HP 6110xi printer question...

back2macback2mac
Posted:
in Genius Bar edited January 2014
I just switched back to a mac after a 4 year hiatus (15" Al PB). I have an HP 6110xi mutlifunction printer that I had been using with my previous HP laptop and my wife's HP desktop both of which are running window XP home. The printer is attached via USB to the HP desktop and I was sharing via wireless network with the HP laptop.



Now that I have the PowerBook I'm faced with something of a problem. I've been able to configure the PB to see my wife's computer over the wireless network. However, neither OS X or gimp print has a driver for the 6100 series printer. Using the recommended deskjet 900 driver as a substitute doesn't give me any print quality options and results in super slow printing.



I have installed the printer directly to the PB and it works fine with the HP software that came with the printer. I thought installing the software directly on the PB would add the appropriate driver so that I could select it when I configured it to print over a windows network. No such luck.



One possible work around I thought of was to attach both computers directly to the printer using a usb hub. Is this possible? Will it damage either computer or printer?



I'm open to any suggestions about how I can get all the print features on my PB while keeping the printer either physically connected to the HP desktop or to both computers simultaneously. (I can't have the printer connected exclusively to the PB because I take the PB with me frequently).



Thanks,

Jason

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 3
    costiquecostique Posts: 1,084member
    1. If you have Mac OS 10.3.x, you should be able to do exactly what you want to do with HP drivers. Configure the printer connected to the Windows box to be shared. Then on your Mac run Printer Utility and select Windows Printing. You may need then to select the workgroup for the printer to show in the list. At least, I am able to select any printer connected to any PC in our office. Then select the printer model and it should work.

    2. You can always connect your printer to a Mac and share it for a Windows box (see this tip).
  • Reply 2 of 3
    back2macback2mac Posts: 13member
    I can see the printer over the windows network when it's attached to the PC. However, the problem is that when I go to select the appropriate driver in the drop down menu under "HP" I don't have an option for the 6110, or any Officejet printer for that matter. When I use the recommended Deskjet 900 driver, printing is super slow and I have none of the print dialog box options (print quality, color options, speed, ink density, etc.).



    So, I guess I have three questions:



    1. When I'm trying to configure to print over the windows network can I direct printer setup to find the 6110 driver(s) that are on my PB from being installed? If so, where are the drivers located on my HD?



    2. Can I use a wireless print server with the 6110? Will that solve the problem or only create more? Remember - my goal is to be able to use all of the print dialog box options that are available with the HP drivers.



    3. Is the easiest thing to just use a USB hub and run both the Mac and PC straight in to the printer? Will this cause any problems?



    Out of those three options, #3 seems like it has the most chance of working unless there's something fundamental I don't understand about how USB devices work. I'd rather avoid anything having to do with networking the printer because I'm under the impression that it's IMPOSSIBLE with this multifunction printer.



    Thanks,

    back2mac
  • Reply 3 of 3
    back2macback2mac Posts: 13member
    For all of you following this thread with bated breath...



    I've decided to (hopefully) forgo more headaches and just get a usb switch.



    Strikes me as an inelegant solution but I just don't have the space in my home office for another printer. If I did I'd get a bluetooth printer.
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