Tiger support for HP 7310 over ethernet

[Jpa06]

I'd like to install an AIO printer into my home network. I'm running ethernet and all the iMacs will be hard wired into a netgear switch which then connects to an Apple Extreme. The AIO I'm looking at is the HP 7310, which I also plann to connect into the netgear. I've read some horror stories on the apple site with folks having problems getting the print/copy/fax functions to work properly over a network and am not sure if there were early problems with Tiger, or the HP drivers, or if these folks just did not set things up correctly. Am I asking for trouble?

Thanks

[gsahli]

If I understand correctly, the Extreme Base Station (AEBS) is the router for all, and there is a switch connected to the LAN (local) port to increase the number of ethernet ports. You want to attach the all-in-one to the AEBS USB port to share it? Only the printer will be usable that way. Read the 2nd paragraph:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107418
On the other hand, if you connect the AIO to one of the computers, you can share it (all functions) with all the others.

[Jpa06]

Thanks for the reply. Yes the AEBS is the router for all and the switch is connected to the LAN port to increase the number of ethernet ports. The HP 7310 is a network printer with full ethernet support; so I was not going to connect the 7410 to the USB on the AEBS but rather one of the ethernet ports on the switch. I understand there is only limited support for AIO devices connected via USB through the AEBS but was hoping a networked AIO would not have the same problems. Thank you.

[gsahli]

Oh, ya, if it has ethernet built-in, HP provides drivers.

I don't have that model, but I think with it you have minimized potential problems and you'll be able to use all functions.

Good luck!

[Jpa06]

Thanks - that’s good news.

I’m trying to understand the nature of the problem you referenced (above). If my wireless laptop tries to fax or scan to the 7310, will this work? Are the problems noted above due to the fact that USB AIO devices connected to the AEBS will only support printing OR are they due to wireless connectivity to the base station not supporting fax and scan functions of any AIO devices whether connected ethernet OR USB?

Thanks,
John

[gsahli]

For AIOs that don't have built-in networking, it's a whole different world. Using an AIO through the USB port on an AEBS is limited to printing because Airport/Bonjour use "port redirection" to move the output from a USB printer driver to the USB port on the AEBS as if it were part of the computer. Apple hasn't written the software to do the same thing with fax/scanning, so they aren't supported.

AIOs with built-in networking have network-capable drivers for all functions. They don't rely on Apple software to do any of it.