OfficeJet Pro 8600 won't stay connected to network

[SueCrawford]

Printer has intermittent connection to the network. Doesn't seem to have anything to do with the network. No other device on the network does this, so I'm sure it's the printer. 

When I send a document to the printer, sometimes it prints, sometimes I get "The printer is not connected." If I leave it in the print queue, it will print sometimes in 10 minutes, sometimes in 5 hours. It seems to drop off the network and pick it up again intermittently. Power cycling has no effect.

The HP Utility shows the same pattern. Sometimes it will connect and then drop. For hours.

I posted this question before and it was suggested to reinstall the printer driver. I did and it seemed to take care of the problem. For a few weeks. Now it's back. Tried reinstalling the printer driver again but it didn't help this time.

I am so frustrated that I am ready to pitch this printer out the window and buy another brand.

[A4Apollo]

Hi! @SueCrawford, Thank you for visiting the HP Forums! A great place where you can find solutions for your issues with help from the community!

I understand your printer will not stay connected to the network.

Don't worry I'll try to help you out.

Did you make any changes to your printer?

Are you able to make a copy from your printer?

Is your printer working with USB connection?

As you mentioned printer will not stay connected to the network.

Try assigning a manual IP to your printer and check if it helps.

•                     Obtain the IP address of the printer – You can touch the “wireless” icon on the printer control panel to get the IP address.
•                     Type the IP address on your web browser to obtain the printer EWS page on your computer.
•                     Go to the “Network” tab – Click on “Wireless (802.11) – Then click on “Network address (IPv4)
•                     Click on the radio button which says, “Manual IP” and then click “Suggest a manual IP address” to give a manual IP address to your printer.

•                     Click on radio button which says, “Manual DNS Server” and under manual preferred type 8.8.8.8 and under manual alternate type 8.8.4.4 (This is Google DNS server address)
•                     Restart the printer and then router once done. 

Refer this article to further troubleshoot printer offline issues.

If the solution provided worked for you, please mark accepted solution for this post.

Let me know if this works!

Have a great day! 🙂

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[SueCrawford]

Thank you for your help. Here are some answers to your questions.

I have not makde any changes to the printer.

It copies just fine.

I don't have a USB cable to connect it to my computer so I can't tell you whether it prints that way.

It took me some time to assign a manual IP to the printer because  it wasn't connected. But in a short interval of connection I was able to get hte IP address and follow your directions. Unfortunately I'm not sure it made any difference.

Interestingly, I have had the HP Utility open on my desktop and have been watching it for several days. It's clear that the printer connectes for a short time, then drops the connection, then picks it up again, and then drops it. Even after setting a manual IP.

Very curious...

[Chimney_83]

Greetings @SueCrawford, I am the @Chimney_83. It looks like you were interacting with @A4Apollo, but he is out of the office today so I'll take over from here.

Thanks for the reply and trying the suggested steps. 

Are you using a dual band router?

Note: HP Printers do not work or connect to 5Ghz networks. If you are using a dual band router, please give different names to 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz networks and connect the printer to the 2.4Ghz network.

It would be great if you can get a USB cable, that would help you update the firmware on your computer and check. 

However, in the meantime recommend you follow the procedure mentioned below to uninstall the printer software and settings and install it back. 

Uninstall the printer from "programs and features" which can be accessed by doing a right-click on the Windows button (Please have the printer Off and disconnected during uninstallation.)

Check in device manager, if the printer is listed there, please delete it. (Right-click on the Windows button to access device manager)

Go to devices and printers, select any printer listed there and you will get some options on the top. 

Click on print server properties. 

You will get a popup, click on the drivers tab and delete all the HP printer drivers listed there, if any.

Delete all the instances of your printer listed in devices and printers.

Restart the PC.

Once the PC is on the desktop, press Win + R, it would bring a Run dialog box, 

Type %temp% in the run box and click Ok or hit the Enter button.

It would bring up the temporary files folder. Delete the files in the folder (You might not be able to delete all the files, ignore them).

If possible, delete the printer from the registries using Regedit or using any other 3rd party application.

Restart the PC again. 

Download the latest full feature driver from www.hp.com/drivers and install it on the computer.

Power On/Connect the printer to your computer only when the setup prompts for the printer. 

Let me know if this helped. 

[lucy1108]

Wodnering if you ever got this to work right? I have had the exact same issues

[Roooo]

I have the same problem. MacOS 10.12.6 Sierra.

This is a recurrent problem. I managed to fix it for a day after searching through "solutions" for hours and ultimately going through an elaborate de-registration and re-registration process that I can not repeat without instructions which I did not save and can't now locate.

Surely, there must be a way to make this printer work wirelessly.

btw it doesn't work with an Ethernet cable either. But prints tests flawlessly.

[Roooo]

Note that it wirelessly prints out the "Printer Status Report" when I press "Print Configuration Page" from the HP Utility. It just doesn't seem to be able to print anything else.

[Roooo]

This worked for me @MrRobot