Printer Setup, Software & Drivers

Why is HP Smart so dumb.  I need it to trigger my scanning function and it says it cannot connect with my printer.  Now my Tablet can and print, my phone can an print, I can print in all my applications on three different computers.  In other words, the WiFi connection is there but for whatever reason, HP software cannot find its own printer/scanner and copier.  Windows can find it.  IOS can find it.  HP Smart cannot.  So I uninstalled it and reinstalled it.  I downloaded the software to install my printer again.  Even though it found the printer it gives me a network cannot be found error.  That makes no sense.  It found my IP address, found the printer but then cannot connect with the same printer online.  So as a scanner, my printer is a brick.  I can print but God forbid I wanted to use one of the tools in HP smart.  Photos with the Smart Card reader? A brick.  So basically two of the three functions I purchased the printer for I cannot use.  Now I can connect with a USB cable and use that way, so I know the functions work but Smart is a dummy when it comes to finding my HP printer online.  Thankfully this must have been a software update glitch because it did do the original install wireless.  Help on this issue from HP is nonexistant so I am hoping a user ran into this and there is some fix I did not try.  Owe and the troubleshooter the install software sent me too did the same failed process the download software tried.  What is it the say about repeating the same failed process and expecting a different result?