Printer won't print...stays in sleep mode

[laceymike]

When I click on 'Print' the printer won't print ... sometimes. Other times it prints 5 or 10 minutes after I've pressed the 'Print' key. When I look at Devices and Printers, the printer is offline...but it must turn itself 'online' later because it usually prints. Usually. I've had it less than a month.

If anyone can direct me to a 'fix' I really would appreciate it. Thanks in advance.

[sabretooth04]

Please provide the following relevant information so someone can help including:

Printer Model - done

Complete and Detailed Problem Description including all network devices-

Operating System of computer (including service pack revision) - done

Connection Method - USB, Hardwired LAN, Wireless, Wireless Direct? -

Make and model of router and modem? -

Error messages - on printer screen and/or computer, any blinking light patterns? -

Do you think the printer is going to sleep and can’t wake up? -

If wireless, when the problem occurs, what is the status of Blue Wireless light on printer, on, off or blinking? –

Power off printer and router.  Power on router and wait 3 mins, power on printer.  Does it connect to the router now?  What is the printers IP address?

[laceymike]

Thanks for the response.

Wireless connection to printer

Router/modem (is that possible?) ARRIS Model TG1682G provided by Comcast/Xfinity

After the 'Print' command, the only lights on the printer were the power light and a blue light near the upper-right of the screen. The screen itself is black.

Error message: Orange (red?) triangle then, Unable to Communicate with Printer. Try the following: 1. Turn the printer off and then on again.... (I shouldn't have to be cycling power often like that). When I click on "Fix" at the bottom of that window the Print and Scan Doctor v.4.9 appear but they are useless. Also, when I go through "Devices and Printers -> HP OfficeJet 4650 -> See what's printing" I'm told the device is offline.

To answer your question about what I think: I think the printer goes to sleep and misses some interrupt that should 'wake' it to print. As I said, it wakes after 5 or 10 minutes and prints just fine.

The blue light on the front of the printer is a solid blue...solid.

Again, thank you,

Mike

[sabretooth04]

These settings are for setting up your wireless printer to stay connected to your router, keep wireless devices better connected and makes your router secure and hack proof.

While DHCP is convenient, devices such as printers should always be assigned a static (fixed) IP address manually to avoid conflicts on your wireless network.

1. Set a static IP in the printer (click here) outside the DHCP range of the router (check your manual). This is for Linksys routers but can be used for all routers. Verify your DHCP range and change this first if needed. More Wireless Printing help is here (Windows solution 4, static IP).
2. Verify in the printer that 'Auto Off/Sleep/Energy saving mode' is disabled and/or the System Mode Time Out is set to zero (0). Use the Embedded Web Server (EWS) by going to the printers IP address in your browsers address bar, click Settings Tab/Auto Off. Or use the Printer Assistant, Printer Home Page (EWS). Also check your Printers Properties.
3. If the printer supports and has IPv6 enabled, turn off IPv6 in the printer.
4. If needed and you assigned a static IP address, try using 8.8.8.8 for the Preferred DNS server and 8.8.4.4 as the Alternate DNS server. 
5. Wireless printers only work on the 2.4Ghz wireless band not the 5.0Ghz band.
6. Verify the printer is on the latest firmware by checking with the HP Support site.
7. Check all wireless devices in your home for interference. Check microwaves, baby monitors, wireless phones and wireless alarm systems are a big culprit.  Any of these will knock out your wireless printer intermittently.
8. Make sure your printer and router are at least 5 feet apart from each other.

In the router: (Refer to your router manual for information) 

1. Use a fixed wireless channel like 1, 6 or 11, never 'auto', try channel 1 first then the rest. 
2. Set router to 20Mhz only, or 145Mbps depending on router. 
3. Always use WPA2-AES (Personal) encryption, but you can try ‘mixed’ mode. 
4. Disable WPS and never use it and disable UPnP for the routers security. Nobody can hack your system now and helps with wireless connectivity (if you want to know why, search the web).
5. If you have a dual band router (2.4Ghz and 5.0Ghz bands), make sure the SSID’s are NOT the same, they must be different for all bands, even for any Guest networks.
6. SSID broadcast must be enabled.
7. Save all settings. Power off both, wait 2 mins.  Power on router wait 2 mins. 
8. Power on printer and verify it reconnects to router. 

Windows 7/8/8.1   Is Network Discovery on or off?

1. Control Panel/Network and Internet/Network and Sharing Center/Advanced sharing settings.
2. Under Home or Work (current profile) / Network Discovery.
3. Select "Turn on network discovery" and save changes.

Now last thing to do once all the above has been tried and you still have the same issue, fully de-install and remove the printer and all its software. 

Use http://www.iobit.com/en/advanceduninstaller.php .  Use Powerful Scan at the end to delete all registry entries.

Now go back and reinstall the Full Featured Software and Drivers from the HP web site.

Last ditch effort - If your printer has an Ethernet connection, suggest you get some Power Line Adapters and convert your house wiring to Ethernet for your printer.

[laceymike]

Wow! Wish I knew most of what your directions were!  I've tried to go through some, anyway.

* Network Discovery is on.

* I can't configure the printer for a static IP nor for the Auto Off/Sleep/Energy saving because I don't know how to get to the printer. Is that something I should be able to do on the display? I can't find that option. I'd love to get to this option.

* I know nothing about IPv6.

*I didn't assign a static IP address for the reasons listed - I don't know how.

* There are no issues with interference from other devices.

!!!!  My printer and router are about 3 feet from each other. What's the issue?

The Router: As I said, Comcast provided the router and set it up. I don't have a router manual. Is there a high probability this is an issue?

I would really like to know how to turn off the Auto Off/Sleep/Energy Saving mode. Same with setting the System Mode Time Out to zero. That might be the crux of the problem.

I really thank you for your informed information. A little more explanation would sure be helpful.

Thanks a million.

Mike

[Carl25]

I had the same problem.  It turned out that "Windows was managing my printers"; whatever that means.  I solved the "not waking from sleep" problem by setting the printer to be the default printer.   When you do this, Windows will ask you if you really want to this because it won't manage your printers anymore.  Just ignore this and set the printer as the default and you should be good to go.  Fast and simple - bada boom, bada bang!

[RDholt]

My Officejet Pro 8620 falls asleep and then I can't print unless I restart my printer because it wakes up and it is offline. Then, it can take awhile for the print jobs in the queue to actually print. I am confused by your solutions because I don't think my router has settings...? It's a  Comcast Business router and it's connected and that's all I know about it. I don't have an ethernet  cable plugged in right now. It is all wireless connected. I tried turning off the IPv6 and it just disconnected the network connection. I didn't restart the router because I was afraid of ruining everything at my company internet wise.

I found this article about the problem online that I will copy and paste a part of here, "The HP rep said the problem was probably with my network, specifically with my router. In the last year I had switched Internet Service Providers. My modem, an Actiontec PK5001, came from Century Link, my local phone company, and is a combination modem and router. I had retired the Amped Wireless router I used to use with my previous ISP and put it in a cabinet. However, HP observed, “We did contact a person in R&D at your [Century Link] router manufacturer and they did confirm that there is no option to control multicast on the router, which we know can cause problems since the printer will not recognize the information being sent to it to initiate the job.”

I had no idea what “multicast” meant, but I was told the remedy was to disable the wireless portion of my Century Link modem, install a separate router, and run the printer cables through that. Fortunately, I still had my Amped Wireless router. I re-installed it, then went into the settings for the Century Link modem and disabled its Wireless Radio (which is a checkbox). Once all my Ethernet cables were connected to the Amped Wireless router, lo and behold, the HP printer started working normally."

I do not know anything about my router and I don't know how to use this information to help solve my problem but if you or anyone else does please help!!!!

Thanks!

[kevin-t]

Hello,

Thank you for posting in this thread. Unfortunately based on when the last response was made, I have closed this thread to help keep comments current and up to date. We recommend starting a new thread for your issue by clicking here.
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