Have to reboot the printer after every print job.

[Spartanrob120]

HP laser jet MFP M281cdw

printing wirelessly from multiple devices, but all of a sudden I have to reboot the printer after each print job. The firmware is up-to-date

[Kuroi_Kenshi]

Hi @Spartanrob120,

Welcome to the HP Support Community!

Thanks for reaching out!

We're thrilled to have the opportunity to assist you and provide a solution.

I understand your HP LaserJet MFP M281cdw prints only one job at a time and needs to be rebooted after each print. Let’s go through a few steps to check what could be causing this.

    a. Power Reset the Printer
        With the printer turned on, unplug the power cable from the back.
        Wait 30 seconds, then plug it back in and turn on the printer.
        This clears temporary errors in the printer’s memory.

    b. Disable IPv6 and Set Manual DNS
        On the printer’s touchscreen, go to Network Settings > Advanced Settings.
        Turn IPv6 Off.
        Then go to Network > Ethernet/Wireless > TCP/IP Settings > Manual DNS and set:
        • Primary DNS: 8.8.8.8
        • Secondary DNS: 8.8.4.4
        Save settings and restart the printer.

    c. Check Print Spooler on Devices
        On each Windows PC, press Win + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
        Find Print Spooler, right-click it, and select Restart.
        Make sure its startup type is set to Automatic.

    d. Disable Wi-Fi Direct (if not used)
        Go to Network Settings > Wi-Fi Direct on the printer.
        Turn it Off if you are printing through your Wi-Fi network and not using Wi-Fi Direct.

    e. Assign a Static IP Address
        On the printer touchscreen, go to Network > Wireless > TCP/IP Settings > IPv4.
        Set Manual IP and enter the same IP as before but change the last digit to a number between 50–250.
        Enter your network's subnet mask and gateway (usually 255.255.255.0 and router IP).
        Save and restart.

I hope this helps.

I'm glad I could help! 😊 If this resolved your issue, please mark it as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" on "Was this reply helpful?" Your feedback not only keeps us going but also helps others find the solution faster! 👍✨

Take care and have an amazing day ahead! 🚀

Best regards,

[Spartanrob120]

Thank you.  I could only complete step 'a' and Turn IPv6 Off and Disable Wi-Fi Direct.  None of the other settings are available on my touchscreen.  I would appreciate any additional advice you have.

[Kuroi_Kenshi]

Hi @Spartanrob120,

Thank you for the quick update, I really appreciate you trying those steps!

Since your HP LaserJet MFP M281cdw only partially allowed network configuration changes, and the issue persists, let’s go through a few alternate options to stabilize the connection and prevent the need to reboot after each job.

 
a. Access the Embedded Web Server (EWS)
    • On the printer’s touchscreen, go to Network → Wi-Fi Summary and note down the IP address (for example: 192.168.1.xxx).
    • On your computer’s browser, type that IP address in the address bar and press Enter.
    • This opens the printer’s Embedded Web Server (EWS).
    • Go to Network → Advanced → IPv6 → disable it (if not already done).
    • Under Networking → DNS Configuration, select Manual and enter:
      – Primary DNS: 8.8.8.8
      – Secondary DNS: 8.8.4.4
    • Click Apply and restart the printer.

 
b. Assign a Static IP via EWS
    • Still in the EWS, go to Networking → IPv4 Configuration → Manual IP.
    • Enter your current IP address, subnet mask (usually 255.255.255.0), and gateway (your router’s IP, often 192.168.1.1).
    • Save and restart the printer.
    → This prevents IP conflicts that can cause the printer to drop off the network after each job.

 
c. Disable SNMP Status on Printer Port (Windows only)
    • On your PC, go to Control Panel → Devices and Printers.
    • Right-click your printer → Printer Properties → Ports → Configure Port.
    • Uncheck SNMP Status Enabled, then click OK.
    • This can help when printers stay “offline” after printing due to a network communication timeout.

 
d. Ensure You’re Using the Correct Driver
    • Go to Control Panel → Devices and Printers.
    • Right-click your HP LaserJet MFP M281cdw → Printer Properties → Advanced tab.
    • Confirm that the driver says HP Smart Install Printer Driver or HP Universal Print PCL6 (not “Class Driver”).
    • If it shows “Class Driver,” click New Driver, and install the correct one from support.hp.com/drivers.

I hope this helps.

I'm glad I could help! 😊 If this resolved your issue, please mark it as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" on "Was this reply helpful?" Your feedback not only keeps us going but also helps others find the solution faster! 👍✨

Take care and have an amazing day ahead! 🚀

Best regards,

[Spartanrob120]

Unfortunately, the problem is still happening, somewhat inconsistently.  Additionally, the printer randomly reboots itself multiple times per day.