Wifi direct, Officejet 5740 - connect automatically?

[Mike_7]

New Officejet 5740 printer, couple year old Pavilion 500-098 computer, Windows 10.  Connected the printer to the computer, installed software and drivers, everything went well, everything works.  When the printer is on, it shows up in my network settings, and is set to automatically connect.  I thought that meant that when I tried to print something, my computer would automatically connect to the printer, and it would print.  But this doesn't happen.  I need to manually go into my network settings, click on the printer, then click on "Connect".  Not a big thing, I'm just wondering if there's a setting somewhere that I have to turn on (or off)?

[RnRMusicMan]

Hi @Mike_7,

Welcome to the HP Forums!

I noticed that you are wondering if you can have your HP Officejet 5740 connect automatically using wifi direct, on Windows 10. And, I am happy to look into this issue for you! 

Please see the following guides: 

• Printing with Wi-Fi Direct.
• Wi-Fi Direct and HP wireless direct.
• Connecting your wireless printer.

Hope one of these guides have the answer you are looking for, and have a nice day! 

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[Mike_7]

Thanks for trying to help. but those guides don't answer my question. I was able to get my printer working using Wifi Direct, and it's working fine, no problems. I just wonder why whenever the computer or printer has been shut off and back on I have to click on the system tray network access icon, click on my printer, and click on connect.  If I don't do this, when I try to print something, my computer can't find the printer.

Is there a setting somewhere, where if the computer and / or printer has been shut off and then turned back on and I try to print something, the computer will automatically connect to the printer without me manually having to go through the system tray network icon and clicking on my printer?

[Mike_7]

It looks like there's no workaround for this. If you connect your printer using Wifi Direct, whenever the printer or computer has been turned off and back on, you can't print unless you first connect the printer by going through the system tray network access icon. Why doesn't HP mention this anywhere in their Wifi Direct guides?

When this happened to me, I thought something had gone wrong with my printer setup. I was able to figure out what the problem was, but I was getting quite frustrated and annoyed. One or two sentences explaining about the system tray network access in one of HP's Wifi Direct guides would have helped me a great deal. I wonder how many people couldn't figure it out, gave up on Wifi Direct, and ended up buying a USB cable to connect their printer.

[Mike_7]

Just to make clear what I'm asking...

I don't have my printer on all of the time. I turn it on when I want to print something. When I turn the printer on, I can't do anything until I do the following:

I click on the sytem tray network icon, and see this:

I click on my printer, and see this:

I click on Connect, and see this:

Now I can print. I don't have to do this every time I want to print something from now on, only if I shut off the printer and turn it back on. The "Limited" means that the printer itself has no access to the Internet, like to check HP's website for updates, and I can't use HP's ink saver program to buy ink cartridges. I still have access to the Internet.

When I turn on the printer, my computer "sees" it (when the printer is off it doesn't show up when I click on the system tray network icon). So why do I have to go through all of this clicking to connect the printer? Is there a way that when I turn on the printer, I can print something without going into the system tray betwork icon? This isn't a big thing, I'm just wondering if there's a setting somewhere that has to be turned on (or off) that'll let this happen. Does anyone have any ideas?

[RnRMusicMan]

Hi Mike_7,

Thank you for your replies! 

From what I am understanding. You are not leaving your printer on all the time. In fact, you are turning it off most of the time. And, I am assuming for a long period of time. Our printers will lose the connection if the printer is turned off after a certain length of time. I think the time frame is 12 hours of having the printer off, then it loses the connection and needs to be setup again. (Although the time frame, could be different on each printer.)

HP's printers are designed differently than other devices, such as laptops, computers, cell phones, which can automatically reconnect even if you power them off and on after a long period of time. As far as I know. With HP printers, the best way to stay connected is to leave them turned on, and to save energy, some have a sleep mode option. 

Hope this answers your question, and thanks again for posting! 

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[Mike_7]

It doesn't matter how long the printer is off. If I shut it off for only 30 seconds and then turn it back on I have to go through the system tray networks settings and connect it again.

[RnRMusicMan]

Hi Mike_7,

That seems odd that it would do that after 30 seconds, that's for sure. It is possible this might be a hardware malfunction with the printer's wireless radio as well. 

I would suggest a hard reset, by going to this post, How to perform a Hard Reset, by @Rich1. It is important that the printer's power cable is plugged directly into the wall outlet, and not a surge protector. Issues when Connected to an Uninterruptible Power Supply/Power Strip/Surge Protector. This applies to Inkjet printers as well.

Then I would double-check that the printer's firmware is up-to-date. Getting the Latest Firmware and Product Updates.

If this does not solve the issue, I would suggest to have the printer serviced/or replaced. Please contact HP, phone support for further assistance. (After you fill out the information, you will be given a phone number.) If you live outside the US/Canada Region, please click the link below to get the support number for your region. Country-language selector.

Best of luck! 

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[Mike_7]

I don't think anything's wrong with the printer. It seems to me that this is some setting with my computer. I've never had any problems printing,scanning, or copying (I won't be using the fax feature,so haven't tried to fax anything). After the printer's been shut off and turned back on, I don't need to go and set it up again. It must be working, because after it's turned back on the computer finds it, and it shows up in the system tray network setting. If something was wrong with the printer's wireless radio, I don't think it'd show up at all.

All I want to know is when the printer is turned on, and the computer finds it, why doesn't the computer then connect the printer? Why do I have to go into the system tray network settings and manually connect it? I think that there must be a Windows security setting somewhere that I have to change to allow the computer to automatically connect to the printer.

[RnRMusicMan]

Hi Mike_7,

At this point, I would recommend to please contact HP, phone support for further assistance, as they might be able to remote into your computer for a further look. (After you fill out the information, you will be given a phone number.) If you live outside the US/Canada Region, please click the link below to get the support number for your region. Country-language selector.

Best regards! 

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