How to turn off Auto-off "feature" in OfficeJet Pro 6978?

[James3723]

How do I turn off the Auto-off "feature" on this printer? It allows maximum of 8 hours before the printer is shut off, which means I jhave to manually power it on and wait for a long time before it connects, initialize, etc. Why cannot I select "disable" or "never"?

Dear HP Expert, do you have a solution?

The reason I spend money on HP printer is so that the printer serves me, not the other way around.

[sabretooth04 · Accepted solution]

How is your printer connected?   If you read the Auto Off notes at the top of the EWS page it says..

Auto-Off Settings

The printer will automatically turn off after a period of inactivity to help reduce energy use. This feature is automatically disabled when the printer is connected to a computer or mobile device, a network, or a fax line (if supported).

[tesoro7]

I have a new 6978 as well.

Having read your suggestions, the only option available to me to disable the auto-off is setting up the fax.

HOWEVER, as with an ever increasing number of people, my phone service is through a router...not from a wall plug.

I have followed all the configurations shown by you, but cannot pass the fax setup wizard. Everythiing checks out except the dial tone detector. 

I am at my wits end with HP and I've been a loyal customer for 30 years!

If you have a suggestion for resolving the dial tone issue, I would be delighted to have it. Otherwise, please read the following respectful observations about the direction HP is taking with its printers and...

Please share the following with whomever designs your printers. I would hate for HP to go bankrupt.

In my humble opinion, by refusing to supply a way around Auto-Off, HP is moving contrary to modern lifestyles. You are going to block yourselves from selling printers if you don't adjust and keep up with the times.

While Auto-Off seems like something good for the environment, it is totally wrong for your customers. Auto-sleep only would help conserve energy without driving away customers.

Have you even considered that by turning off the printer, you are also breaking the printer's internet connection?

That means that the owner, EVERY MORNING, must turn on the computer, then turn on the printer, then go through the printer's internet connection wizard!!! 

WHO IS GOING TO DO THAT? 

What if your home office and living areas are far apart or on different levels?

You say there are options? Well, consider these realities:

     Connecting the printer to a computer automatically turns off eprint and/or web services on some models.

     Connecting to a mobile device means the mobile device has to be kept on and charged 24/7.

     Not everyone has more than one computer, so for them a network is not an option.

     How in the heck do you get to a functioning fax setup if your landline doesn't come through a wall plug, but a router that must also handle things like a phone, answering machine and/or alarm system? You certainly don't have an configuration advice that addresses those issues. And, that's for people who even bother to have a 'landline' now.

Sometimes perceived progress is not progress at all.

Please accept these observations and share them with the appropriate parties.

And if you do have a solution for obtaining a dial tone, I would be deeply grateful to have it.

Many thanks.

[orclDBA]

Dear HP - PLEASE provide FIRMWARE update to add "NEVER" to the drop down list under  Settings/Power Management/Auto-Off  (<printerip>/#hId-pgAutoOff

Your options for disabling are NOT practical for me - and the frustration at having to physically go to the printer every morning that I happen to print before the scheduled restart at 6AM (*) is about enough to make me change printers.  It will NOT be an HP if I have to replace it.  (*) Yes, I can change the scheduled restart to earlier , but then I push the problem to printer being offline in the evening - I don't have enough regular print jobs that 8 hrs will keep it on.

You say there are workarounds - and the EWS web page says the same:

This feature is automatically disabled when the printer is connected to a computer or mobile device, a network, or a fax line

   1.  All of our family's (14+) computers are laptops or tablets (8 or them laptops/notebooks)

          - we bought this printer for wireless printing - that's how we work

             I'm NOT buying another computer just to hook up to printer to keep it from turning off!!!

    2. The printer is in a different room, different floor from where we use our devices

          - having to make multiple trips just to print is extremely inconvenient

    3. By saying connected to a network I assume you mean hard ethernet rj45/cat5 connection ?

        (since it IS connected to a network wirelessly - has to be, otherwise it would be useless)

          - again, the printer is in a remote part of the house, house is not  "wired" - the only ethernet jack is on the router

             and I'm NOT running cat5 through 3 rooms and two floors just to keep printer from turning off!!

    4.  FAX   - same issue with wiring.  We use wireless phones - house is not wired for phone jacks.

          - I'd have to run phone wires through 3 rooms and two floors just to get a FAX connnection

             (that we don't need and wouldn't use)

Again  

PLEASE provide FIRMWARE update to add "NEVER" to the drop down list under  Settings/Power Management/Auto-Off  (<printerip>/#hId-pgAutoOff)