I am trying to install an OfficeJet Pro 6978

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Running Linux Mint

My wife got it, a HP OfficeJet Pro 6978, from Goodwill for $15 and I have been ordered to make it work.
I can make it work by connecting via WiFi but when I plug it into a USB port I cannot communicate with it.
I get an error message that the printer is not connected. It is connected as I am able to select it when I use the HP utility to try and install it. Plus the Mint status report shows it. Must be a problem at the printer but I sure can't find where it is .

So, I am at a loss as to what to do or what to try.
Any ideas or suggestions will be deeply appreciated.

This is what I have

System: Kernel: 5.4.0-89-generic x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 9.3.0 Desktop: Cinnamon 4.6.7
wm: muffin dm: LightDM Distro: Linux Mint 20 Ulyana base: Ubuntu 20.04 focal
Machine: Type: Desktop System: eMachines product: ET1831 v: N/A serial: <filter> Chassis:
type: 3 serial: <filter>
Mobo: eMachines model: EMCP73VT-PM serial: <filter> BIOS: AMI v: P01-A1
date: 09/14/2009
CPU: Topology: Dual Core model: Pentium E5400 bits: 64 type: MCP arch: Penryn rev: A
L2 cache: 2048 KiB
flags: lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 ssse3 vmx bogomips: 10800
Speed: 2700 MHz min/max: 1203/2700 MHz Core speeds (MHz): 1: 2700 2: 2700
Graphics: Device-1: NVIDIA GT218 [GeForce 210] vendor: eVga.com. driver: nvidia v: 340.108
bus ID: 02:00.0 chip ID: 10de:0a65
Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.20.11 driver: nvidia
unloaded: fbdev,modesetting,nouveau,vesa resolution: 1920x1200~60Hz
OpenGL: renderer: GeForce 210/PCIe/SSE2 v: 3.3.0 NVIDIA 340.108 direct render: Yes
Audio: Device-1: NVIDIA MCP73 High Definition Audio vendor: Acer Incorporated ALI
driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel bus ID: 00:09.0 chip ID: 10de:07fc
Device-2: NVIDIA High Definition Audio vendor: eVga.com. driver: snd_hda_intel
v: kernel bus ID: 02:00.1 chip ID: 10de:0be3
Sound Server: ALSA v: k5.4.0-89-generic
Network: Device-1: Realtek RTL810xE PCI Express Fast Ethernet vendor: Acer Incorporated ALI
driver: r8169 v: kernel port: e800 bus ID: 04:00.0 chip ID: 10ec:8136
IF: enp4s0 state: up speed: 100 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
Drives: Local Storage: total: 1.16 TiB used: 207.85 GiB (17.5%)
ID-1: /dev/sda vendor: SanDisk model: SDSSDHP256G size: 238.47 GiB speed: 3.0 Gb/s
serial: <filter>
ID-2: /dev/sdb vendor: Western Digital model: WD10EZEX-60ZF5A0 size: 931.51 GiB
speed: 3.0 Gb/s serial: <filter>
ID-3: /dev/sdi type: USB vendor: Verbatim model: STORE N GO size: 14.91 GiB
serial: <filter>
Partition: ID-1: / size: 233.24 GiB used: 134.60 GiB (57.7%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda5
USB: Hub: 1-0:1 info: Full speed (or root) Hub ports: 8 rev: 2.0 chip ID: 1d6b:0002
Device-1: 1-3:2 info: HP OfficeJet Pro 6970 type: Printer,Mass Storage
driver: usb-storage,usbfs rev: 2.0 chip ID: 03f0:0c54
Device-2: 1-7:4 info: Verbatim Store N Go type: Mass Storage driver: usb-storage
rev: 2.0 chip ID: 18a5:4123
Hub: 2-0:1 info: Full speed (or root) Hub ports: 8 rev: 1.1 chip ID: 1d6b:0001
Device-3: 2-6:2 info: Transcend Information 63-in-1 Multi-Card Reader/Writer
type: Mass Storage driver: usb-storage rev: 2.0 chip ID: 1307:0330
Sensors: System Temperatures: cpu: 54.0 C mobo: N/A gpu: nvidia temp: 64 C
Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A
Repos: No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list
Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome-beta.list
1: deb [arch=amd64] http: //dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb/ stable main
Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/nordvpn.list
1: deb https: //repo.nordvpn.com/deb/nordvpn/debian stable main
Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/official-package-repositories.list
1: deb http: //packages.linuxmint.com ulyana main upstream import backport #id:linuxmint_main
2: deb http: //archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal main restricted universe multiverse
3: deb http: //archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-updates main restricted universe multiverse
4: deb http: //archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-backports main restricted universe multiverse
5: deb http: //security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ focal-security main restricted universe multiverse
6: deb http: //archive.canonical.com/ubuntu/ focal partner
Info: Processes: 212 Uptime: 16m Memory: 3.84 GiB used: 1.08 GiB (28.2%) Init: systemd v: 245
runlevel: 5 Compilers: gcc: 9.3.0 alt: 9 Client: Unknown python3.8 client inxi: 3.0.38

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opjose Level 1

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Well, it seems that this printer due to a shoddy design cannot have both USB and WiFi active at the same time. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

So, I will settle for the ethernet option.

Poor design IMNSHO.