HP Color LaserJet Pro 4202 unstable, network randomly unavailable unless power off/on

[b-tom]

Unfortunately the latest firmare does NOT solve the issue. The printer constantly get’s unresponsive and drops the Ethernet network connection every 3 to 5 days. The device model is a total n

[Meghana_10]

Hello @b-tom, Welcome to the HP Support Community.
 

Thank you for the update and for confirming that the latest firmware (6.28.3.30) did not resolve the issue.
 

We understand your concern, especially since this is affecting multiple days of uptime and requires manual power cycling to restore network connectivity.
 

Troubleshooting Steps

1. Disable Energy-Saving Features

In the printer's EWS:

• Set Sleep After Inactivity to the maximum available value.
• Disable Auto Off After Sleep (if available).
• Disable Energy Save features that can place network interfaces into a low-power state.

After making changes, restart the printer and monitor behavior.
 

2. Verify Network Port Negotiation

Since the Ethernet interface becomes unavailable:

• Connect the printer to a different switch port.
• If possible, test on a different network switch.
• Check switch logs for:
  1. Link flaps
  2. Port resets
  3. Speed/duplex negotiation errors

If supported by your network infrastructure, force the port to 1 Gbps Full Duplex rather than Auto Negotiation and compare results.
 

3. Monitor Network Availability Before Failure

When the printer is operational:

• Record the printer IP address.
• Monitor continuous pings from a workstation.
• Note whether packet loss begins gradually or if the printer drops completely without warning.

This can help determine whether the network stack is locking up or the interface is resetting unexpectedly.
 

4. Disable IPv6 Temporarily

If IPv6 is not required in your environment:

• Disable IPv6 in the printer's network settings.
• Reboot the printer.
• Monitor for several days.

In some network environments, isolating the printer to IPv4-only communication can help rule out protocol-related issues.
 

5. Check for EWS Accessibility During Failure

The next time the issue occurs:

• Attempt to access the EWS using the printer's IP address.
• Check whether the printer still appears in the ARP table of the router or switch.
• Verify whether the Ethernet link LEDs remain active.

This helps determine whether the printer's network interface is freezing or whether the entire device is becoming unresponsive.
 

6. Restore Factory Defaults

If not already performed:

• Backup any required settings.
• Restore the printer to factory defaults.
• Reconfigure the printer manually.
• Apply the latest firmware again. HP Color LaserJet Pro 4201, HP Color LaserJet Pro 4202 - User Guide

This can eliminate the possibility of corrupted network configuration data carried forward through previous firmware versions.
 

The behavior is more consistent with a network stack lockup, firmware defect, or network interface failure than a normal connectivity issue.

Have a great day!

[b-tom]

@Meghana_10 Thanks for getting back. We went through all Troubleshooting Steps from 1-6. Of course, Energy Save and sleep mode have been turned off. Different network port, switch and full duplex have been set. We run a continuous ping for 3-5 days. The printer was available just fine on Thursday. On Monday morning the drops all connection completely without warning. The printer uses IPv4. The printer's IP address is listed in the network switch, however is no longer reachable after 3-5 days. The Ethernet link LEDs is inactive and network interface is freezing. We do not experience this kind of issues with different manufacturers. Restoring the printer to factory defaults is only option I haven’t tried yet.

[Meghana_10]

Thank you for your response,
 

We apologize for the inconvenience, but it seems that the issue persists even after attempting the troubleshooting steps mentioned above.
 

Unfortunately, there are no further actions we can take through this channel. We recommend reaching out to our phone support for further assistance.
 

This might require one-on-one interaction to fix the issue via remote assistance.

To contact us, click here: https://support.hp.com/us-en/contact.

Step 1: Sign in to the HP Support page using your HP account or create a new account by clicking on “Create Account.”

Step 2: Enter the device serial number, select the product, and click on “other” from the options.

Step 3: Click on “Continue to contact options,” and choose your country/region and language.

Step 4: The support options will now populate based on the warranty status of your device.

Have a great day!