Manuals

Using Your Printer on a Network: HP DeskJet Printer User's Guide

About Sharing Your Printer on a Network • Setting Up Your Printer on a Network • Troubleshooting for the Network-Connected Printer

NOTE: Networking is not available with the HP DeskJet 882C, 880C, 832C, 830C, 815C, 812C, or 810C Series printers.

About Sharing Your Printer on a Network

If you work in a networked environment, you can connect the HP DeskJet 895C Series printer to your network. The networked printer can be connected either to a personal computer (locally shared) or attached directly to the network via an HP JetDirect External Print Server (network-connect).

Locally Shared

In the locally shared configuration, the printer is connected directly to the parallel or USB port of a selected computer (called the "host computer") on the network. The printer can then be shared by other users on the network through a Windows 95, 98 or NT 4.0 network printer connection.

The advantages of a locally shared printer are the relatively easy installation and the lower cost. The cost is lower in this configuration because you need not purchase an external print server.

The disadvantages of a locally shared printer involve performance, printer status information, and location. Depending on the network priority settings and the number of users on the network, the host computer may slow down while processing documents for printing. In addition, this can cause your document to be delayed while other user's documents are being printed. Additionally, only the user of the host computer can receive status and error messages from the printer. Locally shared printers must also be placed near the host computer, which may not be convenient for all users on the network. Finally, if the host computer is turned off, any document you may have sent to it for printing may be lost or not printed.

Network-Connect

In this configuration, the printer connects to the network via direct attachment to an external print server such as an HP JetDirect 150X, 170X, 300X, 500X, EX Plus, or EX Plus3 External Print Servers. (See "Supplies and Accessories" for information on ordering an HP JetDirect External Print Server.) This configuration provides increased performance, location flexibility, and better printer status information than does the locally shared configuration.

Printing Across a Network

Whether the printer is locally connected or network connected, you need to install the HP DeskJet 895C printer software on each computer that will print documents to the HP DeskJet 895C printer.

Setting Up Your Printer on a Network

Use the detailed instructions provided in the HP DeskJet Toolbox to configure your network printer.

To access the online network instructions:

1. Double-click the HP DeskJet Toolbox icon on the taskbar.
2. Select the Networking tab.

   

NOTE: Before installing, select the Support Network Configurations button to check what network configurations are supported.

3. Select the button appropriate for your computer's operating system.

Troubleshooting for the Network-Connected Printer

If the test page generated by the HP JetDirect External Print Server displays the message I/O CARD READY, the print server is correctly installed. If you are using an HP JetDirect External Print Server and the test page does not display this message, see the HP JetDirect External Print Server's troubleshooting documentation.