LaserJet Pro MFP M281fdw does not print wirelessly after normal setup

[PsychIA]

I just bought the LaserJEt Pro MFP M278fdw and went through the step by step setup for my iMac and MacBook Air. When I got to the Print a Test Page, I pressed the button and it went to the printer spool and the printer woke up, but the printing ultimately failed after a long time in the spool. I did the test scan and it did scan, but took forever! The same thing happened on both machines. Interestingly, it printed fine from my iPad. 

So what dod I need to do to fix this? I can't figure it out and there does not appear to be any post to help me. I cannot identify a phone number to call for support either. I'm very frustrated.

[senan6806]

@PsychIA

Thank you for being a part of HP Forums. I'm here to help.

Removing and re-adding the printer on you Mac PC's may resolve the issue, let's try these steps:

Please ensure the printer is up-to-date with its firmware. If you are unsure, you can download and install the latest firmware update from here.

Once you are up-to-date with the firmware, use the steps below to remove and re-add the printer driver on your Mac PC's:

1.) Click the Apple menu, click System Preferences, and then click Print & Scan or Printers & Scanners.

2.) Check if your printer name displays in the Printers list, If your printer is listed, click the printer name, click the minus sign to delete the printer

3.) Click the plus sign , click Add Printer or Scanner, click the printer name.

4.) Confirm AirPrint or Secure AirPrint displays in the Use or Print Using menu, and then click Add.

5.) Try to print.

Let me know how it goes!

If the information I've provided was helpful, give us some reinforcement by clicking the Accepted Solution and Kudos buttons, that'll help us and others see that we've got the answers!
Have a great day!

[PsychIA]

It didn't work.

I installed the firmware and that appeared to go fine. The printer indicated it was installing the firmware and restarted.

I uninstalled and reinstalled the printer as directed several times and it didn't work for printing. It was different this time because the printer queue didn't indicate that there was a printer failure. It said it was connected to the printer and ultimately disappeared, suggesting that it worked.

This time, however, the scanner does not work. I opened HP Easy Scan and it gave me a yellow exclamation mark. I then pressed scan and it thought for about thirty seconds and responded that there was an error while communicating with the scanner. 

At least this will be a great paperweight! It's really heavy!

[MKazi]

@PsychIA

Thanks for replying with the results. 

As @senan6806 is out of the office today, I'm replying to you. I truly appreciate your patience and efforts. 

Let me know the following:

• Did the printer manage to print after attempting the steps?
• Is the printer able to make a photocopy?

Meanwhile, I recommend you to update the Mac OS and then try to use the printer again.

If the issue still persists then you may reset the printing system in the Mac OS.

Resetting the printing system removes all printers and scanners from the printers queue and clears all print jobs and print settings from the system, including printers and scanners that are not from HP. Resetting the printing system can be useful for troubleshooting printing problems, but you need to add all of your printers and scanners back to the list when you are finished. Resetting the printing system reset might resolve certain issues such as:

• Print jobs that are stuck in the queue

• An incomplete print driver installation

• Communication issues between the printer and the Mac

1. Click the Apple menu, and then click System Preferences.

   

2. Click Printers & Scanners, Print & Scan, or Print & Fax.

3. Right-click (or Control + click) anywhere inside the Printers window, and then click Reset printing system.

   Figure : Clicking Reset printing system

   

4. Click Reset or OK.

5. If prompted, type your username and password, and then click OK.

   The printing system resets.

6. Turn off the printer, wait 5 seconds, and then turn on the printer.

7. Wait until the printer is idle and silent.

8. In the Printers window on the Mac, click the Add button .

9. Select your printer from the list, and then click Add. NOTE: Always add as Airprint.

   It might take a few seconds before your printer displays in the Printers list.

Now, you may start scans from the Print & Scan or Printers and Scanners window or from Image Capture when using AirPrint.

1. Click the Apple menu, click System Preferences, and then click Print & Scan or Printers & Scanners.

2. Click Scan, and then click Open Scanner. If the Scan button is not available, open Image Capture from the list of Applications, which also supports scanning.

   Figure : Click Scan in the Printers & Scanners window

   

3. In the Scanner window, click Show Details.

4. After the overview scan completes, change any settings, and then click Scan.

   Figure : Scanner window with Show Details setting on

   

I sincerely hope this information helps. Please feel free to keep me posted for further assistance.

Cheers! 🙂

If the information provided was helpful, then please mark this post as "Accept as solution". That’ll help everyone find the solution and help the community to grow.

[PsychIA]

None of this worked. I followed all of this advice, as much as possible. I upgraded my Firmware, upgraded to Mojave, and went through the steps offered. I had no luck getting it to print and ultimately my scanning stopped working too. Tonight I reinstalled my via the 123.hp.com/laserjet and after going through that, I still can't print and it didn't even install the scanning function. I have no air printing form my mobile devices either. I've had this printer for two weeks now and it doesn't work. I am up against my return deadline for returning it to Best Buy, so it's got to go back tomorrow unless you can problem solve this. You can call me on my cell phone at 515-708-4885. I'd call you, but I don't have a phone number to you. I've been pretty disappointed in this process and with this printer, which I really was looking forward to.

[senan6806]

@PsychIA

That's unfortunate 🙁 Not to to worry, let's try resetting the printer network settings, reconnecting the printer back to to your home WiFi and then adding AirPrint driver:

1.) Unplug your modem/router and leave it powered off.

2.) Restart your printer, From the home screen on the printer control panel, swipe the display to the left, and then touch Setup. Swipe up on the display, touch Network Setup, touch "Restore Network Settings".

3.) Power off your printer

4.) Reconnect your modem/router and wait for it to re-establish its internet connection.

5.) Power on your printer.

6.) From the home screen on the printer control panel, swipe the display to the left, and then touch Setup.

7.) Swipe up on the display, touch Network Setup, touch Wireless Menu, and then touch Wireless Setup Wizard. Follow the instructions on the control panel to connect the printer to your wireless network.

8.) Click the Apple menu, click System Preferences, and then click Print & Scan or Printers & Scanners.

9.) Check if your printer name displays in the Printers list, If your printer is listed, click the printer name, click the minus sign to delete the printer

10.) Click the plus sign , click Add Printer or Scanner, click the printer name.

11.) Confirm AirPrint displayed in the Use or Print Using menu, and then click Add.

12.) Try to print/Scan.

Keep me posted!

[PsychIA]

It wouldn't set up. It gave me the error message:

An error occurred while trying to add the selected device.

Unable to communicate with the printer at this time.

[PsychIA]

A little more about what I've found this time... I cannot install the printer on either of our computers - neither our desktop nor our laptop with the same message. Both of them have the Mojave 10.14 Operating System. I can, however, print from my phone over Airprint now. So there's something that is not allowing my computers to communicate with the printer?

Are we going to be able to make this work? Today was 15 days since I purchased it, which is the limit to how long I can return it. I had it boxed up to return today, but unboxed it again to try this. Can we make it work now?

[PsychIA]

I decided to try to do the setup again and it ruined everything. No scanning, no printing, and after that my Airprint with my phone no longer worked, saying the printer was offline. I deleted the printer from the printers and scanners and tried to install again and had the same result. 

I've had it. This is driving me nuts! Please either fix the problem, declare defeat or call me so we can work on it! My number is 515-708-4885.

[senan6806]

@PsychIA

There are several reasons if the Mac PC is not able to detect the network connected printer, it could be because of wireless interference,the router signal strength, outdated router firmware, router not forwarding Bonjour packets. Use the steps available here and make sure that that there are no wireless interference. Could you also move the printer and PC close to the router and check if you can add the printer.You may also contact your internet service provider and ask them to check if the router can forward Bonjour packets, they can also help you change the router channel and update the router firmware.