HP Laserjet 4M and OS 10.5.4, can it work?

[erachman]

Does any one know definitively whether my old and trusty workhouse of a laser printer, the HP LaserJet 4M, will work with the OS 10.5.4? I have been using this printer for almost 15 years, up until a few weeks ago, when I upgraded the OS. I have it connected to a G4 iMac 17" flat panel, using a Farallon Etherprint iMac adapter. I can't seem to get it to work, I also tried to download a newer driver from HP, with no luck. Before I go out and buy a new printer, I just want to know if its now a boat anchor.

 

[gsahli]

Yes it should work. If you have it directly connected to the Mac's ethernet, you need to configure ethernet in Network Prefs "manually."
Give it a special local-only IP address like 192.168.1.5. Turn on appletalk. Should work.

 

[Sun Baked]

The LaserJet 4 is supposed to work with Leopard ... might have to try the 3-4 methods HP has for "I upgraded to Leopard and my printer stopped working."

 

[MisterMe]

Ditch the adapter. Plug your printer directly into a LAN port of a hub, switch, or router. You should be able to access it via IP-printing, LPR, or AppleTalk.

 

[aross99]

Ditch the adapter. Plug your printer directly into a LAN port of a hub, switch, or router. You should be able to access it via IP-printing, LPR, or AppleTalk.

I think he is using the adapter because he does not have an ethernet port on the 4M. He has only the old Local Talk port.

You might be able to get an Ethernet card for the printer though, and then ditch the adapter...

 

[MisterMe]

I think he is using the adapter because he does not have an ethernet port on the 4M. He has only the old Local Talk port.

...

You may be assuming a lot. I have an old HP LaserJet 4M. Among its standard features is a built-in print server with an RJ-45 Ethernet port.

 

[JNB]

Try looking here. This is the KB article discussing the update.

 

[aross99]

You may be assuming a lot. I have an old HP LaserJet 4M. Among its standard features is a built-in print server with an RJ-45 Ethernet port.

Why would he be using the EtherPrint adapter if his printer already had ethernet? I thought those were to allow Ethernet Mac's to print to LocalTalk printers?

Seems like I had an old HP Laser with a built in LocalTalk port, and the ethernet required an EIO card.

If it has a built in Ethernet port, then definitely dump the adapter and put the printer right on your network...

 

[erachman]

I have a print!

Success! ok, I down loaded the new drivers, but they didn't seem to do anything. I tried "GSAHLI's" tip on using the apple talk. That worked, and I am still using the Farallon. I don't have a cable handy that would go from the printer to the router. Printing is a little slower than usual.