I can't seem to setup my new Color Laser MFP 178nw using wifi on my iMAC

[Mahes68]

I am trying to setup the HP Color LaSer MFP 178nw for the first time using Wifi and the HP software can detect it initially but when it goes to getting the IP address of the printer, it can't find it.  Using iMAC Sequoia 15.5 . Tried so many times but always the same problem

[Kuroi_Kenshi]

Hi @Mahes68,

Welcome to the HP Support Community!

Thanks for reaching out!

We're thrilled to have the opportunity to assist you and provide a solution.

I understand your Color Laser MFP 178nw isn’t completing the Wi-Fi setup on your iMac. Let’s go through a few steps to check what could be causing this.

Confirm the printer is in Wi-Fi Setup Mode
• On this model, setup mode stays active only for a short time.
• Press and hold the Wi-Fi button until the light starts blinking to re-enter setup mode before running HP Easy Start again.

Make sure you are using a 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network
• The 178nw supports only 2.4 GHz.
• If your router combines 2.4/5 GHz under the same name, temporarily separate them or select the 2.4 GHz SSID during setup.

Check if the printer is receiving an IP address
• Press and hold the Cancel (X) button until it prints a Configuration Report.
• Look for an IP address under the “Wireless” section. If it’s 0.0.0.0, the printer is not connected.

Restart router, printer, and iMac
• Restart the router first and wait 2 minutes.
• Then restart the printer and the iMac and try the setup again.

Try manual Wi-Fi setup from the Embedded Web Server (EWS)
• Connect the printer temporarily via USB to the iMac.
• Run HP Easy Start, choose “Configure Wi-Fi,” and it will open the printer’s EWS to manually enter your Wi-Fi details.

Check for MAC filtering or router security settings
• Ensure MAC Filtering is disabled on the router.
• WPA2-Personal is recommended; WPA3-only networks may block older printers.

Try assigning a static IP
• From the printer’s EWS (via USB setup), set a manual IP address within your router’s network range.
• This helps avoid cases where DHCP fails during setup.

I hope this helps.

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Best regards,