Printer not found

[koups1]

Hi everyone,

I have an HP Smart Tank 7605 connected over Wi-Fi, and I print from a Mac.

After the printer hasn’t been used for a while, printing takes ages and the Mac says “printer not responding”. Switching the printer off and back on fixes it, and it then prints normally.

Has anyone else experienced this? Could it be a sleep-mode issue or the printer losing its Wi-Fi connection? I’d be interested to hear whether anyone has found a lasting fix, such as changing a setting, using AirPrint or assigning a fixed IP address.

[Meghana_10]

Hello @koups1, Welcome to the HP Support Community.
 

Thank you for posting on the HP Support Community. 

We understand that your HP Smart Tank 7605 All-in-One prints normally after a restart but becomes slow or shows“Printer Not Responding” on macOS 26 Tahoe after remaining idle.

Because restarting the printer temporarily restores printing, the issue may be related to the printer losing network communication during sleep, its IP address changing, or the Mac retaining an outdated AirPrint connection.

Please try the following troubleshooting steps:
 

1. Print a Wireless Network Test Report

Print a Wireless Network Test or Network Configuration Report and review:

• Wireless connection status
• Signal strength
• Current IP address
• Connected network name or SSID
• Any network or connectivity warnings

HP recommends checking the wireless report, restarting the network devices, and ensuring the printer and computer are connected to the same Wi-Fi network. 
 

2. Check the printer while the issue is occurring

Before restarting the printer, enter its IP address into a browser on the Mac.

• If the printer’s Embedded Web Server (EWS) opens, the printer is still connected, and the issue may be with the macOS print queue or AirPrint discovery.
• If the EWS does not open, the printer has likely lost network communication while idle.

3. Assign a reserved IP address

A changing IP address can cause an existing macOS print queue to stop communicating with the printer.

Sign in to the router and create a DHCP reservation for the HP Smart Tank 7605 using its current IP and MAC address. A router reservation is generally preferable to entering an arbitrary static IP directly on the printer because it helps prevent duplicate-address conflicts.

Restart the router and printer after saving the reservation.
 

4. Remove and re-add the printer using AirPrint

1. Open System Settings > Printers & Scanners.
2. Select the HP Smart Tank 7605 and remove it.
3. Restart the Mac and printer.
4. Return to Printers & Scanners and select Add Printer, Scanner, or Fax.
5. Choose the printer.
6. In the Use field, select AirPrint.
7. Add the printer and test printing after it has remained idle.

If macOS is using an outdated queue or certificate, removing and re-adding the printer can refresh the connection. HP also recommends removing and re-adding the printer when AirPrint communication or certificate-related issues occur. Troubleshoot a Wi-Fi connection to an HP printer | HP® Support
 

5. Verify the router configuration

Confirm that:

• The Mac and printer use the same main network, not a guest network.
• AP Isolation, Client Isolation, or wireless-device isolation is disabled.
• Multicast or Bonjour traffic is not blocked.
• The printer has a strong Wi-Fi signal.
• A VPN on the Mac is temporarily disconnected during testing.

Wireless walls, distance, network isolation, and different SSIDs can affect printer communication. 
 

6. Restart in the correct order

• Turn off the printer.
• Disconnect power from the router for approximately 60 seconds.
• Restart the router and wait until it is fully online.
• Restart the Mac.
• Turn on the printer last.

HP recommends restarting the printer, router, and computer when troubleshooting intermittent wireless communication. 
 

7. Check the printer firmware

Open the printer’s EWS or the HP App and check for an available firmware update. Keep the printer connected to power and do not switch it off while the update is being installed.
 

8. Test after an idle period

After completing the above steps, allow the printer to enter sleep mode. Then try to:

• Open the printer’s EWS.
• Print through AirPrint.
• Print through the HP App.

If the EWS remains accessible but only the macOS AirPrint queue becomes unresponsive, the issue is likely related to the Mac’s print queue or Bonjour/AirPrint discovery. If the EWS also becomes unavailable, the focus should remain on the printer’s Wi-Fi connection, router DHCP lease, or sleep/wake network behavior.
 

Please let us know whether the printer’s EWS remains accessible when macOS displays“Printer Not Responding.” This single test will help isolate whether the problem is with the printer’s Wi-Fi connection or the Mac’s AirPrint queue.

Have a great day!

[Meghana_10]

Thank you for posting your query. @koups1 

Please perform the steps provided above and let us know if it helps.

Have a great day!