Link to home
Start Free TrialLog in
Avatar of Acip
Acip

asked on

Add a router behind ISP's DSL router?

Hello EE -

I'm sharing office space with another business, which recently were upsold a new service contract with their ISP. This new contract included the replacement of the ISP's premise router.

Since the new router was installed, I'm unable to connect our wireless printer (an HP OfficeJet Pro 8600). The printer "sees" the available network and shows the correct SSID, but after I enter the passphrase, the printer can't connect. The router is offering DHCP addresses, and I'm able to connect client PCs via wireless to this same router, but not the printer. The router is using WPA2 with AES, and the printer docs state that both WPA and WPA2 are supported. HP's tech support says only WPA is supported.

Since we are sharing internet services with this router, and all other systems are able to connect, I'm not inclined to revert to WPA security on the ISP router.

I'm wondering if this wireless issue can be resolved by adding a second SOHO router with WPA security enabled, using this to connect to the problem printer, and link it to the existing router which provides internet service to both businesses?

If yes, how to go about it?
Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.
Avatar of ☠ MASQ ☠
☠ MASQ ☠

Apart from the reduction in network security for both businesses it is possible to do what you are suggesting.  However I'd recommend you pursue getting WPA2 enabled first.  Typically HP don't make this particularly easy & if you want anything better that WPA at initial setup it seems to be a bit hit & miss - but it is possible.  The firmware on all the 8600 models supports WPA2 once you get it working.

http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Printer-Networking-and-Wireless/WPA2-support-on-Officejet-Pro-8600/td-p/1682251

Just in case - it's also worth checking the new router doesn't have a hardware firewall blocking the printer but this is less likely.
Avatar of Acip

ASKER

From my earlier post:
"...the printer docs state that both WPA and WPA2 are supported. HP's tech support says only WPA is supported."

Ponting me to an HP website where someone excerpted the manual which states that
"...the printer supports many common types of network authentication, including WEP, WPA, and WPA2." isn't really any sort of help.

I'd of course prefer to get the printer to make a wireless connection with the router, but (as I noted earlier) per HP's tech support this isn't supported. Other ideas?
You technically *could* just set up an AP, or get a wireless router that you could configure as an AP. But then again, will the existing router work with both WPA and WPA2 at the same time?

You can try to see if a firmware update would help things. Otherwise, contact HP and send them their own documentation and a very nasty letter. Then you can hold them for false advertising. You'll get a faster response that way.
Avatar of Acip

ASKER

Masnrock -

If I get another SOHO router and configure it for WPA (simply to support the HP printer), how do I then connect it to the existing router?

The existing router is currently connected to a switch, and all host PCs are connected to this switch. No more ports on the switch are available, so any additional machines are connecting via wireless.

Ideally, I'd like to
- not modify anything on the existing router
- add the printer and 3 laptops to this network.

When you suggested firmware update, were you referring to the printer?
Assuming you get a WiFi access point (you don't need a WiFi router), just connect it with an Ethernet wire to the existing WiFi router/AP.
Then configure it to create ANOTHER WiFi network, in which WPA will be the security model.
Don't use the same WiFi channel for this other WiFi network than the one currently in use.
Join the printer to the new WiFi network.
Done.

But it could even be easier to use an EThernet to WiFi bridge such as this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Wireless-PC-Laptop-XBOX-PlayStation-etc/dp/B008CV8ST4/ref=sr_1_6?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1377871037&sr=1-6&keywords=ethernet+wireless+access+point 
 (check that it can use WPA2 first)

Another lead is to update your printer's firmware.

Last but not the least, if the printer has a wired Ethernet socket and you can physically connect it to the existing router, this should work too.
Avatar of Acip

ASKER

Thanks vivigatt for the suggestions.
However...
The existing wireless router has 2 ports (WAN and LAN).
WAN port is occupied by DSL service
LAN port is occupied by an uplink to a layer 2 switch.
This layer 2 switch supports the other business, and is at capacity.

Is there some means to connect a second router via wireless, so I can then set up a separate WPA-based network simply to support this "feature-laden" printer?

Is there a better solution (save for replacing the printer)?

Thanks in advance.
There are units that will allow ethernet to wireless bridging.

No idea what country you are in, but I am in the UK, and regularly use these units to connect printers, although they are mainly aimed at smart TVs:

http://www.extak.com/catalog/111179/WNCE2001-100PES-Universal-Wireless-N-to?ppc=google_shopping

You have to set it up on a PC first, then connect it to the printer, it should work fine.
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
Avatar of wyliecoyoteuk
wyliecoyoteuk
Flag of United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland image

Link to home
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
Start Free Trial
"Ponting me to an HP website where someone excerpted the manual which states that
"...the printer supports many common types of network authentication, including WEP, WPA, and WPA2." isn't really any sort of help."


The purpose of the link was to show that users had got WPA2 enabled on the printer -not that is just says so in the manual.

Feel free to try HP Support again - it wouldn't be the first time that their 1st line team get it wrong with their own product.

& is this Enterprise or PSK?  Getting WPA2-Enterprise supported is going to be a challenge on SOHO hardware anyway.
It seems that some people were able to connect  OfficeJetPro 8600 to WPA2 Wifi:

http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Printer-Networking-and-Wireless/WPA2-support-on-Officejet-Pro-8600/td-p/1682251

What is the exact model of your OJP 8600?
Check this page:
http://www8.hp.com/us/en/support-search.html?tab=1#/qryterm=officejet%20pro%208600&searchtype=s-002

They have different WiFi support.

They also have recent firmware (July 2013 for the 911n model) that may implement WPA2, so it is a good lead to update the printer FW
Avatar of Acip

ASKER

Thanks to Mr. Coyote's suggestion, users can now print to the HP printer without messing about with the shared router. Bypassing the built-in wifi gave me the flexibility needed.
Avatar of Acip

ASKER

Quoting vivigatt
Posted on 2013-08-31 at 06:42:39ID: 39455002

"It seems that some people were able to connect  OfficeJetPro 8600 to WPA2 Wifi:

http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Printer-Networking-and-Wireless/WPA2-support-on-Officejet-Pro-8600/td-p/1682251"

I re-read that same post (referenced earlier by MASQUERAID), and I don't note successes - but one individual reported an "I don't understand...it wasn't working -and now it is" outcome, which isn't a confidence builder.

Per Vivigatt's request, the "exact model" is
HP Officejet Pro 8600 e-All-in-One Printer - N911a

Thanks everyone for offering suggestions.
Acip
I was the first one to suggest an Ethernet/WiFi bridge, I thought this would be somewhat rewarded...