Not able to print over network to HP 8620 from HP laptop anymore

[WAWood]

Don't often print to my 8620 from my HP laptop but today, needed to do that (has been printing like this for years!) and today, it was no longer able to print.  Submitted the pages and got Unknown Error.

Downloaded and ran latest Print and Scan doctor -- was able to print internal diagnostic page but not able to do other print.  Said unknown error and that I would need to remove the software and reinstall it.

I did that, got into network setup, selected wired network (laptop is connected through ethernet cable) and the network setup hung -- never finished.

Had to terminate the device setup using Task Manager.

Tried to uninstall the software to try using the Win10 HP app -- but uninstall failed with an "unexpected error" -- code 2503.

Tried printing same Firefox webpage from my desktop, to the same printer over the same network -- and works, fine.

I redid the software installation on the laptop, selecting Connect Later -- said it completed OK. So, I clicked the desktop icon and went to do the network install -- same hangup again.

I've checked the firmware on the printer and it is the latest. 

I did a power reset on the printer and it changed nothing.

I checked the driver software and it is the latest available from HP.

So, since I apparently can neither REINSTALL nor UNINSTALL the HP software, now what?

UPDATE: Tried HP Print and Scan Doctor again today -- and this time, it found two instances of the 8620: one without an IP address that is said was installed, one with an IP address that is said was NOT installed.  So, I selected the second and it offered to install the software.  Then, it went through the network connection -- and failed again! Message: Printer was unable to be installed over the network.  So, no real progress.

[Kumar0307]

@WAWood, Welcome to the HP Support Community!

Make sure the printer and the Notebook are connected to the same wireless network.

This printer supports only 2.4GHz network.

Check the connectivity and print a TEST page.

1. Obtain the IP address of the printer – You can touch the “wireless” icon on the printer control panel to obtain the IP address.
2. Type the IP address at the top of your web browser to obtain the printer EWS page on your computer.
3. If you get any security notification, click on show details and 'proceed to this website'.
4. Once on the EWS page of the printer, go to Tool > print test page.

Let me know how this goes. Keep me posted for further assistance.

If you feel my post solved your issue, please click “Accept as Solution”, it will help others find the solution. Click the “Kudos/Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping!

[WAWood]

@Kumar0307 

I mentioned in my post that this is a WIRED setup -- and all devices share the same local network.

I confirmed the printer is connected to the network because I can still print to it from other PCs on the same network.

[Kumar0307]

@WAWood

I apologize. I assumed the laptop was connected using an ethernet cable and the printer was wireless.

Make sure the network that you are using is a Home network. Perform step 1 from this document.

Confirm the network connection: Confirm that your printer is connected to the wired network by checking the cable and the lights on the printer’s Ethernet  port. The green link light should be steady, and the orange activity light should blink when the cable is connected.

Print a network configuaration page:

1. On the printer control panel, touch the Wireless icon , and then touch the Settings icon .

2. Touch Print Reports, and then touch Network Configuration Page.

   A Network Configuration Page prints.

Disconnect, and then reconnect the Ethernet cable to the rear of the printer, and then plug the cable into another valid port on the router.

Connect a different Ethernet cable and check if that helps.

Also, check for any pending Windows update.

Let me know how this goes.

[WAWood]

@Kumar0307 

Sorry I was not clear about the network connections.

I've been sick for the last week, getting worse daily, and last night, got bad enough that my wife dragged me to our physician this morning  So, my online entries have not been as lucid as they should have been.

Good point about Windows Update -- I checked, and the laptop is running Win10 v1903 Bld18362.239 -- which is the latest production build.

There are two very odd things about this situation at present.

First, I have 5 PCs in the house, all of them use the 8620 networked, and the HP laptop is the ONLY PC that can not print to it.  Additionally, it has been printing to it for years now and only this last week, has it started to fail.

Second, when I've run into this in the past, on this and other PCs, I simply removed the Printer (from Devices), uninstalled the HP software, rebooted the PC, reinstalled the HP software -- and during the network connection setup, it would find the printer, connect to it, and within 5 minutes or so, it would be back working.

This is the first time I've run into two failures:

1) Software reinstall works but network connection fails -- and for no explained reason

2) Attempts to remove the HP software to reinstall it also fails -- and for no explained reason.

I think the next thing I will try (since I am now becoming functional again), is removing the Printer from Devices, rebooting, and readding it through Devices.

Will let you know how that goes. 

Thanks for helping me on this.

[WAWood]

OK ... installed the HP Smart App and the printer is working fine over the network.

Desktop 8620 icon still wants to install the printer and that fails, but I can get by using the Smart App.

[Kumar0307]

@WAWood

It seems like there is a conflict between the HP Printer Drivers and the Operating system files as it is not able to detect the printer on the wired network. The desktop icon is HP Printer Assistant or the HP Full-featured driver. The only option is to create a new user account and check or to do a system restore to make the PC detect the printer.

Glad to know HP Smart is working and you can use the printer via HP Smart app.

Keep me posted for any other assistance.

If you feel my post solved your issue, please click “Accept as Solution”, it will help others find the solution. Click the “Kudos/Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping!