OfficeJet 4630 keeps going "OFFLINE"

[mcf57]

I recently got an HP desktop computer (model 21-h014) along with a wireless OfficeJet 4630. I donwloaded the latest software from the HP site directly and installed the correct versions on both this 21-h014 (Windows 8.1) and a Toshiba laptop running Windows XP (all on ther same network). Both initially installed fine and were printing fine. However, recently the newer HP desktop would not print to this printer. It would show as "OFFLINE" in the devices.

However, it would still print fine from the older XP laptop. I reinstalled the software on the Windows 8.1 desktop and it worked again. 2 days later, it went "OFFLINE" for the Windows 8 PC, but still worked great with the XP laptop.

I have had to reinstall the software 3 times now on the Windows 8 desktop in order to get it to fully recognize the printer and start printing again. However, I have never had to reinstall it on the XP laptop and it just continues to work on it.

What is going on here? Again, I verified I had the right version of software installed (Windows 8.1, 64bit) and its directly from the HP site and not the CD included with the printer so it should be the latest version.

Any suggestions on why it keeps going OFFLINE for the Windows 8.1 PC? Can it be solved somehow. If so, how as reinstalling the software every few days is becoming REAL tiresome at this point.

[Wally_R]

Hi mcf57,

Thanks for posting the scenarios of what's going on, it helped me narrow down the troublshooting guide to recommend to this:  'Printer is offline' Message Displays on the Computer and the Printer Will Not Print: Windows 8

The steps will be identical in Win 8.1, and should fix this for you.

Please let me know if that helps.  However, since you mentioned this is a new printer, if you feel the need to speak to HP tech support and perhaps have them do remote troubleshooting, you can contact HP support in North America at 1-800-474-6836 or find the local telephone number for your country here: http://welcome.hp.com/country/w1/en/support.html Please look for the category "Technical Support After you Buy"

[mcf57 · Accepted solution]

OK, I tried every suggestion provided in the links, but none of them seemed to work as the printer would still be listed as "OFFLINE". However, I did seem to fix it with another solution that others may want to try if they run intot he same situation.

Basically,it seemed like I was running into problems cause the printer would get asigned a different IP address every time it was turned on. This is when it would then be "OFFLINE". Therefore,  I went into my NETGEAR router's configuration area and made the router assign this printer (based on its MAC address) a certain IP address over the network. At the time, it was 192.168.1.5 so this is basically the "fixed" address the router is now giving the HP Printer every time. 

I totally reinstalled the HP software and made it look for 192.168.1.5 for the printer too. 2 weeks now and the family member says the printer is still working fine so I am thinking this solved the "OFFLINE" problem. I think you can also do this on the printer itself and have it have a static IP address, but not sure as I didn't go this route this time (I was able to do this method remotely for the family member).

Hope this helps for anybody else who may run into a similiar problem. It might be a solution for just about ANY printer too.

[tmoran05]

For me, this was able to be solved by going to be solved by going to Control Panel > Devices and Printers > Add a Printer, and following the steps from there.