Wireless connection not working

[michaellambert]

So this printer works sometimes. Every few days I have to delete it and re-install to get it to work.

I am using a Macbook Pro less than a year old. If I go to settings the printer is there and connected.

If I go to the printer, which is besides the the Macbook,  it tells me that the printer is connected to my wireless network.

And yet if I try to print nothing happens. After 6 seconds the tick on the printer icon turns to a wavy line and the if I open the printer progress page it says 'looking for printer' which it never finds.

I have to delete the printer and re-install it almost every time I want to print something and it will eventually print a few pages before stopping again.

I realse that no one will read this but it makes me feel better. Best option seems to be to get rid of the printer and Instant Ink and get one that will work

[zoey7886]

@michaellambert, Welcome to the HP Support Community. 

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

  

I understand you're experiencing an issue with connecting your Printer to the network.

I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused, I'm here to help you today. 

Please follow the steps below to connect your printer to the network again as the service provider was changed. 

  

1) Uninstall the HP smart app by click on this link, Restart the computer or mobile device to clear possible error conditions. 

  

2) Enable Wi-Fi setup mode: When you turn on your printer for the first time, it is temporarily placed in Wi-Fi setup mode so that it can be discovered during setup. Use the printer control panel to restore Wi-Fi setup mode, and then set up the printer again. Go to Restore Wi-Fi setup mode on your HP printer for more information. 

  

3) Refer to this link to use the HP smart app on your phone/tablet/PC to add a printer. 

  

Note: Enable Bluetooth for an HP Smart app setup: Enable Bluetooth on your computer or mobile device so that HP Smart can detect the printer during the setup. 

  

Please mark this post as “Accepted Solution” if the issue is resolved and if you feel this reply was helpful click “Yes”. 

  

I hope this helps. 

Take care and have a good day. 

HP Support 

[michaellambert]

Hello Zoey

My wireless printer does not work. Correction, it will print about 5 - 10 pages before having to be deleted and re-installed. The printer is two feet away from my Macbook Pro and 20 feet away from my router.

You sent me instructions  in which you said  "Please follow the steps below to connect your printer to the network again as the service provider was changed." The service provider has not been changed.

You then ask me to tap and hold the HP App on my home screen. Do you mean my desktop? Trhere is no HP App anywhere on my computer and I certainly do not want one on my desktop.

In the caches you tell me to remove the HP smart or HP Smart Mac folder. Neither is in my caches. The only reference to HP is hp-hp-easy-start. I have removed this.

I have now reset the network connection on the printer which is confirmed. I have downloaded the app and searched for printer to be told ' no printer listed. I am now given the option of trying with my IP address.

So, I entered the IP address and was told printer could not be connected. I tried using the Router address and the same result.

This printer has never worked for more than a week or two without needing deletingf and re-installing.

Can you please tell me how to fix it 

[michaellambert]

Hello Zoey7886

Well, I followed your instructions and eventually got my printer to print. I was very happy about this. However, it printed for about a week or two (total a dozen or so pages) and then reverted to the usual 'looking for printer' message whilst the blue line swings across the panel from side to side indefinitely as before.After following your instruction it was brilliant for at least two weeks.

Are your printers supposed to be compatible with Apple MacBooks?  The printer is connected to the correct wireless network. The Macbook is connected to the same network and yet the printer cannot be found.

Is there someone else in your office who might know if this printer can be made to work all the time, not just occasionally after which it has to be deleted and re-installed?

Or would you advise me to throw the printer away and replace with a more reliable one that might print? 

[zoey7886]

@michaellambert, Thank you for your detailed follow-up, and I truly understand how frustrating it is to have a printer that only works some of the time—especially when everything looks connected but still fails. You're not alone in this, and I’m here to help you get more consistent performance.

It does sound like the issue may be related to a network communication drop, especially with Macs using Bonjour (Apple’s discovery service), which can sometimes lose track of printers even if they’re technically online.

Here’s a more stable setup you can try:

Step-by-Step – Create a More Reliable Connection:

Assign a Static IP to the Printer:

On the printer’s control panel, print a Network Configuration Page to find the current IP.

Enter that IP in your browser to open the printer's Embedded Web Server (EWS).

Go to Network > Wireless > IPv4 Configuration and switch from Automatic to Manual IP. Use the current IP settings, but set a manual IP address (ideally outside your router’s DHCP range, e.g., 192.168.1.250).

Click Apply.

Add Printer by IP (Mac):

On your Mac, go to System Settings > Printers & Scanners.

Click Add Printer (+).

Choose the IP tab.

Enter the printer’s new static IP.

Choose HP JetDirect - Socket or AirPrint, whichever works better.

Rename if you’d like, then Add.

Optional: Disable IPv6 on the printer (some Macs and routers don’t play nice with it):

In the EWS (printer’s IP in browser), navigate to Network > Advanced Settings and disable IPv6.

Let’s see if this creates a more stable connection. If not, I’d also recommend checking your router settings to ensure it's not isolating devices on the network or auto-switching bands (2.4GHz vs 5GHz), which can confuse printers.

Please let me know how it goes—if this still doesn’t do the trick, we’ll take it from there.

Did we resolve the issue? If yes, Please consider marking this post as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" to give us a helpful vote - your feedback keeps us going! 

Regards,