OfficeJet 4650 printer not found - even though I have no problem with printing ????

[StephenElmer]

Hello everyone!  This all started because I need to scan a document.  Put document on printer, selected Scan, and get the message that it can't find a computer to send the scan to.  Okay, so back to my computer to investigate.  Hmm...  From Start menu, I select HP -> HP Officejet 4650 Series.  Ooohhh - look at that - no printers show up.  So I select "Connect to a new device" and select Wireless.  It grinds away for a moment and then gives me the Device Network Connection screen.  I select "I see the status is Connected and the signal strength" option, enter the IP address of the printer and click next.  Oh, how about that - "Unable to Find the Device".  I end up having to back out of the driver setup.  This launches me down a long, miserable, path of trying to troubleshoot the problem, arguing with the Virtual Agent, running the Print and Scan Doctor, running the Printer Offline Check tool, trying to get to a phone number where I might speak with a human being, installing HP Smart, etc.  None of these tools seem to be able to recognize the printer.

Now what is completely confounding is that through all of this, I have had no difficulties actually printing and the HP Support Assistant has no problem detecting the printer and retrieving details like serial number, etc.  What the hell is going on here?  The printer is clearly online and visible over the network - Support Assistant sees it, I can send print jobs to it both from my computer and my phone.  Yet HP's own diagnostics and driver install seem to be completely incapable of finding the printer.

Anyone?  ideas?

Thanks,

Stephen

[Kumar0307]

@StephenElmer, Welcome to the HP Support Community!

• Are you trying to scan from the printer screen?
• Are you using the "Scan to computer" option?

This looks like an issue with the printer driver. Let us try these steps:

Clean reinstallation of Pre-installed HP drivers

1.  In Windows, search for and open Programs and features 
2.  Select your HP Printer 
3.  Select Uninstall 
4.  In Windows, search for and open Devices and printers 
5.  In the Devices and Printers windows look for your HP printer. If you see it listed right-click on it and choose ‘Delete’ or ‘Remove Device’ 
6.  Open up the run command with the “Windows key + R” key combo. 
7.  Type printui.exe /s and click Ok. (Note: there is a space in between “printui.exe” and “/s”) 
8.  Click on the “Drivers” tab 
9.  Look for HP Printer driver. If you see it Click on it and click Remove at the bottom 
10.  Select Ok 
11.  Select Apply and Ok on the Print Server Properties windows 
12.  Close Devices and Printers, restart the computer.

Click here to download the HP Full-featured driver.

Once downloaded, make sure to run the file to start the installation and follow the on-screen instructions.

Try printing and scanning.

Hope this helps! Keep me posted. 

Please click “Accept as Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution.

Click the “Kudos, Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping!

Have a great day! 

[StephenElmer]

Thanks @Kumar0307 for your reply.  Your solution, unfortunately, does not work.  I have, in the past, uninstalled everything and reinstalled with the same results.  I again tried it and it still is unable to find my printer.  Sadly, I am now in a worse situation because I can now no longer print.  Please advise.  I have another computer also that is having the same issue - i can print, but not scan and attempting to install the drivers gives me the same messages with respect to not being able to connect to the printer.

With respect to your question about scanning:  I have tried both "Scan to Computer" and scanning from the printer screen.  Because the computer and printer don't seem to be able to find each other scanning is not working.  (even though they could, in fact find each other, as printing was working).

Thanks,

Stephen

[StephenElmer]

It appears to be the case that the driver that installs when I go through Windows Printers & Scanners in settings and do Add Printer or Scanner, works okay with respect to printing.  But not scanning.

[Kumar0307]

@StephenElmer

• Make sure the printer and the MAC are connected to the same wireless network.
• This printer supports only 2.4GHz network. So, the PC should be on the 2.4GHz network.
• If you have a Dual-band router and both 2.4GHz and 5GHz networks share the same name/SSID, the printer will not be able to connect to the network. In this case, contact your Internet service provider to assign different names to both the networks.
• Restart the wireless router, the printer, and the PC

Use the HP Smart app to print and scan from your Win PC

Click here to download and know more about the app.

Let me know how this goes.

[StephenElmer]

I've done all of this:

1) Printer and PC are connected to the same wireless network - the printer network diagnostics reports all indicate everything is working correctly with respect to the printer on the network.

2) Both are on the 2.4GHz network

3) 2.4GHz and 5GHz networks have different SSIDs

4) everything has been restarted

Installed HP Smart but cannot do anything with it because it continues to show "No printers available" which is my original problem - that even though the printer is clearly accessible from my PC (as it is able to print), HP software does not seem to be able to find the printer.

And a correction to one of my previous posts - my other PC is able to print and can receive "Scan to computer" scans.

[Kumar0307]

@StephenElmer

Let us try to print and scan using the printer's EWS page:

• Obtain the IP address of the printer – You can touch the “wireless” icon on the printer control panel to obtain the IP address.
• Type the IP address at the top of your web browser to obtain the printer EWS page on your computer.
• If you get any security notification, click on show details/advanced and 'proceed to this website'.
• Try to scan or print a test page to check if that works.

Let me know how it goes.

[StephenElmer]

Hi @Kumar0307,

The browser interface appears to be working fine.  I didn't know about this.  I can use this as a workaround.

Nevertheless, it still doesn't explain the problem, though, with the Driver software, HP Smart, or Print & Scan Doctor not being able to find the printer.  I would really like to be able to scan to computer from the printer itself.  Any more ideas?

Thanks,

Stephen

[Kumar0307]

@StephenElmer

This means that the connectivity between the devices is fine and the printer is working as it should be. The issue is with the printer driver. While we may use windows built-in drivers to print, it will not help with 'scan to computer'.

I think this issue needs some additional technical assistance that can be better provided through one-on-one interaction or a remote session with our HP Support team. Please reach out to the HP Support in your region for further assistance.

Keep me posted for any other assistance.