My printer HP Colour Laserjet Pro MFP M281fdw is always offline and powered down. I have to unplug,

[NovJulMike]

My printer HP Colour Laserjet Pro MFP M281fdw is consistently off line and requires unplugging and wait 2 mins. plug in 

[Garp_senchau]

@NovJulMike, Welcome to HP Support Community,

Thank you for posting your query; I’m here to help by guiding you through steps to resolve this issue

That’s really frustrating—especially when you have to keep unplugging it just to get it online! 😩 

First, make sure the printer is set to a static IP address by going to the printer’s settings menu > Network Setup > Wireless Settings > Print Wireless Report. Note the IP address, then open a web browser on your computer, enter the IP address, and check the network settings. If the IP changes frequently, set it to manual to prevent disconnections.

Next, on your computer, go to Control Panel > Devices and Printers, right-click your printer, select Printer Properties, go to the Ports tab, and ensure it's using a Standard TCP/IP port instead of WSD (which can cause offline issues).

Also, update the firmware and drivers from HP’s official website, and disable power-saving mode by going to the Energy Settings in the printer menu. 

Update the firmware on an HP printer | HP® Support

HP Color LaserJet Pro M252 and M277 Printers - Adjusting the Printer Energy-Saving Settings | HP® Su...

If it’s connected via Wi-Fi, ensure the router isn’t dropping the connection by placing the printer closer to it or trying a wired Ethernet connection.

Reference: HP printer is offline or unavailable | HP® Support

I hope these steps help resolve the issue

Please feel free to reply here if you have any questions or if you need further clarification on any of the steps. 

Take care and have a good day. 

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Regards,