How To Install hp 2600n Under Vista

Well, wouldn’t you know it, the day after I publish this rant, HP goes and releases the Vista drivers for the 2600n (thanks to everyone that told me about it). I never knew I had that much juice, to get a response in 24 hours! 😉 They didn’t release network-ready drivers though, so you need to do a little fiddling to get them to work. Here’s the basic steps:

  1. Download the  HP Color LaserJet 2600n Print Driver Package
  2. Run the installer and it will put the drivers into a folder located here: C:\Program Files\ Hewlett-Packard\ LaserJet 2600 Drivers
  3. Make sure your 2600n is turned on and connected to your network
  4. Go into the admin tool for your router and figure out which IP address the printer is using. It will usually be listed under something like “Device Status” or something similar. Copy the IP address to your clipboard
  5. Go into Control Panel > Printers in Vista
  6. Click on ADD A PRINTER
  7. Click on ADD A NETWORK, WIRELESS OR BLUETOOTH PRINTER
  8. It will scan but you can click THE PRINTER I WANT ISN’T LISTED
  9. On the next screen, select ADD A PRINTER USING A TCP/IP ADDRESS OR HOSTNAME
  10. Click NEXT, then on the next screen, select the DEVICE TYPE as TCP/IP DEVICE
  11. Paste the IP address you got from your router into the HOSTNAME OR IP ADDRESS line
  12. Leave PORT NAME blank, leave the “QUERY THE PRINTER…” box checked, and click next
  13. From here on I’m going from memory: it will eventually prompt you for a driver, and you’ll click on HAVE DISK and browse to that C:\Program Files\ folder and it will show you only one file to select
  14. The install of the driver will happen, and you’ll finally be able to print!

The network management tools are still missing, so you can’t easily find out how much ink the printer has and whatnot, but at least you can print!

13 thoughts on “How To Install hp 2600n Under Vista”

  2. Yeah, I figured that (didn’t try it though), but for regular Joe users, having the driver install create the shortcuts to management is helpful. And, really, the 14 step process shouldn’t be needed – HP needs to release a real network driver install pack.

  3. I still cannot get it to work.
    I have simply attached a new Vista machine to my home network. My old computer can still see and connect to the printer accross the network. But when I try to do that from my new vista I just get “access denied”. Any ideas.

  4. Eventually I figured it out. I had to switch off the UAC in the security settings. That is even despite the fact that I am the administrator. UAC is something about User Accessed Controls. Oh and by the way, a blank port specification did not work. I had to stipulate 9600

  5. Jason,

    It is now 2008, and they still don’t have a network-aware printer driver for Vista. Your directions were extremely helpful. Thank you for posting them.

  6. Oh my god. HP couldn’t help, Microsoft couldn’t figure it out (said the printer should “just work”, and Verizon didn’t have a clue. Amazingly simple to plug in the IP Address. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

  8. Hi Everyone, I am hoping someone can help.

    I finally took the plunge into Vista, I had a Acer laptop that worked well connected to ethernet network and printing to HP laserjet 2600n. I have HTC Shift that found the printer fine, however, the clone 64 bit desktop (running Vista Prem. 64) will not see the printer. The software installs fine, finds the printer when it searches during the install and reboots, it cannot find the printer on the network.

    Any suggestions?

    Is there any way to get this puppy working.

    Dave

  10. Hey Jason,

    Sorry for the confusion.

    I am able to use the HP Laserjet 2600n connected to my home network for 2 out of 3 computers.

    It works on a HTC Shift with Vista Business 32 bit OS, Acer Travelmate 8200 with XP Pro service pack 3 and will not work with a new clone desktop that has Vista Home Premium 64 Bit (went 64 bit for additional memory capabilities).

    The new clone can not see the HP printer, I really do not want to move printer to be close to PC to use USB cable.

    Any sugegstions on how to get printer connecting to new desktop via the network?

    Help?

  11. Dave,
    The only reason I can think of as to why your 64-bit computer can’t see the HP printer would be if the networking settings on it are wrong…as in, it’s not looking in the same IP address range. That shouldn’t be possible though since the IP address should be coming from your router. It’s possible that there’s a firewall issue on the 64-bit machine – you can try checking the firewall to see if the HP printer software is blocked somehow. I wish I could offer better suggestions, but since it sounds like it should work, it’s hard to guess why it isn’t.

  12. Jason,

    Took another look at was able to get it working.

    I must have had a brain fart!!!

    Thank You

    Dave

  13. I know this is 3 years later but this helped so much. I didn't think to check to the IP number that the printer was on. Thanks.

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