can wireless & "old fashioned cable" hook up be run simultaneously - now have 2 computers in house

[Confused0419]

For a while I've had a desktop PC but recently purchased an Apple laptop so my iPhone and Apple watch can communicate with each other more easily. Since my hubby is not very computer savvy I am leaving the PC for him. I connected my laptop wirelessly to my HP Officejet Pro 8600 and it works! Well when we attempt to print from desktop PC--- it does not print. A box pops up saying "unable to communicate with printer". Poor communication is the story of my life!!!!  Can one computer be connected by cable and the other wirelessly or does it have to be one or the other?

[A_Gayathri]

Hi @Confused0419,

Welcome to The HP Support Community.  

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

Yes, the HP Officejet Pro 8600 E-All-In-One Printer (N911a) can be connected to one computer via a USB cable and to another computer wirelessly at the same time. Here are steps to ensure both computers can print successfully:

Step-by-Step Instructions

Check Printer Connectivity:

• Ensure the printer is turned on and connected to the wireless network.
• Make sure the USB cable is securely connected between the desktop PC and the printer.

Install Printer Drivers:

• On the desktop PC, make sure the latest printer drivers are installed. You can download them from the HP Support website.
• On the Apple laptop, ensure the wireless setup is complete and that the correct drivers are installed.

Set Up Wireless Connection on Apple Laptop:

• Go to System Preferences > Printers & Scanners.
• Click the '+' button to add a new printer.
• Select your HP Officejet Pro 8600 from the list of available printers and complete the setup.

Check Printer Settings on Desktop PC:

• Open the Control Panel.
• Go to Devices and Printers.
• Ensure the HP Officejet Pro 8600 is set as the default printer.
• Right-click on the printer, select "Printer Properties," and then go to the "Ports" tab. Ensure the USB port is selected.

Troubleshooting Steps:

• If the desktop PC still shows "unable to communicate with printer," try the following:
  • Disconnect the USB cable and reconnect it.
  • Restart the desktop PC.
  • Uninstall and reinstall the printer drivers.

Additional Tips

Network Configuration:

• Ensure the printer is connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your Apple laptop.
• If the printer is not connecting wirelessly, you may need to reconfigure the wireless settings through the printer's control panel.

Print Queue:

• Sometimes, print jobs get stuck in the print queue. Clear any pending jobs and try printing again.

Printer Sharing (Optional):

• If both computers need to print wirelessly, you can set up printer sharing on your network. This way, the printer connected to the desktop via USB can be shared with the Apple laptop over the network.
• On the desktop PC, go to Control Panel > Devices and Printers, right-click the HP Officejet Pro 8600, select "Printer properties," go to the "Sharing" tab, and enable sharing.

Refer to this document:   HP Officejet Pro 8600 e-All-in-One Printer - N911a User manual 

HP printer setup (Mac built-in driver) 
HP printer setup (Apple AirPrint for iPhone, iPad)
Set up the HP printer with AirPrint in macOS
 

I hope this helps. 

Take care and have a good day.

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