network printer

[LeeDeCola]

i want to connect the printer to my home network via a usb to a router.

[Dragon-Fur]

@LeeDeCola 

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@LeeDeCola wrote:

i want to connect the printer to my home network via a usb to a router.

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USB does not work that way.

USB connection is a wired USB cable connection between the printer and the computer.

Reviewing your related posts ...

Observations (NOT to be confused with HP policy or statements of any kind)

1. It appears that your printer is not able to connect to your network.
2. You have had the attention of more than one Expert / Agent who has tried to help you.
3. If it has ever connected, the printer does not stay that way for an unknown reason.
4. The HP Print and Scan doctor has not helped.
5. You may - or may not - have a stable network to which the printer can connect.  (Network suitability is not something we can judge nor is it my intention to disparage your network setup or its equipment.)
6. You may - or may not - be using Wi-Fi Direct (and / or you may have it switched on).
7. You may - or may not - have conducted the troubleshooting provided in the many documents and in the User Guide.  NOTE:  This is not an attack on your character - we cannot know what you have actually done or what you have tried unless you outline each attempt / steps taken.  Sometimes people just say, "I have tried everything". 
8. The printer may - or may not - have an actual hardware problem with the printer Wireless radio (rare, so very rare, can happen).
9. You might be asking the same questions again - and hoping for a different result.
10. I have scanned the other threads and I have not read every line of every post in your other threads on this subject -- I might have missed something.

I think I cannot help you directly - most of what we can offer has likely been tried.

and

I can share some information that might help you find a solution that works for your situation.

There is certainly "something" wrong:

• There is an error in the printer Wireless connection:  Either the method you are using is problematic or the network itself loses the connection
• Related to the network - there may be a conflict in the connection to the network.  For example, if the printer AND another device are fighting over an IP address, things can get weird - the printer will be connected one minute and bounced off the network in the next minute.  One way to fix this is to make sure the printer has its very own IP address.
• In the printer hardware - the printer is no longer "new" - the product was introduced in 2015.  It is just possible that there is an actual hardware issue.  Wireless hardware failure (in the printer) is very rare - but it can happen.

You may have both Wi-Fi Direct and regular Wireless enabled.  These are two different Wireless methods.

Wi-Fi Direct is wireless between the printer and the computer without the use of a router.

Regular Wireless connects your printer to your router controlled network.

If you are not actually using Wi-Fi Direct but you have the feature switched on, things can (again) get weird.

Wi-Fi Direct is a toggle - if you are not using it, switch off the feature on the printer control panel.

What??

Learn about your printer's connection options.

Learn to tell the difference between connection types and how they work.

Read the User Guide -

Chapter 7 - Connectivity - starring on Page 51

and

Chapter 8 - Solve a problem > Networking > Page 82

And / Or

Lots of help is available in your the printer Category  How-to

Select Topic:  Wireless, Networking & Internet

Select Subtopic:  Wireless Connections & Networking

Look at the list, select one or more documents to read.

More help here - worth checking:

 Wireless printing center

USB Cable - Printer to Computer

You can indeed run the printer using a USB printer cable between the printer and the computer.  This is not a wireless connection, of course, but it may allow you to print if everything else you have done just won't work.  USB cable does not allow connection of the printer to the Internet and so cannot be used with Web Services or an Instant Ink subscription.

If you like, there are How-to Videos available to help you install your printer's software.

Open Software and drivers for HP ENVY 4500 e-All-in-One Printer series

Scroll down to the bottom of the website, View All > Select a video to watch.

More help:

HP Collection of “how-to” videos

HP Video Gallery

• Use Categories and the search window to narrow the search. 

For example,

Category Printers and All-in-Ones > Install, Setup, Drivers

• Select your Video

Reference and Resources – Places to find (more) help and learn about your Printer

Clarification of terms and "what the printer can do" (Specifications)

Printer Homepage – “Things that are your printer”

NOTE:  Content depends on device type and Operating System

HP Drivers / Software / Firmware Updates, How-to Videos, Bulletins/Notices, Lots of How-to Documents, Troubleshooting, Access to the Print and Scan Doctor (Windows), User Guides, Product Information, more

When the website support page opens, Select (as available) a Category > Topic > Subtopic

HP ENVY 4500 e-All-in-One Printer series

Thank you for participating in the HP Community Forum.

Click Thumbs Up on a post to say Thank You!

Answered? Select the relevant post "Accept as Solution" to help others find it.

[LeeDeCola]

thanks for the LONG reply - i'm wondering if the printer simply cannot be used on a router usb port - how could i determine that (other than trying what i have already done)?

here's the website for the new router

https://www.asus.com/Networking/RTAC68U/

[Dragon-Fur]

@LeeDeCola 

You are welcome.  

Printer Specifications > Connectivity

Model	Wireless	Ethernet (wired)	Wireless direct	USB
HP ENVY 4500 e-All-in-One Printer Series	yes	no	yes	yes
HP Deskjet Ink Advantage 3540 e-All-in-One Printer Series	yes	no	yes	yes

Supported:

• USB printer cable between the printer and the computer (not on the network)
• Standard Wireless (connect printer to the network that is controlled by your router)
• Wi-Fi Direct (wireless method used to connect the printer to your computer without the use of a router)

If you are not intending to use Wi-Fi Direct, toggle the Wi-Fi Direct setting to OFF on the printer control panel. 

Read about Connection methods in the printer User Guide > Chapter 7 - Connectivity - Starting on Page 51

Your dual band router supports both 2.4GHz (that the printer needs) and 5GHz (for newer devices, many of which do support this bandwidth).

What to do?

Log into that router,

• Adjust the router settings to broadcast on both 5GHz AND the 2.4GHz bandwidth.
• Give the 2.4GHz bandwidth a different SSID name from that used for the 5GHz.
• Connect the printer to the SSID / 2.4GHz bandwidth part of your network.

For example,

Name your 5GHz network (SSID) = MyFancy5GHzNetwork

Name the 2.4 network SSID as MyFancy24GHzNetwork

Both networks can be assigned the same Passphrase (Wireless password) used to connect to the network.

SSID name(s) > Router manual - Page 17

Your router manual:

https://www.asus.com/Networking/RTAC68U/HelpDesk_Manual/

Once the printer is on the Wireless network, the configuration can be checked and even edited using the Embedded Web Server (EWS).

Examples 

NOTE:  Exact settings, available configuration options differ by printer model

HP_8630_EWS_Network_1C

HP_8630_EWS_Network_Static_IP_1

Once you have a better idea of how you are going to connect the printer to the network, take a few minutes to look at the help available.

More help here - worth checking:

 Wireless printing center

Reference and Resources – Places to find (more) help and learn about your Printer

Clarification of terms and "what the printer can do" (Specifications)

Printer Homepage – “Things that are your printer”

NOTE:  Content depends on device type and Operating System

HP Drivers / Software / Firmware Updates, How-to Videos, Bulletins/Notices, Lots of How-to Documents, Troubleshooting, Access to the Print and Scan Doctor (Windows), User Guides, Product Information, more

When the website support page opens, Select (as available) a Category > Topic > Subtopic

HP ENVY 4500 e-All-in-One Printer series

Thank you for participating in the HP Community Forum.

We are a world community of HP enthusiasts dedicated to supporting HP technology.

Click Thumbs Up on a post to say Thank You!

Answered? Select the relevant post "Accept as Solution" to help others find it.

[LeeDeCola]

i was able to connect the envy 4500 to the 2.4Ghz network and print a test page, but my pc is connected to the 5Ghz so this may be the reason why attempts to print from this pc give errors...try giving me suggestions about configuring my home network.

[B_Will]

The router link you posted shows, "The RT-AC68U also features dual USB ports for file, printers"

If you scroll down there is a video that shows how to setup the printer on the router.

[LeeDeCola]

sorry everybody, this is just too complicated for my old brain. if HP wants to call me 571 315 0577 EST we might be able to work on the problem...the house is filling up with printer test pages and my wife is moaning that she can't print.