HP 3630 wifi connection issues

[fillcadd]

Hi wondering if anybody can help. I am having trouble connecting my house deskjet 3630 printer to my wireless network. The printer was working absolutely fine until today when turned it in and won't print . I have tried everything and have even deleted the printer to from the network start from scratch again and pressed the WPS button but my router does not find it (my printer is less than 8metres from my router). The WiFi icons and blue light is flashing. When I try to setup using my hp smart app on my mobile, it just states it can not locate the printer. Please help!!!!

[Kuroi_Kenshi · Accepted solution]

Hi @fillcadd,

Welcome to the HP Support Community!

Thanks for reaching out!

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

I understand your HP DeskJet 3630 is no longer connecting to Wi-Fi and cannot be found during setup, even though it worked before. Let’s go through a few steps to check what could be causing this.

Confirm the Wi-Fi light status

A flashing blue wireless light means the printer is in setup mode.

This is normal during setup, but it must complete successfully to connect.

Restart printer, router, and phone

Turn off the printer and unplug it for 60 seconds.

Restart your router and wait until the internet is fully stable.

Restart your mobile phone before trying setup again.

Reset the printer’s network settings

With the printer powered on, press and hold the Cancel (X) and Wireless (📶) buttons together for 5 seconds.

The blue wireless light should begin blinking, confirming the reset.

Do not use WPS for this model

The DeskJet 3630 is unreliable with WPS on many modern routers.

Use the HP Smart app setup method instead for best results.

Set up using HP Smart (mobile or PC)

Make sure your phone is connected to the same 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network you want the printer on.

Open HP Smart and choose Add Printer / Set up a new printer.

Stay close to the printer during setup and do not switch apps.

Check router frequency (important)

The DeskJet 3630 supports 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi only.

If your router combines 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz under one name, temporarily disable 5 GHz or move farther from the router during setup.

Disable VPNs or mobile data

Turn off any VPN on your phone.

Disable mobile data and use Wi-Fi only during printer setup.

VPNs and mobile data can prevent the app from finding the printer.

Try setup from a Windows or Mac computer

Install HP Smart on a computer connected to the same Wi-Fi.

Run the setup again, as computers often detect the printer more reliably than phones.

I hope this helps.

I'm glad I could help! 😊 If this resolved your issue, please mark it as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" on "Was this reply helpful?" Your feedback not only keeps us going but also helps others find the solution faster! 👍✨

Take care and have an amazing day ahead! 🚀

Best regards,

[fillcadd]

Thank you. Temporarily disabling 5Ghz on my broadband router was the solution.

Still having problems with the printer not accepting non-HP tri-colour cartridges (from Tesco), but that's a separate issue. The black cartridge is fine but not the colour.

[Kuroi_Kenshi]

Hi @fillcadd,

Thanks for the update. I’m really glad to hear disabling the 5 GHz band resolved the Wi-Fi connection issue. 👍 That confirms the network side is now working correctly.

Regarding the non-HP tri-color cartridge not being accepted, here’s what’s happening and what you can check next.

Why the colour cartridge isn’t accepted

The HP DeskJet 3630 is designed to work best with genuine HP ink cartridges.

Many non-HP or store-brand cartridges (including Tesco compatibles) may be blocked by the printer’s cartridge authentication system.

This can affect only one cartridge (color) while the black still works, which matches what you’re seeing.

Things you can try

Remove the color cartridge and clean the copper contacts gently with a lint-free cloth.

Reinstall it firmly and restart the printer.

Make sure the cartridge packaging states explicit compatibility with HP DeskJet 3630/HP 302 series (or the correct regional equivalent).

Important limitation to be aware of

Firmware updates can tighten cartridge validation.

After an update, some previously working non-HP cartridges may stop being recognized.

In these cases, the printer may continue to reject the cartridge even if it is new and correctly installed.

Best way to confirm

Try installing a genuine HP color cartridge.

If the printer immediately accepts it, that confirms the issue is cartridge compatibility rather than a printer fault.

I know it’s frustrating when third-party cartridges stop working, especially if they worked before, but your printer itself is now functioning correctly from both a network and hardware standpoint.

I hope this helps.

I'm glad I could help! 😊 If this resolved your issue, please mark it as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" on "Was this reply helpful?" Your feedback not only keeps us going but also helps others find the solution faster! 👍✨

Take care and have an amazing day ahead! 🚀

Best regards,