far as I can see and a real FAIL on the BT Help and hub manager software. I can only get that far on a Windows computer; things are almost totally opaque on David'd Macs!

[pcolbeck]

Perhaps the printer isn't setup to use DHCP in which case it will never ask the Homehub for an address.  Take a look at the printers menus on its control panel and either set it for DHCP or manually set it an address.

[hellymedic]

You could try going into the homehub set up page and assigning a static IP address to your printer. 

If you don't know how to access these setting: Type 'bthomehub' into your browser address bar and press enter.  The settting page should come up and click on the 'advanced' link and then 'continue to advanced'.  You'll be asked for your password.  The default user is 'admin' and the default password should be on a label on the back of the hub.

I had already done that before I sent the OP.

Select 'devices' and try to find the printer from the list (if it's not there then that's your problem).

It isn't there; that is the problem.

Failing that it could be a firewall issue.

I think I've disabled the firewall.
I've experimented with multiple port numbers, with no success.

[why1040]

My HP printer used to drop off the wireless network on a regular basis, meaning I couldn't see it to print from.  The laptop wouldn't connect and if I tried to delete it and reconnect to it, it just wouldn't show at all.  A new printer (it was replaced for other reasons) did the same thing, though oddly less frequently.

The only thing I discovered that worked was restarting the router, which was a bore.

A new router (in my case replacing the Netgear one with a BT HomeHub) has essentially resolved the issue, though it occasionally takes some time to show up.  Just occasionally, putting the laptop to sleep and then waking it up again resolves it...

Yeah, I know...switch it off and switch it back on again...lol!

[hellymedic]

Perhaps the printer isn't setup to use DHCP in which case it will never ask the Homehub for an address.  Take a look at the printers menus on its control panel and either set it for DHCP or manually set it an address.

Printer page states

AUTO IP CONFIGURED
CONTINUING TO DHCP

Host Name ****
IP Address 169.254.86.81
Subnet Mask 255.255.0.0
Default Gateway 169.254.86.81
Config by Auto IP
BOOTP/DHCP Server Not Specified
TFTP Server  Not Secified
DNS Server  192.168.2.1

And more...

Windows Firewall is off.
McAfee is on.
McAfee also can't see printer

[pcolbeck]

A 169.254.x.x address is what a DHCP client (in this case your printer) gives itself when it gets no reply from the DHCP server (in this case your Homehub) when it request an IP address.

So your printer appears not to be talking to the Homehub at all never mind you cant see it from your laptop.

Is the link light on on the ethernet port that the printer is plugged into on the Homehub ?

[hellymedic]

I don't know. I am downstairs, hub is upstairs. I can only get up the stairs late at night and I'm home alone...
Printer (upstairs) is invisible on both Hub manager and BT broadband help but has printed off my laptop.
<Rapunzel>

[Feanor]

Yes, establish whether the link lights are on both on the printer and the homehub.
But they must be, as you got it to print from the Vista machine.

I'm curious how you can print to it with the vista laptop, using the 169.254. address.
Is the vista laptop also wired, or is it wireless?
What IP address does the vista laptop have when it can print?   Also a 169.254. address?
Can it access the Internet at this time?

What I'm wondering is if there is a config option to enable/disable the DHCP server in the homehub on the wired ethernet interface, and this has become disabled.
In which case, a wired Vista machine would *also* fall back to a 169.254. address, and would be able to print to a printer also on a 169.254. address.

Obviously, DHCP must be working on the wireless interface, or you'd not have Internet access on the wireless machines.

I'd be sniffing around the DHCP server config on the homehub, looking for things like enable/disable per-interface, MAC addesss filtering, or anything like that.

[pcolbeck]

On the printer where the ethernet cable plugs in there will be a little LED. With the Ethernet cable out it wont be lit when the cable is in it should turn green if it doent you have a no connection to your Homehub (perhaps duff cable or unplugged at the other end).

[hellymedic]

Yes, establish whether the link lights are on both on the printer and the homehub.
But they must be, as you got it tp print from the Vista machine.

I'm curious how you can print to it with the vista laptop, using the 169.254. address.

Is the vista laptop also wired, or is it wireless?

Wireless.

What IP address does the vista laptop have when it can print?   Also a 169.254. address?

No. 192.168.1.69

Can it access the Internet at this time?

I'm posting from my Vista laptop right now, so that's a YES!

What I'm wondering is if there is a config option to enable/disable the DHCP server in the homehub on the wired ethernet interface, and this has become disabled.
In which case, a wired Vista machine would *also* fall back to a 169 address, and would be able to print to a printer also on a 169.254. address.

I don't think any wired Vista machine has ever been connected. (2nd thoughts that's wrong; his dual boot MacBook Pro connected on ethernet.)
David has connected other PCs  (xp I think) to the ethernet ports OK. I suspect they were given 192.168 addresses (I might have seen an old table but my memory may be wrong.

Obviously, DHCP must be working on the wireless interface, or you'd not have Internet access on the wireless machines.

I'd be sniffing around the DHCP server config on the homehub, looking for things like enable/disable per-interface, MAC addesss filtering, or anything like that.

I might furtle but am scared of Things Going Wrong...

[pcolbeck]

If its address is 192.168.1.69 it cannot print to a printer on 169.254.something it's impossible. Well it is over IP as you have to be on the same subnet or go via a router to do that and your printer isn't seeing a router.

[pcolbeck]

To clarify what we can deduce so far.

The problem is not with your laptops at all. The problem is entirely between the Homehub and your printer in that they are not talking to each other. Noi point in fiddling with the laptops or firewalls on them etc.

Have you tried pulling the power from the printer and forcing it to reboot ? If the Homhub was off when the printer powered up it may have given up trying to DHCP an address but if you power cycle it it will try again.

[hellymedic]

As I said, it's upstairs and I'm downstairs and unable to get up to touch the hub in any way. (Sorry, I'm a pain!).
I've had a look at the Event log and 192.168.1.68 appears to have connected at the time David switched on the printer.
I'll try to add that as a printer port on the netbook and see what happens...

[ian]

In my experience, marriages between wireless printers and DHCP never work. Well, wireless standalone peripherals and DHCP in general.

As others have suggested, switch off the DHCP [automatic] option on your printer (either via the control panel on the printer, or its web interface) and give it a static IP address, such as 192.168.0.250 (subnet 255.255.255.0). That way you always know where it lives and you can use this IP address each time you create a printer port (be it on a Mac or PC) and then just leave it be.

For instance, my little home network is configured like this:

192.168.0.1 - router
192.168.0.2 - HP Laserjet P2035
192.168.0.3 - sadly deceased NAS, this IP address is its epitaph, RIP
192.168.0.4 - new NAS
192.168.0.5 - media server in the living room

192.168.0.64 and upwards, devices with DHCP - this is set on the router to use the range 192.169.0.64–192.168.0.254.

It's stable and avoids games of guess-the-IP address when devices fail to be discovered (all the time, in other words).

[hellymedic]

Thanks all. The printer is wired in to the ethernet port of the hub.
I think it has a  very short timeout.
I'll try to fiddle when David returns or maybe just resign to printing only from the laptop. Netbooks aren't too good for documents anyway...

DHCP is a PITA...

[hellymedic]

Restarted printer and it was still invisible!