Scan 8720 printer

[jproterra]

Installed the HP Officejet Pro 8720 software and have the 8720 printer & laptop (Windows 7 (64-bit)  running wireless.  When I try to scan from the lap top and click scan I get a pop up saying "Unable to communicate with Scanner".  There is an option to click "FIX" which takes some time to go through and it does fix it, but next time I scan it does the same thing.  I found that instead of clicking "FIX" I can just close the unable to communicat pop-up and retry to scan which does work after doing this 2 or 3 times.  Why doesn't the scan work the 1st time it is used?   Thanks

[greenturtle]

Hi,

Thanks for using the HP Forums.

Can you try using a TCP/IP port?

Create a TCP IP port

1. Print a Configuration Page to get the printer's IPv4 address (you can also tap on the wireless icon on the Front panel of your Printer to get the IP address)
2. On your PC, go to Control Panel, from Devices and Printers, right click the printer and left click Printer Properties, select the Ports tab.
3. Click Add Port, select Standard TCP/IP Port, then select New Port and follow the wizard.
4. Type in the proper IP address for the printer.

This video resource will show you how to do it:

Create & Use TCP IP port

Note that you can ALWAYS revert back to the original port that the HP software installed by selecting the HP port under the Ports tab (in Printer Properties)

Let us know if that works

[jproterra · Accepted solution]

Sorry for not getting back sooner, was testing the TCP/IP port that I created that replaced the port that was made when downloading the HP Officejet Pro 8720 software.  The new port is working great and all is okay.  What is troublesome is I spent 2 days working on this issue, and I’m guessing others have also.  Question for HP; why didn’t the “port” that was created with the HP 8720 software work.  I have two other HP printers in other locations Envy 4500 & Envy 4630 and didn’t have this problem with the HP software ports that were downloaded.  Keep in mind I’m only an average computer guy and not an expert, so I could be doing some things incorrectly.

[greenturtle]

Hi @jproterra,

Glad to hear that your issue is resolved and all is working well now.

Have a nice day!

[jproterra]

The new TCP/IP port I made worked great for about a week until a power failure and then the port number changed on its own.  Instead of making a new TCP/IP port, I got a HP pop up "to fix" the problem when the printer could not be found and it made a new port that wasn't called a TCP/IP port, it was called CN7BA----- HP Network Re-Discovery Port Monitor HP OfficeJet Pro 8720 (network).  All is working okay now and hopefully this new port name won't change like the TCP/IP port did.