MAC Address Filtering Issue on Hotspot

[ajr21]

Hi,

Just a little background, I work in IT and am trying to set up a wireless printer for employees who work in the field. This paticular job site does not have a WAP, so how users typically print is by connecting the printer to a mobile hotspot via their phones and connect their Chromebooks (all field users use Chromebooks) to the same hotspot. So now the printer is on the same hotpsot network, and allows for wireless printing, and enables Google Cloud Print for other users since the printer is on a network.

The issue I'm having is that the printer will not connect to a mobile hotspot on an iPhone. Works fine on WiFi, but when I tested this with four different iPhone hotspots, none of them worked. I tested on 2 android phone hotspots, and they worked. When I print out the Network test results, the error reads: "Your HP printer is unable to connect to your wireless router. MAC address filtering may be enabled on your wireless router which can prevent your HP printer from connecting to your wireless network during setup". When printer tries to connect to the hotpsot, it prompts on the iPhone that that is connected, but then dissapears, and then reappears before the printer says the network connection failed. No other device has a problem connecting to the iPhone hotpsot.

The problem is, there is no router, I'm on a mobile hotspot through Verizon. 

While the Chromebook user can use WiFi direct to connect directly to the printer, the printer is unable to use Cloud Print (which other users on the job site use) because it's not connected to a network.

I tried calling HP Tech Support but they just sent me around to the same 4 departments over and over. I've done the usual troubleshooting, updated phone, printer firmware, reset network settings on phone, reset settings on the printer but I'm kind of at a loss as to why it's not connecting to an iPhone hotspot. 

Any help would appreciated.

Thanks

[ShlomiL]

Hi,

An iPhone hotspot offers internet tathering, it do not offer any LAN connectivity and therefore printing through a such is not supported and will not allow your iPhone to communicate with the printer as a local device or to print..

Android devices offers WiFi Direct (as the HP printer offers) which allow the Android device to manage LAN connectivity, therefore the printer will be able to connect to a such, iOS do not offer any such functionality.

Connecting the iOS device to the printer using WiFi Direct would be my recommendation to allow printing, then print using AirPrint as listed below:

https://support.hp.com/nz-en/document/c04577030

[ajr21]

Thanks for the info. But it's not printing from an iPhone that I'm concerned about, it's establishing a network for the printer at a location that doesn't have WiFi. The print jobs are sent from Chromebooks. Not sure if this is the right forum for it.

I'm trying to have the printer connect to an iPhone hotspot so the printer has a network where a user using a Chromebook could print wirelessly and use functionality like Google Cloud Print. The printer needs a network in order for that. But the printer fails to connect to the iPhone hotspot giving the error I described above. I've never run into this issue before until yesterday when I was working on the HP MFP 130fw (which is being replaced by the 8720), I encountered the same issue. I did get that printer to connect my iPhone hotspot once but after that it failed.

WiFi direct is a workaround but I'm trying to figure out why these printers all of a sudden won't connect to an iPhone hotspot.

Thanks!

[corybowden]

I am having the EXACT same issue all of a sudden. I've used this exact setup multiple times in the past. It was even working a couple days ago but i started having trouble. Not i can't connect my printer to my iphone hotspot at all? what has cnaged and how can i fix it. I'm not going to use the direct print option. I'm about to buy a cord for $15 bucks so i can get back to printing. I have probably five of these cords at home but I'm working out of state now.

[Anderson5420]

I have the same problem and have searched high and low with no joy.  I have encountered MANY posts  asking about this same problem, It seems nobody knows the answer. The first guy who replied to you got did not even understand the question you were asking.  To all: the issue is NOT printing from an iPhone, it is using the iPhone as the network to which printer and computer both need to connect. I do not have an ISP or router at home. I use the Personal Hotspot on my iPhone SE  for all internet connectivity. I have in the past used the iPhone hotspot to connect my various printers and my various computers successfully.  Recently my printers will not connect to the iPhone, and the printed report indicates the culprit is MAC address filtering. As far as I can find, there is no way to turn MAC address filtering off on an iPhone or add the MAC address of the printer to the iPhone. I have both a Chromebook and an antique Mac. Without the ability to connect the printer to the iPhone hotspot, my printers are now just expensive paperweights. It is just inconceivable that nobody  who knows what he is talking about is able to address this issue. HP,  are you listening? One HP printer has gone back to Best Buy, and unless I can solve this within the return period, a second printer is going back

[TEJ1602]

@Anderson5420, Welcome to HP Support Community!

Using hotspot to connect the printer on a network is not recommended as it will cause connectivity issues.

Refer to this link Wi-Fi Direct and HP wireless direct to know how to print without a router or access point.

Hope this helps!

Please click “Accept as Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution. Click the “Kudos/Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping!

[Anderson5420]

I agree that wireless direct is a suitable workaround, although I have only tried it for printing. I assume it will work with scanning as well? But I have used my iPhone hotspot for years with various printers for both printing and scanning and never had a problem. until I bought the HP printer.  So, you might say an iPhone hotspot is not recommended for an HP printer on a network, and it will cause connectivity issues with HP printers.

For reasons unrelated to the printer issue, I bought a travel router, which should arrive today. This also might be a suitable workaround,  Theoretically, the travel router will connect to the iPhone for internet access, and computers and printers will connect to the router. I will be testing that over the next few days.

[TEJ1602]

@Anderson5420

Sure, keep me posted on that 🙂

If you need further assistance feel free to reach out to us.  

Have a great day ahead! 

Please click “Accept as Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution. Click the “Kudos/Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping!