(possible solutions) 9010/9015 tcp_local connection issues and errors setting up HP account

[skbd123456]

After struggling for days & numerous hours and contemplating going "office space" on this printer in complete seriousness... due to multiple issues I am writing this up to help someone else who may be toiling away time and energy and pulling their hairs out with the 9010/9015/9015e or any other HP Smart printers.

These printers are designed to house "Instant Ink" and if you have been sold one of those printers, or have bought a printer 2nd hand or have been gifted one lovingly from a friend (or an enemy now because of the frustration this printer has caused you), then there are a couple of major problem that are fraught with these printers: but probably simple enough to solve unless all the cluttered articles in the forums and other online info isn't clear enough to provide a good solution to.

Here are the the solutions to the two problems that compounded my pains and what I did to solve them (even though I am not happy about the solve... and I have a feeling you won't be either... read on). A bit about the problems I faced so you may see if relates to the issues you've been having.... 

1. Errors connecting to the printer on Mac (ie not being able to add the printer using AirPrint services on Macbooks)
I am in 2024 and have a Mac with Sonoma on it. Had all kinds of trouble with connecting to the printer. Restarted printer model computer all in all possible combinations, but it booted up with messages indicating to finish set up on the computer which I guessed was HP printer's software telling me that the HP smart app wasn't properly set up. And in parallel when I connected to the printer from Mac's own (AirPrint) settings it would never ever add the printer successfully and just throw errors that either were just cannot communicate with printer or show some _tcp_local errors (something like blah-blah_ipps._tcp.local...blah). After trying a bunch of things I found one article that indicated that this could entirely because the printer doesn't like 2.4Ghz networks at all. Which is what the case was for me. I had it being communicated to from the Mac using the 2.4Ghz nw off my mesh since the beginning. As soon as I switched to the 5Ghz network and Viola, the printer connected on the first attempt. I tried it a few times and it seemed to get added without issues to the Mac printers. This was one problem down.

The printing still wouldn't work off any printing operation as the printer would make an annoying alert noise and show a msg that the set up isn't complete. This is the problem #2...

2. So the online HP Smart account showed the printer added to the account but no clear message about what the reason was that I couldn't print. It just said briefly in the HP web account page something about "Printer cannot print". Much annoying. So, what I had done so far was added the printer using HP Smart to "finish setup" by letting it "Gather information" and upload the printer details and who knows what about my location and wifi and everything else it can pull from the session data on the browser (legal or not but I am sure the T&Cs allow their software to access all areas of the browser's and wifi info to be taken). I had declined signing up for Instant Ink - This was the problem. 

So as mentioned above, this printer (9015e) in my case comes default with the instant Ink requirement, and inks inside that flag the firmware through some configuration which tell it's an ink that won't work without the account at HP being signed up for instant ink. Because after fighting with the set up for hours and hours, when I finally signed up and entered my address and CC info to sign up for the smaller trial of the monthly "Pages to print" plan, the printer showed green in the account and all errors disappeared. I tried a test page and it worked. 

There are several articles online that argue that advantages and disadvantages of online subscription for ink plans - this may be something that works for folks differently. But in my case and almost a majority of residential users, printing is not like Netflix movie plans where you're watching mostly a set of defined hours every week/months. Yes your usage might go up and down like if you have a binge on a show one weekend and an exam to study for another ... but for printing it's so random and usage based plans are the worst idea in my opinion. Especially when HP's plan levy an overage fee if you choose a cheap plan but then have to print an application form or a lease agreement that makes your printing "page" limit get blown. In my case the printer is new since I have struggled to print so I am fine for now - but I still need to be on a bloomin' plan to keep printing the few pages I signed up for. I find this a totally dumb idea. 

I hope this post gets through and gets published because I couldn't find anything else that worked for me. I hope it helps someone else that's found themselves in a similar predicament with an older printer but no clue on how to get it going and missed the finer print or haven't been advised appropriately by whoever sold them the printer (Which was the situation in my case).

PS I have read that there is a way to uncouple your subscription and buy HP (in-store purchased) non Instant-ink (ie offline ink) cartridges that do not need an instant-ink subscription... but I am not sure if that is outdated info at the time of this post (Jun 2024).