HP Officejet Pro 8720 printing works scanning is often broken

[NormAtHome]

So I have this HP Officejet pro 8720 which had been installed for years on a Windows 10 computer; due to the pending death of Windows 10 we just upgraded to a new Windows 11 version 24H2 computer (Asus z790 motherboard, i5-14600K cpu, 32gb ram etc, 1tb SSD 80% free space) and installed the printer using the latest available software. Now the printer portion has been working fine with no problem whatsoever, however the scanner portion has been first broken with error "the printer is not connected" then we fixed that with the latest HP print and scan doctor and it worked fine for a couple days then we went to use the scanner again (we don't necessarily use it everyday) and again we got this error message and running the print and scan doctor fixed the problem.

This is a small office environment, there is a single computer in the office hardwired by Ethernet to the Verizon router while the Officejet Pro 8720 is attached by wireless. For the sake of testing the Windows Defender Firewall is disabled and the problem still happened until the print and scan doctor was run. So why does this keep happening and why do we keep having to run the print and scan doctor to get the scanner to work when the printer always works without any problem?

[Max3Aj]

@NormAtHome, Welcome to HP Support Community. 

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you. 
This issue is actually a fairly common scenario with HP multifunction printers (like your OfficeJet Pro 8720) in Windows 11 environments, especially with wireless connectivity. Let’s break down why this happens and how to fix it for good.

🔍 Why the scanner keeps failing (but printer works)

1. Different protocols:
   • Printing and scanning use different network protocols.
   • Printing often uses IPP or TCP/IP, while scanning uses WIA/TWAIN/ICA over WSD or HTTP.
   • Your printer stays reachable via IP for printing, but scanner services fail to respond, especially after network or sleep events.
2. Windows 11 & WSD/Firewall Services:
   • Windows 11 version 24H2 may be handling WSD (Web Services for Devices) or network discovery differently than Windows 10.
   • Even with the firewall off, services like Function Discovery Resource Publication and SSDP Discovery might not be starting automatically — these are essential for scanning to work.
3. Wireless Instability / DHCP IP changes:
   • If the printer gets a new IP (e.g., after reboot, sleep, or network re-connection), the scanner binding in Windows gets stale.
   • That’s why running HP Print and Scan Doctor refreshes the scanner path and services, temporarily fixing the issue.

✅ How to Fix It Permanently

Here’s a checklist to make your scanner stable long-term:

Assign a Static IP to the Printer

• On the printer screen:
  • Go to Settings > Network Setup > Wireless Settings > Advanced Settings > IP Settings.
  • Set a manual/static IP address (outside DHCP range of your router — e.g., 192.168.1.250).
• Then reinstall the printer using this IP.

Manually Add Scanner via IP

• Open Windows Fax and Scan or Windows Scan App.
• Or go to:

Control Panel > Devices and Printers > Add a device > Add a printer or scanner

• Click “The printer that I want isn't listed”.
• Choose “Add a printer using a TCP/IP address or hostname”.
• Use the static IP you assigned.
• This makes Windows bind directly to that address — avoiding future disconnects.

Disable WSD Port for Scanner (if applicable)

• In Control Panel > Devices and Printers:
  • Right-click the printer > Printer Properties > Ports tab.
  • If it’s using WSD, uncheck it.
  • Click Add Port > Standard TCP/IP Port, and enter your static IP.

Set Essential Services to Automatic

Ensure these services are enabled and set to Automatic:

• Function Discovery Provider Host
• Function Discovery Resource Publication
• SSDP Discovery
• UPnP Device Host

Press Win + R, type services.msc, and check them.

Use HP Smart Instead of HP Scan / Fax and Scan

• Sometimes the HP Smart app maintains more consistent scanner connections with newer Windows versions.
• Get it from the Microsoft Store.

I hope this helps. 

Take care and have a good day. 

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution. Select "Yes" on the bottom left to say “Thanks” for helping! 

Max3Aj

HP Support 

[NormAtHome]

Obviously this is a lot of things to try and test. As I mentioned in my post, this is a one person small office (there are only three devices attached to the router, the computer, a Xerox copier and this HP 8720) and from the day we started trying to use the scanner and had this problem with the printer cannot be contacted etc the printer has had an address of 192.168.1.4 and it has never changed over the two weeks we've been dealing with this problem. So I feel confident that the problem isn't an IP addressing issue but just to keep that from being one I set the printer to that 192.168.1.4 statically and took that address out of the DHCP pool so it can't be assigned to any device.

Some of these other things I'm going to have to work on.

[Max3Aj]

@NormAtHome, Thanks for the update. Since the printer’s been on a consistent static IP and DHCP is out of the equation, you’ve already taken care of one of the biggest culprits. That really helps narrow this down. With that in mind, and since you’re in a small, controlled setup, here’s a pared-down and prioritized plan based on what you’ve already done and observed:

These don’t require massive setup or constant maintenance:

Switch Scanner/Printer Port from WSD to Standard TCP/IP

Even with a static IP, if Windows is using WSD protocol under the hood, this can cause flaky scanner connections.

• Go to:
  Control Panel > Devices and Printers > Right-click your HP OfficeJet > Printer Properties > Ports.
• If it says WSD, do this:
  • Click Add Port > Standard TCP/IP Port.
  • Enter 192.168.1.4 as the IP.
  • Choose HP JetDirect – Socket or Raw Port 9100 if prompted.
  • Apply and check this new port.

Even though this is under printer properties, it influences how the scan driver discovers the device too.

Reinstall with HP Easy Start (and Disable Auto WSD Detection)

When you install the printer, HP software often defaults back to WSD, even if it sees the IP.

• Download and run HP Easy Start.
• Choose manual IP-based installation, if that option comes up — sometimes it’s in a small “advanced” section during setup.
• After installation, open the HP Scan app (not Windows Fax & Scan or the HP Smart App initially) and test scanning.

Enable Key Windows Services (One-Time Setup)

Make sure the following services are enabled and set to automatic — this takes just a few minutes:

• Hit Win + R, type services.msc.
• Look for these and set them to Automatic (Delayed Start):
  • Function Discovery Resource Publication
  • Function Discovery Provider Host
  • SSDP Discovery
  • UPnP Device Host

These help keep the scanner visible to the OS across restarts, even if your network config is stable.

Your print works because it talks to the raw IP address over TCP. Scanning relies more on Windows-level discovery mechanisms that love to break silently when:

• The system sleeps
• The printer reboots
• Windows updates something under the hood

Once you’ve swapped off WSD and verified the scanner with the HP Scan app, it should be pretty much set. The HP Print and Scan Doctor essentially rebinds the IP and resets the Windows WIA binding — you won’t need that anymore once it’s stabilized on a direct port.

Take care and have a great day.

Max3Aj

HP Support

[NormAtHome]

The printer object in Devices and Printers was using a WSD port and I switched it to a TCP/IP port, two of the four services you mentioned were on manual start and not running: Function Discovery Resource Publication and UPnP Device Host so I set those to automatic start and then manually started those services. I did have to run the HP Print & Scan Doctor one more time and when I left the office the scan was working but I'll have to wait a few days to see if it continues to work on a day to day basis.

[Max3Aj]

@NormAtHome, Great progress! It sounds like you're on the right track now with the TCP/IP port and the services running properly. Setting those services to automatic is key to keeping everything stable, and I’m glad it helped restore scanning functionality.
 

Since you had to run the HP Print & Scan Doctor again after the changes, it’s a good sign that the system is starting to stabilize. The Print & Scan Doctor usually fixes issues related to the device being "forgotten" or not properly connected after a restart or network change, so this could indicate that the scan connection is still in a slightly sensitive state. 

But with the services running and the TCP/IP port properly set, I think the stability should improve over time.

Next Steps:

• Test for a few days: As you plan, give it a couple of days of regular use to confirm whether scanning continues to work consistently.
• If you notice any more intermittent issues, it might be worth double-checking:

1. Windows updates: Sometimes updates can reset network settings, so keep an eye on whether any recent updates cause disruptions.
2. Printer firmware: Ensure the printer firmware is up to date to avoid compatibility issues.

I hope this helps!

If my response resolves your issue, please click “Accepted Solution” to help others find the answer. Also, don’t forget to click the “Yes” button to say thanks!

Take care and have a great day.

Max3Aj

HP Support