I have a HP Desk Jet Plus 4120 - connected to laptop by USB cable - but printer status is Offline

[Eliot6]

The Printer was originally connected to my laptop by WiFi - but I have changed  location so the WiFi password has changed - but I am happy to connect the laptop by USB cable instead of WiFi - but HP Smart says it cannot find any Printers and using the Printer interface on my laptop shows my printer - but its status is always shown as Offline - and therefore it won't print anything. I use the Print Queue to Cancel the jobs that don't print - but still cannot print anything.

[Garp_senchau]

@Eliot6, 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

It sounds like your HP printer is having trouble staying online after a change in your Wi-Fi network and you're trying to switch to USB for a direct connection. Here's a set of troubleshooting steps to help resolve the issue:

Check Printer Connection (USB)

• Disconnect and reconnect the USB cable: Make sure the USB cable is securely connected between the printer and your laptop.

• Try a different USB port: If possible, try using a different USB port on your laptop, just in case there's an issue with the current port.

• Check USB cable quality: If possible, try using another USB cable to rule out a faulty cable.

Set the Printer to USB Connection Mode

Since the printer was previously connected via Wi-Fi, it may still be set to "Wireless" mode. You need to switch it back to "USB" mode.

• Use the printer’s control panel: On most HP printers, you can go into the settings menu and find the "Network" or "Connection" settings, then change the connection type to USB.

• Factory reset the network settings: If you're unsure how to set this, you can perform a factory reset of the printer’s network settings (refer to the printer manual for this). This will clear any saved Wi-Fi settings.

Set Printer as Default

• On your laptop, go to Control Panel > Devices and Printers (or search "Printers & Scanners" in Windows settings).

• Right-click the printer and select Set as default printer.

• If it's already set as the default, try removing and re-adding the printer by right-clicking and selecting Remove device then clicking Add a printer.

Check the Print Queue

• Go to Control Panel > Devices and Printers or Settings > Printers & Scanners.

• If your printer shows as "Offline," right-click on it and select See what's printing.

• Cancel any stuck print jobs in the queue.

• After clearing the queue, try printing a test page again.

Restart Printer and Laptop

• Restart your laptop and power cycle your printer (turn it off, wait for 30 seconds, and turn it back on).

• Try printing again after rebooting both devices.

Reinstall Printer Drivers

It’s possible that the drivers or the connection settings got messed up:

• Go to the HP website and download the latest printer drivers for your printer model.

• During installation, choose the USB connection option.

Run HP Smart:

• Download and run the HP Smart. Follow the prompts to diagnose and fix common printing issues.
• Refer: Use Diagnose & Fix in HP Smart to repair common printing issues (Windows, macOS) | HP® Support

I hope this helps.

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. 

Did we resolve the issue? If yes, please consider marking this post as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" to give us a helpful vote - your feedback keeps us going!

Regards,