Scanner communication cannot be established.

[raychelle]

I have a Photosmart 5520 series printer-- I've had it for almost a year now.  I've always had no problems printing or scanning.  Out of the blue, today, it scanned a warped, off-kilter 3 page letter.  I decided to power down the printer and back on.  Then it started giving me this message:

Scanner communication cannot be established.  Photosmart 5520 series [4EABA] is currently unavailable.  Ensure your device is powered on, check the connection, and ensure your network is functioning properly.  If these conditions are correct, restart the device and try scanning again.

I restarted quite a number of times, even tried quitting the scanner app on desktop and back on, checked the WiFi connection, all good--- still get the same message.  I found a posting on this site with HP Scan Doctor, but it was only for PCs and this house is 100% Mac.  Help?

[Simple1234 · Accepted solution]

Is the printer networked (wireless or LAN on the router)? You might have DHCP on the router (this is the default), and everytime you power on the printer, the router might give it a new IP address, and this will cause "communication error" as the computer looking at it's cached data, is still trying to talk to the printer on the other address. You need to wait a few minutes for the computer to re-discover the printer, or just reboot the computer.
If you know how to assign fixed IP address on the router, do that, it can avoid a lot of headaches like this.

[raychelle]

Many thanks-- it worked... guess you were right--- waiting helps! 🙂

[jeffreydellis]

I always got FULL SAME **bleep** PROBLEM FOR OVER 25 TIMES.  NEVER FINALLY SOLVED SINCE PURCHASED MY PRINTER AT ALL.  HELP!!!  HELP!!! HELP!!!  I REALLY NEED YOUR HELP VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY IMMEDIATELY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I AM VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY TIRED OF THE FULL SAME **bleep** PROBLEM FOR OVER 25 TIMES AT ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jeffreydellis]

I always got FULL SAME **bleep** PROBLEM FOR OVER 25 TIMES.  NEVER FINALLY SOLVED SINCE PURCHASED MY PRINTER AT ALL.  HELP!!!  HELP!!! HELP!!!  I REALLY NEED YOUR HELP VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY IMMEDIATELY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I AM VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY TIRED OF THE FULL SAME **bleep** PROBLEM FOR OVER 25 TIMES AT ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I HAVE FIGHTING FOR OVER 25 TIMES: HAD TO UNINSTALL AND REINSTALL FOR OVER 25 TIMES AND STILL HAVE FULL SAME **bleep** PROBLEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jeffreydellis]

THERE IS NOTHING I CAN DO AT ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jeffreydellis]

I HAVE DONE REPEATLY FOR OVER 25 TIMES AND STILL HAVE FULL SAME **bleep** PROBLEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  SOMETHING MUST BE **bleep**ED UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jeffreydellis]

I have FULL OF **bleep** SAME PROBLEM WITH HP SCANNER COMMUNICATION ON HP COLOR LASERJET 476dw AT ALL.  PLEASE HELP ME HOW TO FIX AND GET WORK AGAIN.  I ALWAYS HAVE FULL OF **bleep** SAME PROBLEM ALL THE TIMES FOR PAST A YEAR, **bleep**!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jeffreydellis]

I always got FULL SAME **bleep** PROBLEM FOR OVER 25 TIMES.  NEVER FINALLY SOLVED SINCE PURCHASED MY PRINTER AT ALL.  HELP!!!  HELP!!! HELP!!!  I REALLY NEED YOUR HELP VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY IMMEDIATELY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I AM VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY TIRED OF THE FULL SAME **bleep** PROBLEM FOR OVER 25 TIMES AT ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[mrweir3]

The definitation of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result.

Maybe you should buy a new printer type and give up on HP.