LaserJet Pro 200 color M251 can't connect: "Incorrect WPA passphrase"

[MarkHayworth]

My HP LaserJet Pro 200 color M251nw no longer connects to my home network after a modem and router replacement.

Spectrum (the old Time Warner) replaced my Arris modem and Linksys router with a Technicolor combination router/modem.  The technician got it working with the Tivo DVR, Internet, and phone, but I forgot to check the HP printer until after he'd left.  Two hours on the phone with tech support didn't help.  My color LaserJet Pro 200 M251nw sees my network, but keeps saying "Incorrect WPA passphrase" after I try to connect and enter my passphrase.

The following is as far as I got with Spectrum support.  We figured out it is some kind of WPA "security mode" issue.  The modem/router has several "Security Modes" that can be selected.  Basically:

WPAWPA2-PSK(TKIP/AES) mode: Works with Tivo DVR, but not with the HP Laserjet 200 color M251nw printer.

WPA-PSK(TKIP) mode: Works with HP printer but not Tivo.

I can't get both the HP Printer and the Tivo working at the same time with the same security mode set up on the modem.  Tech support said last resort was to dumb down the security setting to the lowest security setting like WEP (64) but I'd rather not do that (and haven't tried it yet).  I also tried the WPS (Wi-fi Protected Setup) button way, instead of passphrase, and the printer won't connect that way either.  I believe the printer is modern enough such that it should recognize WPA2.  I even updated the software and drivers with the latest from the HP web site.  I could do this because I was able to get the printer on the network when it was wired directly to the router with a LAN cable, but I want to put the printer in a different room than the modem is in so I need it to work wirelessly.

Any ideas?

[sabretooth04]

Restore  the Factory Defaults in the printer. 

Restoring the factory-set defaults returns all of the product and network settings to the factory defaults. It
will not reset the page count, tray size, or language. To restore the product to the factory-default
settings, follow these steps.

1.  At the control panel, press the OK button to open the menus.
2. Open the following menus:
● Service
● Restore Defaults
The product automatically restarts.

Now try to connect again. 

Replacing/changing your wireless router, try here.  

http://www8.hp.com/us/en/campaigns/wireless-printing-center/reconfiguring-system-help3.html

* Reset your printer back to Network Defaults.  Then run the Wireless Setup Wizard to connect.  Both can be accessed from the front panel.  If no front panel for configuration, you must use your Printer USB cable to connect.  You can also try the WPS method if your router/printer support this.
* Set router to a fixed wireless channel like 1, 6 or 11, never ‘auto’.  Try channel 1 first then the others one at a time.  
* Make sure printer and router are at least 5 feet apart.  
* The router must have the 2.4G SSID band enabled with a different name than your 5.0G SSID band in your router.  
* Make sure IPv6 is disabled in the printer.

Make and model of modem and router?

However if you have a Gateway (modem+router) device, all Gateway devices are terrible for wireless connectivity.   If this does not work, suggest you think about putting that gateway device in full bridge mode and install your own high quality router that YOU have full control over.

[MarkHayworth]

sabretooth, thanks for helping me.  I did steps 1 and 2 - restore service defaults (several times).  Moved the printer at least 5 feet away from the router.  Did wireless setup wizard with a passphrase and got incorrect wpa passphrase.  Tried WPS button.  No luck with that either.  The WPS method allows a pin.

I tried to pair a wi-fi client from the router menu and I told it to use the pin method (since the pushbutton method didn't seem to work).  I got the pin from the printer and entered it into the router and told it to pair.  Pressed OK on the printer and the Pair button on the router screen and the printer waited 4 minutes and then finally said "Network Connection Failed".  So it seems neither the pushbutton nor the PIN method work for pairing the devices.

I restored the Network defaults from the Network menu (not sure if this is the same defaults as the Service menu but I thought I'd try it anyway) and had no luck with Setup Wizard or WPS button that way either.

The router has an Arizona network and Arizona-5G.  The printer doesn't even see the Arizona-5G network so I don't think that is the source of any problem because it's trying to connect to the Arizona 2.4 GHz network, but it's having no luck.

My 2.4 GHz network is on a fixed wireless channel, 1, not auto.  I'll try the other channels after I post this but don't want to do it now or else I might lose everything I typed.

The modem/router is a Technicolor, model TC8717T. 

Spectrum claims this is the latest top of the line $500 modem/router that should give top class service and connectivity.  Much better than my prior Arris plus Linksys separate system.

I don't see IPv6 on the Printer menu.  I see IPv4 and it says the config method is DHCP and there is a star next to that one, plus 3 other items below with no star next to them.

I'm going up to my son's house tomorrow.  Maybe I'll bring the printer and see if I can get it to work there.

[sabretooth04]

My statement stands for Gateways.  They are terrible.  Yes, 2.4G band will only work on the printer.  Anywho...

Try this next to see if it can connect at all.

In the Gateway disable and remove all security on the router.  Now try to connect to your unsecured SSID with no password.  Are you successful?

If yes, go back and add WPA2-AES and try to connect again.  Status now?

If no joy, suggest you put the Gateway in full bridge mode and connect your own high quality router that you have full control over and connect now.  Use your old Linksys router because that works.

BTW... your $500 'top of the line' modem/router is about $25.

[MarkHayworth]

Sabretooth:  Again, thanks for the help.  I disabled security and the printer was able to connect.  I didn't try printing though. 

So then I bumped the security up to "WPA-PSK(AES)" and the printer was still able to connect to my network according to the printer.  The printer gives my network name "Arizona" and says "connected".  However Windows 10, although it sees the printer, it says it's "offline" and I can't seem to make the computer believe the computer is online.  The printer thinks it's online so I don't know why the computer doesn't.  So I can't print to it.   The Antenna/wireless menu of the printer says "connected" but the Network (green boxes) menu of the printer says IP: Cable Disconnected.  That seems contradictory but maybe it's OK because I don't have a cable because I'm wireless.

Then, to make things worse, now I can't get my Tivo DVR to connect to the network, now that I've dumbed down the router security.  It seems to want only WPA2 or something.  So now nothing is working.  I've been working on this for 3 weeks.  I might try a few more things but ideally I'd like all my devices to use WPA2.  I think that should be possible.  If that doesn't work, I may call back Spectrum and have them connect my old router back and put the new Technicolor modem/router into modem-only mode.  Or else try to get a live person on the telephone to help walk me through this and restore functionality.

So that's the update.  Thanks again - I haven't forgotten, it's just that I've been busy with traveling, holidays, and trying various things for hours.

[sabretooth04]

Suggest you go back with your Arris modem and Linksys router.  It you are not getting the max download speed, then just upgrade your modem and use the same router.

[FixWiFiM251nw]

[content removed] The fact is HP has made a choice NOT to upgrade the LaserJetPro-200-color-M251 firmware to support WPA2 THAT is why folks can't get their otherwise perfectly functional printer to connect to their wireless access points running WPA2. As more and more new wireless access points drop support for the older insecure HP is essentially forcing obsolence upon owners. WPA2 is hardly new -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wi-Fi_Protected_Access