HP 3201dw all manner of problems AFTER a successful setup

[Bchief]

No problem with initial setup.  Now cannot access troubleshooting.  all sorts of crazy errors, example: connected WiFi and confirmation report, nut message says WiFi not connected, double-sided printing no longer works.  Drivers and Firmware are current

[Garp_senchau]

@Bchief,Welcome to HP Support Community,

Thank you for posting your query; I’m here to help by guiding you through steps to resolve this issue

Wi-Fi Connectivity Issue:

Since you’re receiving a confirmation that Wi-Fi is connected, but then an error saying it's not, there could be a couple of things causing the issue:

Steps to troubleshoot:

• Restart Printer and Router: Sometimes a simple restart can resolve connectivity issues. Turn off both your printer and Wi-Fi router, wait for about 30 seconds, then power them back on.
• Check Network Settings: Ensure your printer is connected to the correct Wi-Fi network. Sometimes printers may connect to a wrong or guest network, causing inconsistencies. You can check this on the printer display panel.
• Reconfigure Wi-Fi Connection:
  1. On the printer, navigate to Settings or Network Setup.
  2. Select Wireless Setup Wizard (or similar, depending on your model).
  3. Choose your Wi-Fi network and re-enter the password if necessary.
• Check IP Address: If your printer has a static IP address configured, ensure that it’s on the same subnet as your other devices.
  1. Print a network configuration page from the printer’s control panel to verify this.

Wi-Fi Not Detected (Despite Confirmation):

If it still doesn’t detect the Wi-Fi:

• Factory Reset: Reset the network settings on your printer (this will erase the Wi-Fi connection settings). To do this:
  1. On the printer’s control panel, go to Settings > Network > Restore Network Defaults.
  2. Then reconfigure the Wi-Fi as per the steps above.
• Update Router Settings: Some routers may have settings like MAC address filtering or firewall rules that could block the printer's connection. Make sure your router allows devices to connect freely (or add your printer’s MAC address to the router’s allowed list).

Double-Sided Printing Not Working:

If double-sided printing was working previously and suddenly stopped:

Steps to troubleshoot:

• Check Printer Driver Settings:
  1. Open the Printers & Scanners settings on your computer.
  2. Right-click your HP printer and select Printing Preferences.
  3. Under the Finishing or Layout tab, check if the Duplex Printing (two-sided printing) option is enabled.
• Check Paper Type: Sometimes the printer will not allow duplex printing with certain types of paper. Ensure you're using a suitable paper size and weight for double-sided printing.
• Printer Firmware: Even though you’ve mentioned it’s current, occasionally a firmware update might not fully apply. You can manually download the latest firmware from HP’s official website and update it via USB or network connection.

[Garp_senchau · Accepted solution]

Error Messages:

If you're seeing various error messages, this can be indicative of a communication problem between your printer and the computer or Wi-Fi network.

• Reinstall Printer Drivers:
  1. Uninstall the printer from your computer.
  2. Go to the HP support website and download the latest driver for your model.
  3. Reinstall the driver and reconnect your printer.
• Reset Printer to Factory Defaults: This is a last resort but can help eliminate any persistent issues that aren't solved by simpler troubleshooting steps. To reset the printer:
  1. Go to Settings > Printer Maintenance on the printer.
  2. Select Restore Factory Defaults (you might need to confirm this action).

General Printer Reset:

If you're still encountering multiple issues and can't access troubleshooting directly through the printer’s panel, try the following:

• Power Cycle: Turn off the printer, unplug it from the power source for about 30 seconds, and then turn it back on.
• Clear Print Queue: Sometimes stuck print jobs can cause communication problems:
  1. Go to Devices and Printers (Windows) or Printers & Scanners (Mac).
  2. Right-click the printer icon and select See what’s printing.
  3. Clear any stuck jobs from the queue.

I hope these steps help resolve the issue

Please feel free to reply here if you have any questions or if you need further clarification on any of the steps. 

Take care and have a good day. 

Problem solved? 🎉 Awesome! Mark this as the Accepted Solution to help the next person find their way faster. 🧭 And if it was helpful, click 'yes'—you’ll make someone’s search journey that much easier (and give this reply some well-deserved street cred 🏅)

Regards,

[Bchief]

It has been a real challenge, esp. when you have to deal with the display and input screen.  It might as well be done with semaphore flags or morse code. Thank you for the suggestions. I had thought of most of them, but the restore defaults and reconfigure of the Wi-Fi seems to have worked.  I seem to be working now with random cycling of the printer when its just idle during the day [not in use].  I'm wondering if it's just "events" being logged as they don't appear to be alerts.  It could also be printer self-checks?

Question: Should I be running BOTH the "wi-fi" and "wifi direct".  I'm trying to appreciate if I need both running and/or if there are possible security issues with discovery/accessibility outside my network.  The documentation from HP on the wi-fi setup is lacking.  I stumbled upon the restore default suggestion in the "Reference Guide" under "Post-Setup: Help and tips for Wi-Fi connectivity" which hints that HP is having issues.

It probably doesn't help that this new PC is running Win Pro 11 and not 10.

[Garp_senchau]

Hi @Bchief,

You're very welcome! 😊

I totally get how frustrating tech issues can be, especially when things seem to be happening in the background like that. It's great to hear that the Wi-Fi reset helped though! 🙌 As for the random cycling, I agree—it could definitely be the printer doing self-checks or maintenance tasks. If nothing alarming is showing up, it's probably just that.

On the Wi-Fi vs. Wi-Fi Direct question, you're spot on! You really don’t need both. Wi-Fi connects your printer to your home network (making it accessible to multiple devices), while Wi-Fi Direct lets devices print without the network. If you’re not using Wi-Fi Direct, it's safer to disable it—especially to avoid any security risks. 

And yeah, Windows 11 Pro can introduce a few quirks compared to Win 10, but don't worry—once everything’s updated and set up correctly, it should run smoothly. Definitely check for driver updates if you haven’t already, as that could make a big difference. 👍

If you need anything else or just want to vent about tech (I’m here for that too! 😂), feel free to reach out! 😄

Regards,

[Bchief]

When I installed the printer I downloaded and installed [I think} upd-pc16-x64-7.3.0.25919...test page lists driver properties "HP Smart Universal Printing 9USB Group 2)", Driver type: "Type 4 - User Mode" and Driver Version: "4.1.4.3082.  I'm not sure if this is the latest/best for Win Pro 11.  I skipped the "recommended" option as I didn't want to download an entire printer family of drivers that included things I would never use...also, as this was dated 8/2024 vs the 11/24 driver option I selected the more recent.  Maybe I've screwed up?

I happened to be nearby when the printer went on one of it's seemingly self-diagnostic checks and it did finish with the message that the wi-fi was not connected...and, YES, it is and it seems to be functioning fine.

I did print out the printer "event log" after having to RE login as admin with each menu item and it did display an event for the above time, as well as a number of other events associated.  I need to search for a location in HP printer support where they may provide information to decipher the "warning" and "error" event codes.  Any suggestions?

Thanks Again!

[Bchief]

Problems continue...again, after successfully removing, setting defaults, unplugging, holding the off button to clear any capacitors, and reinstalling, connecting Wi-Fi, printing test pages to confirm that everything works okay....the printer soon returns to problems [loss of double-sided printing, print jobs interrupted with "load paper....." when there's plenty in tray, no Wi-Fi connection when it's confirmed both on the display and check of the network on other devices] I now have received a "critical error during a routine print job "C4.C1.5D.0B" with NO way to follow up at HP support do decipher/define the code!

I have AGAIN cleared and reinstalled the printer.  To my knowledge, the firmware and drivers have been updated and are current.

I'm lost for answers at this point.

[Garp_senchau]

@Bchief,

Welcome to the HP Support Community! 

We’re here to help you with your issue. Don't worry, we've got your back! 

To get you the best assistance, we need to take this conversation to a private chat. We're inviting you to a private message to protect your privacy and ensure that any sensitive information remains confidential. 

To access your private message, just click the little blue envelope icon on the upper right corner of your HP Community profile, next to your profile name. Alternatively, you can click on this link. 

We're looking forward to helping you resolve this issue! 

Stay tuned, and thanks for your patience! 

Regards,