c309a wireless radio not functioning

[longstrider]

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@smokey0357 wrote:

worked great hp could not even fix this worked and i finally got my printer back on wirless thnak you again. gave +rep

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Could you give the rest of us some guidance re how you got the printer back on wireless?

Many thanks

[lasttimeuser]

I too am a victim of the wireless radio failing on a C309a.  I contacted HP support, and they pointed out my unit is about 6 months out of warranty and tried to sell me an "upgrade" at a special "40%" discount for $299 -- which I then went to Sam's Club and found for $229.  Just criminal.  I ended up purchasing an HP B210 because I wanted a less expensive printer with e-print capability (for printing from I-pad, etc.) that still uses the same ink cartridges.  3 hours of set-up later, and none of my computers will recognize the printer even though its successfully joined my wireless network and I've disabled all my firewalls.  I guess I'm heading back to Sam's club tomorrow to return the B210, and to buy some other manufacturer's printer.  It's absolutely ridiculous!

[786lou]

Well Happy New Year to you all but certainly not to HP as I am going to stop my connection with them. I have read the posts here and I have the same problem. ' The wireless radio is not functioning. Contact HP'. I had the same report about the USB when there was no USB connected and to top it up I am just five month out of warranty. There had been some hiccups in the past but it was resolved by unplugging and replugging the printer but it would not work this time. I have done everything mentioned here including semi-reset and partial reset. I got this printer to replace a HP office jet Printer which stopped scanning just a month after warranty( It was a business one). I later found out that it was a common problem with that model.The graphic card of my HP Pavilion DV series  stopped just after warranty( Now we know that it was a design mistake , but HP will not take responsibility to correct those outside warranty). I have recommended HP for our business and they have already ordered a few hundreds. I am going to do my home work and elect another make in the future. Any recommendation will be welcomed.

[ladagosta]

I want to add this on behalf of my sister who has turned to me (dell tech certified LOL) to help her with the same issue all of you seem to be suffering with..  lots of fun reading this but dont turn to dell for printers they are no more the merrier with the foul up then HP.. so go with companies who devote their energy into printers only.. and hope you have compaitble issues with software.. far better than hardware failures.. but she is also in a delemia since the printer was replaced and they told her that the waranty does not cover the "repalcement" printer she just got this last month and had not been able to get the wireless radio to engage and print wirelessly.. frustrated she came to me.. i am at a loss as to what to tell her other than we will port an ethernet cord in the darn thing and run it that way.. no point to thru out a 300.00 printer.. sucks to be here..

[MattyG]

Same problem. This is unfortunate.  Warranty ran out on Friday, it's now Monday.  [text removed]

[pigeon]

Same problem and my printer is 2 months out of warranty.  I did the network workaround - ethernet cable from wireless router to printer - and reinstalling software with Connection Type selected as through the network.   Thanks for the tip!!

[edgefox]

Same problema s everyone else here, worked pretty well with my timecapsole for about a year and went out a few months ago, I was well past the 12 month mark so I consider myself "lucky" anyhow with a time capsole I just used the USB cable and plugged that directly into the printer, this solved all of my network printing problems. 

I think there has to be a bunch of people that have this problem, is it only mac users? is there a class action possibility?

[djsomers]

With so many people complaining about the same issue, it does seem like something should or could be done. This wireless radio issue is obviously serious and many people are losing money by  purchasing this particular printer. I was able to get mine to work again by connecting my ethernet cable from the printer to the router which is beside theh printer, but I paid for the wireless function which no longer works. When my iinternet service went out due to weather, I was not able to use the printer because the router was out too. If the printer was operating as it was supposed to,, I should have been able to print a Word document where the internet wasn't necessary.

[ashechief]

Well I solved my wireless problem with the c309a!!!!  Took the printer apart and located the wireless card.  It is located on the left side of the printer.  It requires taking 2 screws out lowering the side cover and then removing it.  the wireless card is located in the upper right corner and is held in by 1 screw.  remove the screw, and removed the card.  The HP P/N is 1150-7931.  I then did a search for the part # on the net.  Found a used one for $15 and ordered it.  It came today.  replaced the old card, and the wireless now works great.  I have turned the email me when someone replies so if anyone has question i will reply.  there were a couple of other cards out there but there was no price.  If hp would cut loose with the part, it really is an easy fix

[longstrider]

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@ashechief wrote:

Well I solved my wireless problem with the c309a!!!!  Took the printer apart and located the wireless card.  It is located on the left side of the printer.  It requires taking 2 screws out lowering the side cover and then removing it.  the wireless card is located in the upper right corner and is held in by 1 screw.  remove the screw, and removed the card.  The HP P/N is 1150-7931.  I then did a search for the part # on the net.  Found a used one for $15 and ordered it.  It came today.  replaced the old card, and the wireless now works great.  I have turned the email me when someone replies so if anyone has question i will reply.  there were a couple of other cards out there but there was no price.  If hp would cut loose with the part, it really is an easy fix

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Kudos to you for the fix -- cheap and simple, if you can find the part.

What makes me nuts (beyond the breakdown of the radio card) is the assumption by HP (as others have reported in this thread) that replacing an otherwise functioning unit is in any way a reasonable option. Aside from the expense, it's thoroughly unethical for a company that crows about its environmental stewardship (http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/environment/commitment.html) to suggest that replacing a 90% functioning unit with a new unit is a valid solution. It's not. It cuts across the grain of whatever environmental policies HP has. Reduce, reuse, recycle -- how about fix? Extend the lifetime of the product?

I'm not sure of the role of the moderator in these forums, but I'd appreciate it if this text is left intact.

Cheers