printer off line will not print

[larryoflebo]

HP OfficeJet Pro 6978 All in One

Printer off line and will not print.

When I do not print for a few days I get the message.

If it's asleep I restart the printer, the hasn't worked lately.

[Gaya1239]

Hi @larryoflebo,

Welcome to The HP Support Community.  

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you.

I understand you are facing an issue with your HP OfficeJet Pro 6978 is consistently showing as offline and will not print, even after restarting, the issue may stem from a misconfiguration, network settings, or power management. Here's a step-by-step guide to resolve this issue:

1. Check Printer Connection

• For a wireless connection:
  • Ensure the printer is connected to the correct Wi-Fi network.
  • Print a Wireless Network Test Report from the printer's control panel to verify the connection.
• For a wired connection:
  • Ensure the Ethernet cable is securely connected to both the printer and the router.
• For a USB connection:
  • Disconnect and reconnect the USB cable to a different port.

2. Set Printer to "Online"

• On your computer:
  1. Go to Control Panel > Devices and Printers.
  2. Right-click the HP OfficeJet Pro 6978 icon and select See what's printing.
  3. In the new window, click Printer in the menu bar and uncheck Use Printer Offline if it's selected.

3. Set as Default Printer

1. In the Devices and Printers section, right-click the HP OfficeJet Pro 6978 and select Set as Default Printer.
2. Restart your computer and check if this resolves the issue.

4. Power Cycle Your Printer and Router

• Turn off your printer and unplug it from the power source.
• Restart your Wi-Fi router by unplugging it for 30 seconds and then plugging it back in.
• Once the network is back online, turn on the printer and check the connection.

5. Run the HP Print and Scan Doctor HP Print and Scan Doctor

• Download and run the HP Print and Scan Doctor from HP's official website.
• Follow the prompts to detect and fix any connectivity or configuration issues.

6. Update Printer Drivers

• Open Device Manager on your computer.
• Locate your printer under Printers or Universal Serial Bus controllers.
• Right-click the printer and select Update Driver.
• Alternatively, visit the HP support page to download and install the latest drivers for the HP OfficeJet Pro 6978.

7. Disable Power Management on Printer Port

1. Open Device Manager.
2. Expand Universal Serial Bus controllers or Ports (COM & LPT).
3. Right-click the USB Root Hub or your printer port, select Properties, and go to the Power Management tab.
4. Uncheck Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power.

8. Use a Static IP Address (For Network Printers)

1. Access the printer's IP address in a web browser (find this in the Wireless Network Test Report).
2. Navigate to the Network Settings section and set a static IP address for the printer.
3. Update the printer's IP address on your computer:
   • Go to Control Panel > Devices and Printers > Printer Properties > Ports > Configure Port, and enter the new IP.

9. Test Printing

• Print a test page to check if the issue is resolved:
  • Control Panel > Devices and Printers > Right-click the printer > Printer Properties > Print Test Page.

Refer to this document:  HP OfficeJet Pro 6978 All-in-One Printer User manual

HP printer is offline or unavailable 

I hope this helps. 

Take care and have a good day.

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