SOLUTION to your HP printer going offline and/or constantly disconnecting from the network

[Medic1]

If you are having a problem printing, scanning or faxing with any HP Printer because of it going offline and constantly disconnecting from the network, here is the fix!

I figured this all out after many unsuccessful attempts with HP Support, my Internet Service Provider and various troubleshooting tasks including reinstalling HP software over and over and over.  Well, through self teaching on the internet and 6 grueling months of research, I FINALLY figured it out.  OMG!  I am a Paramedic (not IT) and somewhat computer literate but by far no expert.  I here all of you!  Nobody seems to have the answer but I am 97% sure that I do.  Either way, please reply back and let me know that this did in fact work for you!  🙂   

It doesn't matter if your printer is installed wirelessly or wired.  Don’t worry about reinstalling your software, no recycling your printers’ power or your Router/Modem.  The reason your printer is unstable on the network and continues to either go offline or disconnect from the network is NOT because the software is glitched, it’s not a firewall problem per say, it’s not a router problem, there isn’t a problem with your power cord, it’s because most networks use a “range” of IP addresses and for security purposes, it sort of “cycles” the various devices’ IP addresses to decrease the chance of an attack.  A printer is no threat but the “network” doesn’t possess human intelligence so it doesn’t know this.  Below are my step by step instructions on how to basically make your printer hold its IP address (static IP) instead of changing back and forth through a cycle therefore dropping your printer off the network or disconnecting. 

Funny, if you are someone who has had items in your print cue, they won’t print, and you turn your printer off and then back on and suddenly your documents print…well, join my club.  The reason this works is because when you first turn on the printer, it starts with the same IP address before it cycles.  If you are someone who sits there for a while and suddenly your documents print without you changing anything…this is because through the IP cycle change, it hits your printers IP address and the network will allow it to print.  Not very funny, I know.  It took me forever to figure out why my printer would print sometimes but not all the time.  Since I figured this out, I can SCAN, PRINT and use all of the features of my installed HP software such as HP Solution Center, Photosmart Essentials.   

On your printer, go to menu/setup/network and press OK.  Inside the network menu, print a "network configuration page" so you can see the IP address and other settings for your printer.

Now, go back to main menu on your printers’ screen.  Or you can go to your web browser and type in the IP address using the decimals too and this will take you to your printers’ web page.  Choose: setup\network and press OK.  Look for IP settings and press OK. Choose "manual" instead of "automatic". Enter the IP address there manually as well as the default gateway which you can see on the network configuration page that you printed earlier.  Note: If you manually set the printer's IP, make sure that it is outside of your router's DHCP range. Otherwise you may run into an issue with duplicate IP's on your network. (If you don’t know how to do this, write back and I will explain).  Don’t forget to click “save changes”.  Now, restart your computer and print anything you want.  🙂 

A trick I often use with printers in DHCP networks:
In Printers and Faxes right click on the printer and select “properties”.  Click add a new port.  Choose standard TCP/IP port configured to the printer host name. Read the hostname from the printer's network configuration sheet.

Using my method means that you always connect to the printer even if its IP changes (which may happen with dynamic configuration). This does not jeopardize your network security.  It just tells your printer to stay put and stop traveling the IP address highway.  🙂

[koskey58]

i don't understand your comment about being outside the dchp range. could you help me with this? right now i cannot even get my computer from being offline. i just used it 2 days ago and everything was fine.

[Rivette]

Your solution is very clear but I would be grateful if you could explain how I set the dhcp range.  I am currently using an HP6500 wireless printer showing an IP of 192.168.0.102.  My router is a D-Link.

Many thanks

Neville Newnham

[PrintDoc · Accepted solution]

The DHCP range is the range of IP addresses the router hands out automatically as devices join the network.  The DHCP range is determined by the router and each brand has a range set at the factory (that can be changed by you).

Your D-link's DHCP default range is 192.168.0.100 to 192.168.0.199.  So, outside the DHCP range is .2 to .99 and .200 to .254.

Attached is a handy cheat sheet.

You can change this range by entering the router's settings page - type the router's IP address into a browser, enter the login info and navigate to the DHCP settings area (varies based on router, hunt around).

[LadyBowler74]

THANK YOU SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much!  You have saved me MANY headaches, and a TON of time!:smileyvery-happy:

[Rivette]

Many thanks for such a clear and helpful answer

[DeanHiller]

I "am" a software developer and the fact is the developers of HP software simply made an mistake(one that is very easy to make too).  There is something called multicast which they used to discover your printer from your computer on startup, but they don't re-use this multicast when the printer changes ip :(.  After I statically set my ip, I can print, but it is printing the weirdest stuff instead of printing the document 😞

[newportres]

I'm connected by USB but I still have the same problem.  If you are not on a network and not wireless why would this still be an issue?

[mattmcnaught]

medic1 and printdoc, it appears your fix worked for me. Printer has been online 2 days now without dropping. Thank you!

[Medic1]

You are most welcome!  I am happy it worked for you!!!