HP 5660 keeps going offline on Mac

[StanNH]

I am using an Envy 5660 on my wireless network.  My main computer is an iMac, but I share the network with two iPhones and an iPad.  All have the latest versions of OS X and/or IOS on them.  The computer does not use a USB connection, but is a wireless connection on the same network.  Share this printer on the network is enabled, although all devices share the same iCloud account.

My problem, which I have had for a while now, is that the printer will frequently change its status from idle to offline.  It will then not print from any devices on my network.  (No Airprint printer found.)  I can easily restore it to idle status by simply opening the print Queue from the Mac.  I can not restore it from the IOS devices.

I have uninstalled and re-installed the printer, and have also done a hard reset by disconnecting power while on.  This works for a few days, then the problem returns.  I have rebooted the cable modem and the computer several times as well.

Since the last hard reboot, a few days ago, the printer maintained its idle status when not being used and all was fine.  Today it wouldn't print from my iPad and I checked the Mac to find it offline again.  I opened the queue as usual, and it immediately was found and went to idle.

Is it time to just get a new printer, or is there anything else I can try to keep this 5660 printer from going into its offline condition for no apparent reason?  Thanks for any help.

[IronBadger]

Sorry tohear you are having issues with AirPrint and your HP Printer.

There is a known issue with iOS 11, macOS Sierra and macOS High Sierra where AirPrint printers may periodically go offline.

HP and Apple are working on solutions for all affected products.

For your particular printer (Envy 5660) HP has already released a firmware update that will help address this issue.

Please see the following document for instructions on updating the firmware on your printer.

https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c02919168

If you are unable to update the firmware on your printer, the following document lists other workarounds that will help.

https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c05737475

[StanNH]

Thank you for your response.  My printer said latest updates are installed.  On the web site, I went to 5660/Mac OS/10.13 and got the no software or drivers available message.

i guess I'll have to wait for the next OS X patch ... hopefully this will be resolved by then.

[IronBadger]

Interesting.

Might I suggest attempting to resolve this by disabling IP v6 on your printer as a possible solution?

Disable IPv6 on the printer

+ The printer has an LCD control Panel

Use the menu on your printer control panel to set IPv4.

1. Touch the Wireless icon on the control panel.
2. Touch the gear icon, and then touch Advanced Settings.
   
   • If IPv6 is set to On, touch the IPv6 slider, and then touch Yes on the warning message to turn it off.

LCD Control Panel

1. Touch the Home button to return to the main screen.
2. Try printing from AirPrint.  

[StanNH]

IPv6 to off immediately  put the printer into offline mode.  When I switched it back on, it went to idle almost instantly.  I'll leave it enabled for now.  Watching it on my Mac, the off position seems to disable the connection to the network.

[IronBadger · Accepted solution]

That is odd.  The printer should have IPv4 and IPv6 turned on by default.  Disabling IPv4 should just put the printer on the the network with IPv4.  When you say the printer goes offline, do you meanthe blue light flashes or that it shows offline on the macOS and iOS devices.

If it's the macOS and iOS devices showing the printer offline, then you will just need to create new queues for the printer as the old ones are most likely tied to the IPv6 address.  iOS 11 and macOS Sierra/High Sierra seem to prefer IPv6 for connectivity. 

This document has been updated with more explicit instructions:

https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c05737475

After disabling IPv6 at the printer try the following:

Turn the printer off and then on

On macOS :

open Printers & Scanners-->select the printer-->click the "-" button.

click the "+" button and locate the printer.

click Add

This will create a new queue with the printer on IPv4 only.

On iOS:

Turn the iOS devoce off and on

Open the file you want to print

In the AirPrint dialog click where it says Printer and select your printer again

Then print

[StanNH]

Thanks.  I won't be able to work on this again until tomorrow, but will try your suggestions then.

When the printer went offline, I meant that it merely changed status from idle to offline on the Mac.  I did not go to the print queue to try to get it back to its idle status.

Right now it's been on idle since yesterday and I was able to print from both an iPhone and an iPad.  We'll see how long this lasts this time around.

Thank you again for your help.

[StanNH]

Sorry for the delay.  I did change from 6 to 4, then restarted the printer, and it has been workig fine for several days now.  The first time, I did not restart the printer, which is apparently why it did not work.

Thank you for your help and providing a solution.

[IronBadger]

We are seeing good results if you make sure you have the latest firmware updated for your printer  (updating your firmware) and run the latest version of iOS or macOS.