We have a HP PostScript laser printer. A while ago, after an OS upgrade, it
stopped working so I went to set it up again using an installer from the HP
website.

This installer seems to have placed the correct printer description file in
/Library/Printers/PPDs

However when I try to add a new printer the only option given is Bonjour
(Airprint). Now the Airprint driver is lacking a lot of the advanced printer
features like tray selection, colour & halftone controls. The colours and
contrast also are off and nowhere near what they used to be.

Is there a way to bypass Airprint and set it up the 'normal' way?
In the old days I would select the LaserWriter driver and then select the
correct PPD. That doesn't seem to be possible anymore.

--
Martin

On 01/03/2024 13:33, Martin-S wrote:
> We have a HP PostScript laser printer. A while ago, after an OS upgrade, it
> stopped working so I went to set it up again using an installer from the HP
> website.
>
> This installer seems to have placed the correct printer description file in
> /Library/Printers/PPDs
>
> However when I try to add a new printer the only option given is Bonjour
> (Airprint). Now the Airprint driver is lacking a lot of the advanced printer
> features like tray selection, colour & halftone controls. The colours and
> contrast also are off and nowhere near what they used to be.
>
> Is there a way to bypass Airprint and set it up the 'normal' way?
> In the old days I would select the LaserWriter driver and then select the
> correct PPD. That doesn't seem to be possible anymore.

IIRC I used to get around that by using GutenPrint.

Don't know if this helps nowadays, but could be worth investigating.

https://gimp-print.sourceforge.io/MacOSX.php

Although, I've just checked here using Sonoma, and if you open the
Printers & Scanners preference panel, and click on the little globe
icon, there's a pull down menu that lists options - I'd suspect you
either need LPD or JetDirect (might depend on the connectivity card you
have installed in that old HP).

Of course it also depends on how you're connecting to it - I suspect
it's not the old Serial/Parallel option ;-). Could be USB or Ethernet
otherwise.

--
Andy H

Andy H <thewildrover@icloud.com> wrote:
> On 01/03/2024 13:33, Martin-S wrote:
>> We have a HP PostScript laser printer. A while ago, after an OS upgrade, it
>> stopped working so I went to set it up again using an installer from the HP
>> website.
>>
>> This installer seems to have placed the correct printer description file in
>> /Library/Printers/PPDs
>>
>> However when I try to add a new printer the only option given is Bonjour
>> (Airprint). Now the Airprint driver is lacking a lot of the advanced printer
>> features like tray selection, colour & halftone controls. The colours and
>> contrast also are off and nowhere near what they used to be.
>>
>> Is there a way to bypass Airprint and set it up the 'normal' way?
>> In the old days I would select the LaserWriter driver and then select the
>> correct PPD. That doesn't seem to be possible anymore.
>
> IIRC I used to get around that by using GutenPrint.
>
> Don't know if this helps nowadays, but could be worth investigating.
>
> https://gimp-print.sourceforge.io/MacOSX.php
>
> Although, I've just checked here using Sonoma, and if you open the
> Printers & Scanners preference panel, and click on the little globe
> icon, there's a pull down menu that lists options - I'd suspect you
> either need LPD or JetDirect (might depend on the connectivity card you
> have installed in that old HP).
>
> Of course it also depends on how you're connecting to it - I suspect
> it's not the old Serial/Parallel option ;-). Could be USB or Ethernet
> otherwise.

Does macOS still use CUPS underneath it all? You used to be able to get to
the basic interface via localhost:631

Martin-S <invalid@nomail.com> wrote:
> We have a HP PostScript laser printer. A while ago, after an OS upgrade, it
> stopped working so I went to set it up again using an installer from the HP
> website.
>
> This installer seems to have placed the correct printer description file in
> /Library/Printers/PPDs
>
> However when I try to add a new printer the only option given is Bonjour
> (Airprint). Now the Airprint driver is lacking a lot of the advanced printer
> features like tray selection, colour & halftone controls. The colours and
> contrast also are off and nowhere near what they used to be.
>
> Is there a way to bypass Airprint and set it up the 'normal' way?
> In the old days I would select the LaserWriter driver and then select the
> correct PPD. That doesn't seem to be possible anymore.

I'm sure there must be a GUI way, but you can probably do it via CUPS. In
terminal, start the CUPS web interface:

cupsctl WebInterface=yes

Then go to http://localhost:631/ and you can create a printer in there.
It allows you to choose a PPD so I think you should be able
to select the already installed driver, either via the list or directly
selecting the PPD.

This is Redhat's instructions but the flow should be the same:
https://access.redhat.com/documentation/en-us/red_hat_enterprise_linux/9/html/configuring_and_using_a_cups_printing_server/adding-a-printer-to-cups-by-using-the-web-interface_configuring-printing

(I note they say to use https not http, I don't know if that applies on
Macs)

Theo

On 1. Mar 2024 at 14:33:39 CET, "Martin-S" <invalid@nomail.com> wrote:

> Is there a way to bypass Airprint and set it up the 'normal' way?
> In the old days I would select the LaserWriter driver and then select the
> correct PPD. That doesn't seem to be possible anymore.

In Sonoma:
Systemsettings -> Printer & Scanner -> Click on the Globe-Symbol -> Enter
IP-Address and select Protocol.

On 1 Mar 2024 at 17:35:48 CET, "Andy H" <thewildrover@icloud.com> wrote:

> Although, I've just checked here using Sonoma, and if you open the
> Printers & Scanners preference panel, and click on the little globe
> icon, there's a pull down menu that lists options - I'd suspect you
> either need LPD or JetDirect (might depend on the connectivity card you
> have installed in that old HP).

Thanks. The printer is connected via ethernet and selecting 'internet printing
protocol' with the printer's IP allowed me to set it up with full controls.

Now I just need to assign the printer's IP permanently, outside the range that
DHCP controls.

--
Martin

On 3 Mar 2024 at 12:11:16 CET, "Bernd Froehlich" <befr@eaglesoft.de> wrote:

> On 1. Mar 2024 at 14:33:39 CET, "Martin-S" <invalid@nomail.com> wrote:
>
>> Is there a way to bypass Airprint and set it up the 'normal' way?
>> In the old days I would select the LaserWriter driver and then select the
>> correct PPD. That doesn't seem to be possible anymore.
>
> In Sonoma:
> Systemsettings -> Printer & Scanner -> Click on the Globe-Symbol -> Enter
> IP-Address and select Protocol.

Thanks, that was indeed the solution.

--
Martin

Martin-S wrote:
> On 1 Mar 2024 at 17:35:48 CET, "Andy H" <thewildrover@icloud.com> wrote:
>
>> Although, I've just checked here using Sonoma, and if you open the
>> Printers & Scanners preference panel, and click on the little globe
>> icon, there's a pull down menu that lists options - I'd suspect you
>> either need LPD or JetDirect (might depend on the connectivity card you
>> have installed in that old HP).
>
> Thanks. The printer is connected via ethernet and selecting 'internet printing
> protocol' with the printer's IP allowed me to set it up with full controls.
>
> Now I just need to assign the printer's IP permanently, outside the range that
> DHCP controls.

Some routers give you this facility, and you can explicitly choose the
IP address for your printer - of course if you change the printer you
have to edit this setting.

Other routers provide "sticky" IP addresses - they maintain the address
first allocated to the printer's MAC address across power off/on.

What router do you have?

Some printers allow you to configure a static IP address. Beware that
this might give you problems when your system comes up from a power cut,
in the the DHCP server issues an address to another device, not
realising that the printer already has that address but is not yet
powered up.

Or, a printer might allocate itself an autoconfiguration address because
the DHCP server is not yet available. So you have to reboot the printer
once the DHCP server has become available.

There is no good solution that will meet all possible scenarios.

--
Graham J

On 5 Mar 2024 at 19:02:07 CET, "Graham J" <nobody@nowhere.co.uk> wrote:

>> Now I just need to assign the printer's IP permanently, outside the range that
>> DHCP controls.
>
> Some routers give you this facility, and you can explicitly choose the
> IP address for your printer - of course if you change the printer you
> have to edit this setting.
>
> Other routers provide "sticky" IP addresses - they maintain the address
> first allocated to the printer's MAC address across power off/on.
>
> What router do you have?

Unknown, it's a rebranded one by Telefonica/Movistar (Spain) bundled with the
fibre services.

It does allow me to limit the range DHCP can allocate and I can set a fixed
address in the printers webserver, I think. Will have to check better.

Alternatively I could enable DHCP on the Airport Extreme instead. Would that
make things easier?

--
Martin

Martin-S wrote:
> On 5 Mar 2024 at 19:02:07 CET, "Graham J" <nobody@nowhere.co.uk> wrote:
>
>>> Now I just need to assign the printer's IP permanently, outside the range that
>>> DHCP controls.
>>
>> Some routers give you this facility, and you can explicitly choose the
>> IP address for your printer - of course if you change the printer you
>> have to edit this setting.
>>
>> Other routers provide "sticky" IP addresses - they maintain the address
>> first allocated to the printer's MAC address across power off/on.
>>
>> What router do you have?
>
> Unknown, it's a rebranded one by Telefonica/Movistar (Spain) bundled with the
> fibre services.
>
> It does allow me to limit the range DHCP can allocate and I can set a fixed
> address in the printers webserver, I think. Will have to check better.
>
> Alternatively I could enable DHCP on the Airport Extreme instead. Would that
> make things easier?

If you enable the DHCP server on your router that generally simplifies
things so that most devices work without you - the user - having to
understand anything.

If you disable the DHCP server and set everything manually then you have
to understand what you are doing.

Why have you got a Telefonica/Movistar router and an Airport Extreme?
Having both will create untold confusion unless you know ***exactly***
what you are doing and why.

--
Graham J

On 8 Mar 2024 at 13:21:03 CET, "Graham J" <nobody@nowhere.co.uk> wrote:

> Why have you got a Telefonica/Movistar router and an Airport Extreme?
> Having both will create untold confusion unless you know ***exactly***
> what you are doing and why.

The Apple Airports are on Ethernet and provide WiFi and Airplay in the far
apart corners of the house. They're all in bridge mode while DHCP is only
enabled on the router. The WiFi on the router is disabled since it's close to
one of the AirportExtremes. It's not complicated and has been working well for
years.
--
Martin

Martin-S wrote:
> On 8 Mar 2024 at 13:21:03 CET, "Graham J" <nobody@nowhere.co.uk> wrote:
>
>> Why have you got a Telefonica/Movistar router and an Airport Extreme?
>> Having both will create untold confusion unless you know ***exactly***
>> what you are doing and why.
>
> The Apple Airports are on Ethernet and provide WiFi and Airplay in the far
> apart corners of the house. They're all in bridge mode while DHCP is only
> enabled on the router. The WiFi on the router is disabled since it's close to
> one of the AirportExtremes. It's not complicated and has been working well for
> years.

Thank you - now I understand.

I suggest you leave the Apple Airports as they are.

If the Telefonica/Movistar router has settings to "bind" IP addresses to
MAC addresses then you should be able to provision a client to receive a
specific IP address either within or outside the DHCP scope. Not all
routers have this level of sophistication!

Some routers will "remember" the DHCP allocations they have made across
power down/up, so it will be worth documenting the settings.

Some routers don't even do that and will "forget" their settings across
power down/up, so configuring a client device with a static address will
be necessary. Some client devices have no management interface to allow
this, so it will be necessary to keep detailed notes so you can get your
system to work after a power failure.

--
Graham J

Graham J <nobody@nowhere.co.uk> wrote:
> Martin-S wrote:
>> On 8 Mar 2024 at 13:21:03 CET, "Graham J" <nobody@nowhere.co.uk> wrote:
>>
>>> Why have you got a Telefonica/Movistar router and an Airport Extreme?
>>> Having both will create untold confusion unless you know ***exactly***
>>> what you are doing and why.
>>
>> The Apple Airports are on Ethernet and provide WiFi and Airplay in the far
>> apart corners of the house. They're all in bridge mode while DHCP is only
>> enabled on the router. The WiFi on the router is disabled since it's close to
>> one of the AirportExtremes. It's not complicated and has been working well for
>> years.
>
> Thank you - now I understand.
>
> I suggest you leave the Apple Airports as they are.
>
> If the Telefonica/Movistar router has settings to "bind" IP addresses to
> MAC addresses then you should be able to provision a client to receive a
> specific IP address either within or outside the DHCP scope. Not all
> routers have this level of sophistication!
>
> Some routers will "remember" the DHCP allocations they have made across
> power down/up, so it will be worth documenting the settings.
>
> Some routers don't even do that and will "forget" their settings across
> power down/up, so configuring a client device with a static address will
> be necessary. Some client devices have no management interface to allow
> this, so it will be necessary to keep detailed notes so you can get your
> system to work after a power failure.

I bought a BT Business Hub to replace my PlusNet Hub One, just for that
reason (an option often recommend on the PN forums).

It is pretty well configurable, as I can set things in so many ways. It has
the ability to set Bridge mode. So you can do all your Broadband stuff in
another device (I originally bought this to get around a Double NAT issue
with a cheap Mesh setup I’d tried).

I can also use it to fix IP addresses for individual devices, or even split
the ranges to used fixed and auto allocated setups. I was using that to try
and fix connectivity issues I was getting with my HomePods stereo pairing
setup).

It’s currently setup in a more default setup though, as they seem to have
finally fixed the stereo pairing issues, and the WiFi part works well
enough around the house on its own. I’ve a few Homeplugs to give me some
Ethernet ports where they’re beneficial.

These can be got quite cheap too, I think I paid about £30 for this one -
off the usual auction site ;-).

--
Andy H

On 10 Mar 2024 at 13:23:51 CET, "Graham J" <nobody@nowhere.co.uk> wrote:

> If the Telefonica/Movistar router has settings to "bind" IP addresses to
> MAC addresses then you should be able to provision a client to receive a
> specific IP address either within or outside the DHCP scope. Not all
> routers have this level of sophistication!

Thanks for all the follow-up suggestions. I'll give it a go when I get a
chance.
--
Martin