my printer is connected to wifi, but my computer can't find it and it won't print

[andrewobus]

I have a similar problem.  My HP Setup program does not find my printer (Photosmart 6520).  I think the culprit may be the following: I live in an apartment complex that has a complex-wide wifi network.  The way my wifi works is this: When I turn on wifi, I put in the main network password.  Then, when I open a website, I get another prompt to put in my personal username and personal password.  Only then can I use the internet.  

When I set up wireless on the printer, I only get the opportunity to put in the general network password.  I'm worried it never really connects to the internet, because I never get the opportunity to put in my personal username and password.  Is there anything I can do about this?

By the way, my computer's IP address is 10.140.128.41 with subnet mask 255.0.0.0, but the printer is 10.88.177.25 (with the same subnet mask).

Thanks!

[mc1122]

HHW--THANK YOU for posting this solution!! It fixed my very frustrating problem and was easy to do! THANKS!!!!

(I have a PC and a different model printer, but the same solution worked for me.)

For anyone new who can't find HHW's original post in this thread,  here it is: 

Re: my printer is connected to wifi, but my computer can't find it and it won't print

‎04-04-2013 04:35 AM

For those of you who are still having trouble with this issue, here is what worked for me. I am running an iMac with 10.8.3 connected to an HP Photosmart 5520 series printer.  From the HP website, I went to their printer trouble-shooting link.  Here there were several recommended fixes.  The only fix that worked was this:  1) Turn off the printer, but leave it plugged in; 2) Shut the computer down; 3) Turn off (recycle) the modem/router; then 4) Restart the devices in reverse order beginning with the router.  The computer immediately found the printer, and the connection has remained stable.  Prior to finding this fix, I had tried everything on this page, including fiddling with IP addresses and subnet entries.  None of that worked.  Clearly, the basic problem remains a software compatibility issue starting with Apple's Airprint, since there seems to be no similar problem with PCs. 

[lindalou99]

After a power outage, our computer no longer communicates with our wireless printer.  I can print documents from my iphone, but not the computer.

[JFeiner]

This issue has been bugging me as well. It doesn't matter if my printer is connected to my network via wifi or Ethernet cable. My computer is connected over wifi. I have a Macbook running Yosemite OS X 10.10.5. I've had the same problem at another friend's house. I setup their computer (iMac) and it's connected wirelessly to their router as is their printer.

After trying several combinations of restarting computer and printer, and deleting printer and adding printer, the solution that has seemed to work the easiest and most consistently is just turning the wifi off, waiting a few seconds, and then turning it back on from the top menu bar wifi icon.

Go figure. It has now worked twice today. I'll keep checking I guess.

[pj676]

It's two years after you posted, but I am still working with Mac OS 10.8.5 and got a new Apple Extreme (paired with an older Apple Express router) and have been struggling with various fixes off and on for a week to get my printer to connect via WiFi again. It would work from one computer, but not the other.

Your fix worked. I shut everything down in order (printer - computer - routers) and turned them back on in reverse order, and wa laa.

Thank you kind internet stranger.

[Briar_Patch]

Tried everything posted on this forum and none of it worked. What I discovered, however, is that a conflict can be created not on the network but with your printer if you first established it via printer cable. The solution I found was 1) deleting my printer from the computer, 2) resetting the factory defaults on the printer, 3)re-establishing the printer network on the printer, 4) logging into my router and setting up and interfacing the WPS with the printer, 5) adding my printer to my computer via wifi only. Not hardwire.

I use a Netgear router and a Mac OS X Yosemite 10.10.5.

[Fia1]

CANT CONNECT PRINTER TO LAPTOP OR I PAD. PRINTER IS CONNETED TO WIFI

[Coyotejim-1]

I got a new HP laptop and I am trying to connect to my old  HP photosmart 5514 printer. The printer says its connected to wi-fi  and my laptop  is connectedto the same wi fi. but it stii won't print. My wireless network test results all pass.

[MrBigChips]

******HERE IS WHAT I DID THAT FIXED IT ON SEVERAL COMPUTERS WITH THE SAME ISSUE!

First run the same process to add a printer. When is shows there is NO PRINTERS this is the only thing that worked for me.

1. Tap or click The printer that I want isn’t listed, and either enter the printer name or choose one of the other options. 

Click NEXT

2. Select the first option My printer is a little older. Help me find it.

Click NEXT

3. Search should pull the printer.
In my case it didn't "see" the 192.168.1.6_5 standard TCP/IP Port normally that it pulls up.

This should send you through the normal setup. Now it will look as if it is the same thing as setting up using the "Manual Settings" but Believe me it worked.

HOPE that this helps the rest of you that have been beating your heads against the wall with this conundrum of Windows 10.

[Jima0069]

Worked right away