Printer will not connect via WiFi or USB Cord

[GlamourHippie]

My printer constantly goes offline. It is connected to my WiFi and on the same network as my computer. I have even plugged in a USB printer cable, and I still can't connect. I run a small business, and this is costing me time and money that I can't afford. 

Here are things I've done to try and fix the problem:

• Run "Diagnose and Fix" from the HP Smart app
• Reboot the printer, my laptop and my router - multiple times. Unplugged the router.
• Uninstall "hide" the printer in the HP Smart app and reinstall. This took days to get a connection long enough to re-add the printer.
• On a rare occasion, when it was online, I updated the printer firmware
• Updated the print drivers from the HP website. I completed both the quick and full versions so that I could print from a USB connection. Neither helped.
• Checked the network profile and set it to private.
• The USB cable is 9feet. I've tried it with a 3-foot cable, actually with 4 different cables. Still doesn't connect. 

If I'm unable to resolve this issue within the next day or two, I will have to purchase another printer - it won't be a HP. My workers didn't get their paychecks on time last week because I couldn't print them. That can't happen again. I've spent over 20 hours trying to resolve this problem. Unless someone can offer me an alternative solution, I have to cut my losses and buy another printer. 

[GlamourHippie]

I have a ColorLaser Jet Pro MFP M283cdw. Printing from my mobile phone hasn't worked in months. Lately, the printer keeps going offline. I run a small business and was late getting paychecks printed last week because it took me 4 hours of troubleshooting to get my printer online enough times to print 5 checks. I've done all of these...some multiple times. 

Check Printer Connectivity:  (checked it 20+times)

• Ensure that your printer is properly connected to your Wi-Fi network. You can check this on the printer's display screen or via the printer's web interface.

Update Printer Firmware: (Did it)

• Sometimes firmware updates can resolve connectivity issues. Make sure your printer has the latest firmware installed. You can usually find the firmware update option in the printer’s settings menu or via the HP Smart app.

Restart Devices: (did it half a dozen times)

• Restart your printer, router, and computer. Sometimes, a simple reboot can resolve connectivity issues.

Check IP Address: (again...did it)

• Ensure that your printer has a static IP address to prevent it from changing. This can be set up through the printer’s network settings.

Update Printer Drivers:  (Did this 2 or 3 times)

• Ensure that you have the latest printer drivers installed on your computer. You can download the latest drivers from the HP website.

Reconfigure Wireless Settings: (This was a nightmare because I couldn't get it to reconnect for days)

• Remove the printer from your list of devices on your computer and then add it back. This can often resolve connectivity issues.

Check Network Issues: (Done)

• Ensure your network isn’t experiencing any issues. Sometimes, network problems can cause printers to go offline.

Printer Sleep Mode:  (Never used sleep mode. Can't find one)

• Check if the printer has a sleep mode or power-saving setting that might be causing it to go offline. Adjust the settings if needed.

Disable “Use Printer Offline” Mode: (not checked)

• On your computer, go to Control Panel > Devices and Printers, right-click on your printer, select See what’s printing, and ensure that "Use Printer Offline" is not checked.

HP Smart App Troubleshooting: (yeah, right. That hasn't worked a dozen times over)

• Use the HP Smart app for additional troubleshooting and to manage your printer's settings.

This is costing me so much time and money. I can't even print with the usb printer cable. Can anyone help? 

[GlamourHippie]

I just restarted the printer again and it connected, but here's the kicker. It connected to my husband's laptop. He has the same problems as I do losing connection. It printed the items he had sent to the printer earlier. 

Plot twist: The screenshot below is from my computer. It shows connected, but when I went to print a spreadsheet, it only showed HP Smart Printing connected (see second pic). When I tried to print, I received the error message below (first pic) - no printers connected, when clearly it shows the HP Color LaserJet connected in the HP Smart app that is in the background. 

[GlamourHippie]

@James-Alexander

I forgot to mention that I did turn off power-saving and sleep modes. 

I don't know how to set up a static IP address, but I'll Google it and find out. I'll let you know the results. 

Also, I didn't know, "sometimes the network modules just keep failing no matter what". That makes me feel somewhat better. The printer has worked fantastic for the 1.5 years we've used it. 

I feel like HP is a little bit like my Keurigs...they work great until they don't, then the product you spent premium money on becomes a disposable product instead of a long-term investment. I believe this is my 5th HP printer. I'm on my 7th Keurig. 🙁

Thank you for your suggestions.

[Garp_senchau]

@GlamourHippie, Welcome to HP Support Community,

Thank you for posting your query; I’m here to help by guiding you through steps to resolve this issue

First, unplug the printer completely, turn off your laptop and router, wait one minute, then power everything back on. 

Next, let’s remove any old settings that could be causing problems. On your laptop, go to Control Panel > Devices and Printers, right-click your printer, and select Remove device. Then, go to Device Manager, under Print queues, and uninstall any drivers related to your printer. Now, reinstall it using HP App, this is the easiest way to ensure your printer is properly set up.

If the printer still doesn’t show up or keeps going offline, check your Wi-Fi network and make sure it’s connected to the same network as your laptop and phone. If possible, assign the printer a static IP address in your router settings so it doesn’t keep "disappearing."

If all else fails, try a factory reset on the printer and start fresh. 

Restore factory defaults on your HP printer | HP® Support

Also, refer to these helpful guides (these are for your reference):

Restore Wi-Fi setup mode on your HP printer | HP® Support

HP printer is offline or unavailable | HP® Support

I hope these steps help resolve the issue

Please feel free to reply here if you have any questions or if you need further clarification on any of the steps. 

Take care and have a good day. 

Problem solved? 🎉 Awesome! Mark this as the Accepted Solution to help the next person find their way faster. 🧭 And if it was helpful, click 'yes'—you’ll make someone’s search journey that much easier (and give this reply some well-deserved street cred 🏅)

Regards,

[GlamourHippie]

Here's what did it for me! I used ChatGPT as my tech support and it walked me through multiple steps to find out that my AT&T modem and my Nighthawk router were not playing nicely. My printer was trying to connect to the AT&T address 10.0.0.## instead of the Nighthawk address 192.168.1.###. 

ChatGPT walked me through turning off my 2.4 and 5GHz wireless radio on the AT&T modem and setting up a static IP address for the printer. Mind you, I had no idea what any of that was or what it meant, but ChatGPT walked me step-by-step. Now the printer and computer are on the same Wi-Fi (even though it looked like they were before) and I can even print from my phone!!  

I highly recommend using ChatGPT.