# Need a Printer



## Nomad (Dec 19, 2002)

I bought the wife a wireless HP printer to use for her laptop. I just assumed it would work, but my daughter couldn't get the PC to accept the software. That's when I discovered the operating system is Ubuntu. So now I have to return the printer, but I don't know how to find an inexpensive wireless printer that will work with it. Anyone have an idea? Thanks.

Nomad


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## Kung (Jan 19, 2004)

Uh, wait a second. What kind of printer is it? I have a tough time believing that there's no way to get it to work especially if it's an HP printer.

Post the kind of printer you have; we can look into it then.


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## Nomad (Dec 19, 2002)

It says it's an HP Deskjet 3050 All-In-One J610a. The computer won't accrept the CD and when I go to the HP site, there is no software for Ubuntu for that model.

Nomad


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## mistletoad (Apr 17, 2003)

This gives step by step instructions: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1772198


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## Windy in Kansas (Jun 16, 2002)

Nomad said:


> It says it's an HP Deskjet 3050 All-In-One J610a. The computer won't accrept the CD and when I go to the HP site, there is no software for Ubuntu for that model.
> 
> Nomad


Wouldn't the driver for Linux be the correct one since it is Linux based?
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsuppor...sId=1140783&swLang=8&taskId=135&swEnvOID=2020


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## Nomad (Dec 19, 2002)

mistletoad said:


> This gives step by step instructions: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1772198


It says to click on the network manager icon. There isn't any which makes the rest of the instructions not work too well. I was able to get a link and downloaded something...not exactly sure what, but I was moving along pretty well until the part where I connect the laptop and printer with a USB cord. I did that and the computer recognized the printer. Then I tried to go on and it keeps giving me a device I/O error. So I'm quitting for today. It has given me a headache.


Nomad


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## Kung (Jan 19, 2004)

Nomad said:


> It says it's an HP Deskjet 3050 All-In-One J610a. The computer won't accrept the CD and when I go to the HP site, there is no software for Ubuntu for that model.
> 
> Nomad


Sort of.

Ubuntu 10.04 using HPLIP will not work with that printer.

However, Ubuntu 11.04 will. Updating might well be the easiest way.

If I were you, I'd post exactly what you told us, on the Ubuntu Forums. That, IMHO, is *the* best linux forum around.


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## Nomad (Dec 19, 2002)

Kung said:


> Sort of.
> 
> Ubuntu 10.04 using HPLIP will not work with that printer.
> 
> ...


Okay, thanks.

Nomad


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## Kung (Jan 19, 2004)

To be blunt, I wouldn't mind helping out more - I'm pretty darn experienced with Ubuntu. However, unless I was able to remote into your computer, if I ran into something I didn't understand, I'd have to ask about it @ Ubuntuforums.org. I figure, why not cut out the middleman. 

Let us know how it works, though. Matter of fact, I've got Linux Mint 8, and an OfficeJet Pro j4680. I'll try doing the same w/my printer and see if it works.


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## Kung (Jan 19, 2004)

OK, after ensuring HPLIP was installed, I went to the Control Panel in Linux Mint, and then selected "Printers." After giving it a few minutes, my HP OfficeJet j4680 just popped up. I connected, and printed a test page. That was it. LOL


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## Nomad (Dec 19, 2002)

My daughter installed Ubuntu 11.04. But now we can't figure out how to connect to our wireless router. I have always used Windows and this Ubuntu has me totally lost. The wife is ready to murder me for leaving her with no Internet access. Can someone tell me how to connect?

Nomad


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## kkbinco (Jun 11, 2010)

Starting at https://help.ubuntu.com/ I found https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WifiDocs/WirelessTroubleShootingGuide

Maybe something there can help you out.


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## Nomad (Dec 19, 2002)

kkbinco said:


> Starting at https://help.ubuntu.com/ I found https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WifiDocs/WirelessTroubleShootingGuide
> 
> Maybe something there can help you out.


Thanks, most of what I read just confuses me more. It says to enter my router information, but I don't know what that is. With all of my other computers I just tell them to connect and they find available signals. With this one I am just lost. It may be time for Windows. The wife hasn't stopped complaining that she can't get her mail. I told her she could use my computer, but she would rather complain I think.

Nomad


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## Kung (Jan 19, 2004)

All you *should* have to know is

- the network name
- the passphrase
- the encryption type

If you know that, then using this link should help you configure it. If not, or it won't work, then for some reason the wireless networking package may have 'broken' during the update.

If you don't know specifically WHAT the information is, then you'd need to get into the router to find it. If you can't connect wirelessly, I'd plug your laptop into the router temporarily. Once done, go to the terminal, and type

*ifconfig*

That will tell you the IP address (called the 'inet addr' I think). Once you know that you can figure out the router. If your IP is something like 192.168.0.10, you'll open up the web browser, replace the last # in the inet addr with either a 1 or 254, and type that in the browser address bar.

(Example: If your laptop has an inet addr of 192.168.2.10, your router will either be 192.168.2.1, or 192.168.2.254. You'll know you got it when it asks for a username/password, or just brings up the router interface.)

Once in THERE, you can nose around and find the information; if you need help, let us know the make/model of your router and we can help you out with that.


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## Nomad (Dec 19, 2002)

Kung said:


> All you *should* have to know is
> 
> - the network name
> - the passphrase
> ...


My daughter installed a Windows XP CD but we don't have the key. I had it, but it disappeared during one of our house moves...probably the same move in which we lost the title to our only vehicle. Organized we are not. She said she had a key but it didn't work. After fighting with it for an hour this afternoon, I didn't check to see what she did, so the computer is sitting there and the wife will be using mine shortly to check her mail. I'm going to give the computer and my head a break and will work on it again tomorrow. Thanks for the information, if we can't get Windows installed, I'll go back to the Ubuntu and use what you have written.

Nomad


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## Kung (Jan 19, 2004)

Hey Nomad - if you need the XP key, that's easy to find. Google "Magical Jellybean Keyfinder." (I'm serious.) Download and run it, and it'll tell you what your XP key is. 

Bluntly put, I'd prefer Ubuntu over XP anyways - not because I like Linux but because it's more updated. 

While I'm thinking about it - what make/model of laptop are you loading this on? Some laptops have funny stuff that needs to be done.


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## Nomad (Dec 19, 2002)

Kung said:


> Hey Nomad - if you need the XP key, that's easy to find. Google "Magical Jellybean Keyfinder." (I'm serious.) Download and run it, and it'll tell you what your XP key is.
> 
> Bluntly put, I'd prefer Ubuntu over XP anyways - not because I like Linux but because it's more updated.
> 
> While I'm thinking about it - what make/model of laptop are you loading this on? Some laptops have funny stuff that needs to be done.


The laptop is a Lenovo. Model # 0768. It was given to the wife, so we can't complain too much about it. Most of the other printing on the bottom is scuffed and unreadable, so I hope that's the stuff you need. Thanks.

Nomad


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## Nomad (Dec 19, 2002)

Okay, we have managed to load Windows XP into the laptop. My daughter got the Printer working, but we still can't connect to the Internet. In the past when we got a different computer there was someplace where we could look to see all wireless signals near us and connect to ours. There doesn't seem to be any way to find that with this computer. It's enough to make me want to hang myself.

Nomad


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## Kung (Jan 19, 2004)

It may not be advertising the wireless signal - or is there another laptop/device in your house that is seeing it fine?

If so, and you're seeing problems under two different OS's, aside from an actual switch not being switched, it is possible that your wireless card is bad. However, I'd ensure the drivers for the wireless card are loaded first, and then ensure that you can (or can't) get to the router when you're directly plugged into it.


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## Nomad (Dec 19, 2002)

Kung said:


> It may not be advertising the wireless signal - or is there another laptop/device in your house that is seeing it fine?
> 
> If so, and you're seeing problems under two different OS's, aside from an actual switch not being switched, it is possible that your wireless card is bad. However, I'd ensure the drivers for the wireless card are loaded first, and then ensure that you can (or can't) get to the router when you're directly plugged into it.


We have the laptop plugged into the modem right now with a 25' cord, so the wife can use it. There are two other computers using the wireless router, so there is a signal. I'm not sure about the drivers. That is the next thing my daughter will be checking. I hope we can get this fixed, because cords running across the dining room floor aren't a good idea. I already tripped over one this morning. 

Now the wife tells me there is no longer any sound. This just keeps getting better.

Nomad


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