After power outage, printer seemingly repeatedly loses wifi connection every few seconds

[GJHipius]

Yesterday my neighborhood had a power outage.  Power restored, everything in the house restored except my printer.  The wifi status under IP address shows "connecting" then shows a connected IP address then very briefly shows "not connected" then starts all over again, indefinitely.

The problem is not in my wifi - my many other devices have stable wifi connections, but I did reset my router just to be sure, to no help.

I also tried a fresh reboot of the printer, as well as (suggested in other posts I have found) using the "restore network settings" function in the network setup.

The printer remains completely nonfunctional.

[zoey7886]

@GJHipius, Welcome to the HP Support Community!  

Thanks for reaching out about your query regarding Printer Wi-Fi Connection Issues after Power Outage! 

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

If your printer keeps losing its Wi-Fi connection every few seconds after a power outage, follow these troubleshooting steps to resolve the issue:

Restart Network Components:

• Turn off your router, printer, and the computer.
• Turn on the router first and let it fully boot up.
• Turn on the printer and then the computer.

Check Wireless Settings:

• Ensure that the wireless (802.11) light at the top left of the printer’s front panel is turned on. If it is not, turn on the wireless capability.

Re-connect to Wireless Network:

• If an Ethernet cable is connected to your printer, unplug it to enable the wireless settings.
• Move the printer closer to the router to ensure a better signal during setup.

Run the Wireless Network Test:

• You can run a Wireless Network Test from the printer's front panel to diagnose connection issues.
• Tap the Wi-Fi icon on the control panel, then go to Settings > Print Wireless Network Test.
• Follow any recommendations provided in the printed test report.

Set a Fixed IP Address:

• On the printer’s front panel, tap the wireless icon, then go to Settings > Advanced Setup > IP Settings > Manual.
• Enter a fixed IP address, subnet mask, and gateway (this information should be provided by your network administrator or can be derived from the current settings of other connected devices).

Check Firewall and Security Software:

• Temporarily turn off any firewall/security software on your computer and check if the printer can connect to the network.
• If the printer connects successfully, reconfigure the firewall to allow communication between the printer and the network.  

Hope this helps! 

Take care, and have an amazing 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, 

[GJHipius]

Thank you for your attempt to help.  I have tried all of these steps, but the problem persists.

It is clear from observing the connection status on the printer display that the problem is the printer losing connection on a very regular basis every few seconds; sometimes, it is just long enough for it to register as connected with the IP address, and sometimes it happens while still in the "updating" step, but the loss of connection is very brief each time, just a fraction of a second.

I have independently checked the signal strength at the location of the printer using other devices, and it is consistent and very high (in fact, the printer itself reports very strong signal), with no loss of connectivity or functionality for any other devices - the problem is unique to the printer, and not a problem with the signal strength.

Just to be sure, although it would make no logical sense to be a cause, I also independently verified that the power supply from the wall is perfect as well.

Truly, the problem is what is happening within the printer, and not what is happening externally.

This is truly puzzling because the printer operated seamlessly to print, to communicate with HP+ (I have a full subscription plus care pack coverage), to scan, etc. right up until the moment of that brief power outage, and all of my other computer technology recovered completely afterward with no intervention, but the printer is completely functionless now.

Thank you in advance for any further help you can offer.  I would have contacted directly for support through my care pack coverage, except that I discovered to my dismay that the three options are only live options and require me to be available and home during weekday work hours when I am far from home and working.

[zoey7886]

@GJHipius, Thanks for the detailed follow-up — I can imagine how frustrating this must be, especially since everything else bounced back after the outage.

Given that the printer is briefly connecting and then dropping off repeatedly, and you've already covered the basics (router reset, printer reboot, restore network settings, signal checks), it sounds like the printer's wireless module may be stuck in a loop or possibly corrupted during the power outage.

Here’s what I’d recommend next:

1. Power Drain Reset (Hard Reset):

Turn off the printer and unplug it from the power outlet.

Wait for at least 60 seconds.

Press and hold the power button on the printer for 15 seconds while unplugged (this helps discharge residual power).

Plug it back in and power on.

2. Try Connecting via HP Smart App (Optional Test):

If possible, install the HP Smart app on a phone/tablet.

Use the “Add Printer” option — sometimes this method forces a cleaner wireless handshake.

Hope this helps! 

Take care, and have an amazing 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,