Chapter 4
Devices on a network communicate with one another using a "language" called a protocol. The printer is designed to operate on networks that use a popular protocol called TCP/IP.
IP address
Each device on a network identifies itself with a unique IP address. Most networks use a software tool, such as DHCP or AutoIP, to automatically assign IP addresses.
Internet connections
Networks might not be connected to the Internet.
If you place the printer on a network connected to the Internet, it is recommended that you use a gateway so that the printer's IP address is assigned through DHCP.
A gateway can either be a router or a Macintosh OSX computer running Internet Sharing. For more information about Internet Sharing, see the documentation that came with the computer.
Rendezvous
Rendezvous® is a networking feature available with Mac OS X v10.2 and higher.
Rendezvous allows you to create instant
For more information about Rendezvous, see the documentation that came with your computer.
Note
Ethernet network examples
To see some examples of Ethernet networks, see the Ethernet network examples page.
Printing
Computers on the network send print jobs directly to the printer, which prints them in the order received.
The printer can accept print jobs sent simultaneously from four users.
For example, if five users each send a print job to the printer at the same time, the printer accepts four of the print jobs and rejects the fifth. The user who sent the fifth print job should wait a few minutes and then resend the print job.
What you need for a wired network
To connect the printer to a wired network, you need the following:
●A functional Ethernet network that includes an Ethernet router, switch, or a wireless access point with Ethernet ports.
●
Although standard Ethernet cables look similar to standard telephone cables, they are not interchangeable. There is a different number of wires in each one and each has a different connector. An Ethernet cable connector (also called an
48 | HP Deskjet 6980 series |