registering my Laser Jet MFP 234dw printer

[stephensims1953]

I bought a new(older) printer thru Amazon.  I finally was able to connect it to my laptop.  I am trying to register it and then download an owners manual.  EVERY time I try to enter my ser. no. the site says it is an invalid number.  I am totally unable to get anything from the AI for my specific problem and the site will not let me speak to someone live/online without it.   Sometimes it says it is a MFP M232-M237dw and on the box it says it is a  MFP  234dw. 

Help?  Thank you.

[BeemerBiker]

The 234 is part of a series of printers that have minor differences, usually in the type of ink.

I cannot help with registering or the problem with the serial number.

When you run HP Smart you register as a user.  use the same username / password as your HP account.

All I have about the 234 is below.  Microsoft's Copilot can actually provide more up-to-date info especially on how to handle used printers that may not have been properly reset by the previous owneers.

If English is not your native language or if you wish to get additional information not covered below, then use the HP and Microsoft support assistants. The latest HPSA supports 36 languages and can be downloaded here. Microsoft's AI assistant is in the latest Windows 10 and 11 releases and there are instructions here on how to enable the AI. Microsoft's AI assistant (Copilot) has a microphone button and supports natural language processing.

You may need to reset your printer.

Disconnecting the USB cable may still leave the printer in the wired or Wi-Fi mode. Connecting an ethernet cable may still leave the printer in Wi-Fi mode. The Wi-Fi reset is used to put Wi-Fi printers into setup mode. Some printers have a semi-reset, a full reset and a factory reset. Please refer to the user manual to find the difference. Some resets are simple and others require a video to understand. Factory resets cannot be revealed in this forum. To do a factory reset of your printer, you must contact HP.

Click here for world-wide contact info

Wi-Fi reset instructions and videos (if any) are shown below. Generally you have 2 hours to connect your printer after performing the Wi-Fi reset. Note that a reset video may show a slightly different model than yours.

Watch this video to see how to reset your printer: 233 234 236.
Microsoft's Copilot may have more recent videos.
The steps below are Wi-Fi only and do not perform a factory reset.
Microsoft's Copilot may provide alternate solutions.

1. Turn the product on while you press and hold the Resume button for 10-20 seconds.
2. The Attention light turns on. Release the Resume button.
3. The Attention and Ready lights cycle while the product restores factory defaults.

Wi-Fi connection

Ideally, your Wi-Fi printer should connect to the modem or router. If your network has multiple boosters / repeaters, it is possible the printer may connect randomly to any of the units. The router needs to provide the same IP address on every connection. This rarely happens with random connects. An alternate Wi-Fi connection is Wi-Fi direct. Your laptop or smartphone prints directly to the printer and does not go through the router.

This video shows how to connect to the router: 234sdw
Wi-Fi Direct can be used to avoid configuring the router. Watch this: 234sdw
A simple connection to the router can be done by using the WPS pushbutton method. This is explained on page 14 in this User Manual.

Software

HP updates software periodically. Downloads shown below may be old. You should always visit the Software and Download page to look for new releases. You may need to select an operating system (OS) first. If windows 11 is missing then use 10. You can go as far back as Windows 7, 64bit to get missing drivers. After selecting the OS click the blue Open all button to view all downloads.

Full function printer drivers can be downloaded here: 232-237
Full function software for scanning can be downloaded here: 234sdw
You can find all of the software here: 234sdw. You should select the OS and then look for the phrase "Open All" and click that. Drivers from Windows 7 and up are usually compatible with the latest Windows OS.

Documents

All documents are available at the below HP site. The user and reference manuals show how to get status reports and analyze error indicators on printer that have no control panel.

All HP manuals are here: 232-237

Support Videos - Parts - Disassembly

HP has a YouTube site and there are a number of video in English and other languages. Typically unboxing, clearing paper jams, and cartridge problems. You may also find instructional disassembly videos from other users.

Parts, if any available, can be found here m232dw. Use your serial number for more extensive information.
Printer problems could be cleared by one or more of these HP YouTube videos m234

Printer Reference

One or more printer reference is listed below. Typically your printer may be part of a series and use the same software and manual. The exact spec may be different.

Specifications for your system: 234sdw

232 233 234 235 236 237

Let me know if you have a flex system (Wi-Fi boosters or repeaters) as the setup is much more complicated when using the router type of connection.

[WRHS]

Mr. Beemer Biker,

I thank you for the depth and breadth of your reply.  I will read it carefully, eliminate anything I have already tried (probably repeatedly), and tackle it again.

Best,

Stephen