WiFi Printing

[Carlagb]

I have a HP Envy 6420 e printer. I use it infrequently - basically a page a week via my android phone. Every time I try to print wirelessly it doesn't work and I have to reinstall the printer by adding new printer. This generally takes an hour - to print one page! This morning the add new printer process is not workin. I'm absolutely sick to death of the hassle. Why can I not just print a page??

[Hawks_Eye]

Hi @Carlagb 

Welcome to the HP Support Community! We're here to help you get back up and running.

I hear you—and honestly, printing one page shouldn’t feel like a tech marathon. You’ve been incredibly patient, and it’s totally understandable to feel fed up when something so simple turns into a weekly ritual of frustration.

Here’s what might be going wrong and how we can make things smoother:

📶 Why Your HP Envy 6420e Keeps Disconnecting

• Infrequent Use: Printers that sit idle often lose their Wi-Fi connection or go into deep sleep mode, making them harder to wake up wirelessly.
• Dynamic IP Address: Your printer may be assigned a new IP address each time it reconnects, which confuses your phone or app.
• Android App Glitches: The HP Smart app sometimes struggles to rediscover printers, especially if Bluetooth or location permissions are off.
• Wi-Fi Network Changes: If your router reboots or switches bands (2.4GHz vs 5GHz), the printer may lose its link.

🛠️ Steps to Make Wireless Printing Reliable

Assign a Static IP to Your PrinterHow to Assign a Static IP to Your HP Envy 6420e Printer

1. Print a Network Configuration Page
   • On the printer’s control panel, press the Wireless button and the Information button together.
   • It will print a page showing your printer’s current IP address.
2. Log into Your Router Settings
   • Open a browser on your computer or phone.
   • Type your router’s IP address (usually something like 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1) into the address bar and press Enter.
   • Sign in using your router’s credentials (often printed on the back or bottom of the router).
3. Find the “DHCP Reservation” or “LAN Settings” Section
   • Look under Advanced > Network Settings > LAN > DHCP or similar.
   • Locate your printer’s current IP address (from Step 1) and MAC address.
4. Reserve the IP Address
   • Add the printer to the DHCP reservation list using its MAC address and current IP.
   • Save changes and restart the router.
5. Verify Connection

• Power on the printer and wait for it to reconnect.
• Use the HP Smart app and enter that static IP if you need to manually re-add it:
  Tap Add Printer > Add by IP address.

Enable Wi-Fi Direct

• On the printer, press and hold the Wi-Fi Direct button until the light blinks.
• On your phone, connect to the printer’s Wi-Fi Direct network (starts with DIRECT-HP...) and print without needing your home Wi-Fi.

Update Firmware and App

• Use the HP Smart app to check for firmware updates.
• Make sure the app itself is updated from the Play Store.

Keep Bluetooth and Location On

• HP Smart uses Bluetooth and location to detect nearby printers.
• Enable both before launching the app to improve detection.

Use HP Smart’s “Add Printer by IP” Option

• If the app can’t find your printer, tap Add Printer > Add by IP address and enter the static IP you assigned.

Print via Email (HP ePrint)

• If all else fails, register your printer for HP ePrint and email documents directly to it.

If you’d like, I can walk you through setting up Wi-Fi Direct or assigning a static IP. Let’s make printing feel like a one-tap breeze, not a weekly battle 💪.

If my response helped, please mark it as an Accepted Solution! ✅ It helps others and spreads support. 💙 Also, tapping "Yes" on "Was this reply helpful?" makes a big difference! Thanks! 😊

Take care, and have an amazing day!

Regards, 

Hawks_Eye