HP Officejet 4620 won't wake from sleep

[MikeSelvage]

I, too, encountered the problem of the printer not 'waking up' from sleep mode when I went to print something. This usually occured after it had been in sleep mode for a few hours, and, after spending all afternoon on the problem, the printer is now working fine.

The solution seems to be two-fold.

1.) make certain the wireless portion of your router is setup right. It should be set to WPA2 and AES (nothing 'automatic'). The printer should also be set this way (duh).

2.) setup a static IP Address outside the normal DHCP range. Do this in both the router set up and at the printer EWS webpage (enter the ip address of the printer in your web browser - click 'Network' tab on top - click 'IPv4 Configuration' on the left and setup the IP address, subnet mask, and default gateway (usually the address of your router). Then, on the same page, set Primary DNS server as 8.8.8.8 and the alternate as 8.8.4.4 . This later step will help you when you go to set up the Web Services. Without these DNS settings you'll get the 'can't find server' message.

I also setup the 'time stamp' on my router. I never paid any attention to it before. But I noticed it was way wrong so set it up to use an NTP Server.

With the Static IP address setup correctly (use the given DNS servers) and the router set specifically to WPA2 and AES it now works fine.

[jettrt]

I just bought a HP Officejet 4620 and am having all the same sleep mode problems. Have three other hps and no problems. I am about ready to return this one to the store. Your explanation of how to fix sounds Greek to me. If you have time could you give me the long version? I don't know how & where to set new ip addresses. Thanks

[MikeSelvage]

jettrt,

Before you do anything you have to go through the installation process in the documentation. This involves hooking up the rediculously short USB cable from the printer to a computer on your home network when told to do so in the instructions. You need to do this to first have wireless connectivity to your home wireless access point / router. Once the printer is connected wirelessly it will most probably have obtained an IP address dynamically via DHCP on your router. You can tell the printer is connected by looking for a constant blue light located at the lower left corner of the printers "screen".

At this point you should be able to print or scan to / from the printer from a computer that has the HP software installed on it.

The 4620 (and other models) have a built in webserver called EWS. This is where you change all the settings I refer to in my last post. To get to the home page of the "web site" you simply input the ip address of your printer into the address bar of a browser on any computer that is on the same network. If you do not know the IP address of the printer (because it was dynamically assigned via DHCP) go to the front panel of the printer and press the icon that looks like a wrench under the panel screen and the main menu comes up. Scroll down the main menu by pressing the top or bottom "square" at the right side of the screen. When "7 Reports" is visible in the middle of the screen push the middle "square" to select the "OK". Push the bottom square twice and you come to "Network Configuration". Press the middle Square to select OK. Under "IPv4" locate the IP address and input this into the address bar of a browser on a computer on your network.

The main "web page" should come up. Follow the directions in my last post (Network 'tab' at the top - then "IPv4 Configuration" at the right side. Here is where you will setup a "static" IP address. Don't do anything yet.

Open another tab in your browser and go to the ip address of your router and log in. All the routers are different so how you set up a "range" of addresses to be assigned via DHCP is different. Set up the range of IP addresses for DHCP to be something like 192.168.x.100 to 192.168.x.200 (where "x" is a 1 or 0 -- the same as the IP address for your router). This gives you about 100 addresses that it can assign - plenty for any home network. Set the lease time to "never" expire. Somewhere in there you setup a "static" IP address. Using the print out you obtained from your printer look under the "802.11 Wireless" section for the MAC address. Now type that MAC address into the Static IP address assignment you are setting up on your router. For an IP address use something outside your DHCP range. In my example range above (which works) pick a number less than 100 -- 90 sounds good to me (but use 87, or 63, or anything above the number 1 (that is already assigned to your router!!!). It should be a unique IP address and not assigned to any other network device. When your done click "apply" and your router will re-boot (which will boot everyone connected off of it - they may need to wait a few minutes to see if their computer "auto connects" again. If it doesn't they can either re-start windows or go into a CMD prompt and issue "ipconfig release" and then "ipconfig renew" to reconnect to the router / internet).

OK - your done with the router. Go back to the browser tab displaying ther printer webpage.

Select "Manual IP". Use the same IP address you used setting up the Static assignment on the router. Also look at your printout and use the "subnet mask" (under "IPv4" section) listed there (it is most likely 255.255.255.0). Use the IP address of your router as the Default Gateway. Select "Manual DNS Server". NOW -- for the Primary DNS server use "8.8.8.8" and for the Alternate DNS server use "8.8.4.4". Click "Apply" at the bottom of the page.

NOTE: from now on when you connect to the printer webpage you need to use the newly assigned Static IP address as input to your browser address bar.

On the pinter console print out another "Network Configuration" sheet.

That should do it for you. If it doesn't -- reconnect to the EWS page using the newly assigned IP address. Under the "Settings" tab at the top click on "Schedule ON/Off" on the left side menu. Set it up to go to sleep at some odd time nobody will ever be using it. Then set it to be "on" about 1 minute after that. Doing this will use more power as the printer will only be in "sleep" mode for about 1 minute a day.

Hope all this makes sense to you.

[jettrt]

Thank you for your assistance. I haven't tried it yet but was wondering can I just cut to the chase and change the sleep settings as you suggested in the last paragraph and forget the rest. The wifi connection works great when you turn the printer off then back on. I have never had connections problems with any hp printer, is the problem just with this model? Thanks again for you time and through explanation. If the settings change is not an option I'll try to find the time to work through the steps and cross my fingers. Thank you!

[jettrt]

Mike,

Working on following your directions. Got to the EWS. The changing sleep and awake times won't work because I am set up with eprint, says it shouldn't ever turn off - well that would be nice!

How do I find out the ip address of my router? The Mac and Wep numbers on the back of the router are the only numbers I can find.

This is ridiculous, to have to do all of this. I keep thinking my mom would never be able to install this printer. Not sure I can!

Sorry to be a pain. Thank you again. Jett

[Cloud_Strider]

The router's IP address is determined by the router manufacturer or whatever the user designated when they customized the router (if a user opted to do so). Most router IP addresses default as 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.1.254.

If you want something more specific, the community will need to know exactly which brand and model of router you have.

On a side note, setting the static IP address in the router has not been required and setting it in the printer alone has sufficed so long as it was outside of the router's automatic IP address pool. However, it is a good idea and this could be the one scenario where it was required to be set in the printer and the router.

[MikeSelvage]

Jettrt,

Sorry for the delay - I have a daughter in the hospital (again) and a good friend that just had open heart surgery - so I've been busy.

Home router IP addresses usually begin with 192.168.x.y   where "x" is usually "0" or "1" and "y" is usually "1" or "254" -- however some people get them home and, for whatever reason, change this. Usually more advanced "Techies". Usually is is either 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1 (for "store bought" routers) or 192.168.1.254 (for ISP provided routers). You can ope a DOS command window (Start Button > Run > type in "CMD" (without quotes). This should open a DOS Command Window and allow you to enter DOS commands. Type "arp -a" at the prompt (again - without the quotes). This gives a list or computers on the your computer has connected to via your default network card connection. It should be a short list. Look at the MAC address - see anything that looks familiar? If so the IP address is right next to it.

At the Cmd windows prompt you can also type "Ipconfig" and look for "default gateway" -- this is usually the address of your home router. HOWEVER - if it is not of the form "192.168.x.y" this is not the case.

When you are successfull at connecting to the router you will get a login pormpt. You have to know the Username and Password to access / change the router settings. If you (or someone else) has not changed it to something unique you can conntact the manufacturer of the router and ask for the Defalut Username and Password - it is almost always the same for every model the sell. Common defaults are "admin" / (no password), or some combination or:

Username = "Admin" or "admin" or "Administrator" or "administrator"

Passoword = (leave blank - no password), and all of the above Usernames.

The most popular combos I've seen are Username "admin" or "Admin" and Password (blank) or the same as the Username.

There are some website that list default Username/Password combos for popular home routers. Google for something like Router Manufacturer (ie Linksys), Model Number, and the "default username" or "default password".

Hope this was not too untimely and is helpfull

[PCK112]

Hello I also have ATT DSL newly installed and so the router is the newer one but I am still having this problem with it? did you have to call them for any reason?

[PCK112]

yes 10/03/13 and the same issue! but mine does not turn off and on I have to unplug it and that wakes it up.

:womanfrustrated:

[MikeSelvage]

First make certain your router is setup properly. Call you ISP or the Router Manufacturer for support on this. Setup a DHCP RANGE for address assinments (again, ask you ISP of Manufacturer if you don't know how to do this).

Choose and IP address OUTSIDE the DHCP RANGE for your printers IP address. Put this into your Router as a Statis IP Address Assignment along with your printers MAC address.

Save and exit your Router configuration.

Follow the steps in the posts above for going to the embedded printer webserver (EWS) URL. At the EWS set the printer up with the Static Address you choose when you setup the Static Address on the Router.

Save the info.

This isn't perfect - but it wakes the printer up about 90% of the time. Also make sure your printer is at least 6 feet (2 meters) away from the wireless access point.