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- HP Community
- Printers
- Printing Errors or Lights & Stuck Print Jobs
- HP Color LaserJet MFP M281fdw go to sleep mode won't wake up

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07-05-2020 05:58 PM
Printer goes to sleep incessantly and won't wake up. Always when needed very much. I can restart the router/printer or other things to make it wake up. I can get it working and it will go to sleep within minutes of being used.
I have to stop work and reconfigure, reboot, or some other thing to make it work. This printer is the biggest disappointment for the money ever! How do I 1) wake up the printer and 2) reset/turn off sleep mode.
Disappointing product.
Wi-Fi printing sucks.
I have a wi-fi inkjet I gave up on and wired it directly to the computer in order to get it to always work.
After months I am about to give up and try another vendor.
07-08-2020 09:22 AM
@ngk0585, Welcome to HP Support Community!
I suggest you do a Hard Reset
(1) Turn the printer on, if it is not already on.
(2) Wait until the printer is idle and silent before you continue.
(3) With the printer turned on, disconnect the power cord from the rear of the printer.
(4) Unplug the power cord from the wall outlet.
(5) Wait at least 60 seconds.
(6) Plug the power cord back into the wall outlet.
NOTE: HP recommends connecting the printer power cord directly to the wall outlet.
(7) Reconnect the power cord to the rear of the printer.
(8) Turn on the printer, if it does not automatically turn on.
The printer might go through a warm-up period. The printer lights might flash, and the carriage might move.
Wait until the warm-up period finishes and your printer is idle and silent before you proceed.
Assign Manual IP to the printer using the below steps:
1) Print a Network configuration page from the printer's control panel.
2) Look for IP address from the Network configuration page.
3) Open web browser - Chrome or IE or any other browser that you are using.
4) Type the IP address mentioned on Network configuration page into the browser's address bar or URL bar and press enter button.
5) Go to the Network tab.
6) Click on Networking from the left pane.
7) Then click on Network Address (IP).
8).Click on Manual IP Address and go to suggest a Manual IP.
9) Scroll down the screen and select Manual DNS server.
10) Enter the Primary and secondary DNS server from the Network Configuration page into the Manual Preferred DNS server field.
11) Click on Apply.
Refer to the video link for step by step instructions - http://hp.care/2cqpl6p
Note: The video is for win 8 but steps are similar for other operating systems as well. You need to enter the IP address in the browser's URL or the address bar to access the printer page.
Then, Create a TCP/IP Port:
1. Search Windows for devices, and then select "Devices and Printers" In the list of results.
2. Right-Click the name of your printer, and then select Printer Properties.
3. Click the Ports tab, click on "Add port" select "Standard TCP/IP Port" and click "New Port"
4. Click next on the Add Standard TCP/IP printer port wizard, enter the printer IP address and click next and then click on "OK".
5. Now under the "Ports" tab you will find the Newport with the printer IP address, click "Apply" and "OK".
6. Restart the computer.
Check if you can print when the printer is in sleep mode.
Hope this helps! Keep me posted.
Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution. Click the “Kudos/Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping!
TEJ1602
I am an HP Employee