HP OfficeJet Pro 9018-Printer Can't Be Found

[ckado]

My HP OfficeJet Pro 9018 cannot be found by my Mac (running OS Ventura 13.4.1).

- printer appears to be properly connected to the same WiFi network as my laptop

- on the printer, can print a test page fine, and have tried setting up Wifi several times, successfully

- but when I try to add/find a printer through either laptop Mac Settings, or HP app, it cannot be found

- have tried adding printer via IP address and host name (from the printer test page), but no luck

- on Spectrum home internet - my IP address changed a few months ago, so wondering if some sort of dynamic IPs might be the issue, but still no luck after clearing and reconfiguring WiFi on the printer

[A_Gayathri]

Hi @ckado,

Welcome to The HP Support Community.  

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you.

I understand you're facing a network discovery issue between your Mac and the HP OfficeJet Pro 9018 printer. Here are some steps to troubleshoot and resolve this issue:

1. Verify Printer Connection to WiFi

• Confirm the printer is connected to the correct WiFi network (SSID) and not to a guest or different network.
• Print a Network Configuration Page from the printer to double-check:
  • IP Address
  • Subnet Mask
  • Default Gateway

2. Test Printer Connectivity

• Open a web browser on your Mac.
• Enter the printer's IP address (found on the Network Configuration Page) into the browser's address bar.
  • If the printer’s web interface opens, the printer is on the network.
  • If not, there may be a network or printer issue.

3. Assign a Static IP to the Printer

Dynamic IP changes could cause the issue. Assigning a static IP can help:

• Log in to your router’s web interface (using your router’s IP address, e.g., 192.168.x.1).
• Navigate to the DHCP Reservation or Connected Devices section.
• Reserve a static IP for your printer by entering its MAC address and current IP address.
• Alternatively, set a static IP directly from the printer’s control panel:
  • Settings → Network Settings → Manual IP Address.

4. Re-add the Printer on Mac

After setting a static IP:

• Go to System Settings → Printers & Scanners.
• Click the + to add a printer.
• Choose IP and enter the printer’s static IP address.
• Protocol: HP JetDirect - Socket.

5. Update Printer Firmware and HP Smart App

• Ensure the printer firmware is up to date:
  • Download updates directly from the printer’s control panel or HP's website.
• Reinstall the HP Smart App from the Mac App Store and set up the printer again.

6. Spectrum Network Considerations

• Check for AP Isolation in your router settings (it might block devices from communicating with each other). Disable it if enabled.
• Ensure your Mac and printer are on the same 2.4GHz or 5GHz band (many printers connect better to 2.4GHz).

7. Test Printing Using USB

• Connect the printer to your Mac via USB.
• Check if it appears in System Settings → Printers & Scanners.
• This can confirm if the issue is strictly network-related.

If none of these steps resolve the issue, resetting the printer to factory defaults and reconfiguring the network setup

Refer to this document: HP printer setup (Wi-Fi network)
Update the firmware on an HP printer

HP printer setup (HP Smart app)

I hope this helps. 

Take care and have a good day.

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