HP 8600 goes to sleep, disappears from network

[bbrob123]

I have a new HP 8600, Windows 7, AT&T router.  Everything works just fine except the

printer goes to sleep and  the router can't find it.  The front panel is dark and when awakened it

shows it is connected with good signal strength.  It ain't!  I have to turn off wireless, then

turn on wireless, it takes a few seconds and connects again and I am back in business.

For maybe 30 minutes.  If I don't print again it will go back to sleep and disconnect from the

network.  I have gone into setup and told it to stay available from 12:01 AM to 11:59 PM.

The printer is in the next room so this is a pain in the posterior.  I would like the  thing

to print or scan at ALL times and not (as it seems) when it feels like it.  I read the article on

the AT&T routers but none of that seems to apply in my case.

I LOVE my printer and the new HP Laptop I just got.  I keep long hours and I want my printer

to stay awake with me.  When my wife tries to print and it won't, she YELLS at me from the

other end of the house.  HELP! please....

[-JohnB-]

hi there bbrob123,

Sorry to hear this problem is causing you to catch heat from the Mrs. Try the steps outlined in this article and let us know if it helps. 

Best of Luck!

[bbrob123]

Tried all the tricks but it still goes to sleep and won't wake up without walking into the next room and first "turning off" the network  (it says it is on and displays signal strength) and then turning it back on.

I think the problem is the Energy Save Mode.  You get a choice of letting it go to sleep after 5, 10, or 15 minutes to "minimize the amount of power that the device consumes when it is idle and reduces wear on electronic components."

Well, I don't want to minimize the power and I have my doubts about the amount of wear that happens when it is on.  I just want the thing to STAY ON!  I have had HP printers since the 70's and they always stayed on.

What it needs is one more option:  DISABLE ENERGY SAVE MODE.  I believe that would solve the problem.  I'll bet it wouldn't take a software engineer 5 minutes to conjure up a fix.  OR make the wireless mode stay on at all times so it can hear when a request for print is made.  It sounds simple to me, but I am a simple man 🙂

If I used a USB cable the problem would probably go away - for the one computer connected to it, but that would defeat the whole purpose of being wireless.

After all the fooling around with it I really think it is working like it is supposed to, given the parameters that can be changed.  I hope you guys can come up with a software solution - the wife knows exactly what has happened when I utter an "OH GOSH".  And I know exactly what has happened when I hear her say "Dear, will you please turn on the printer for me?"  (or words to that effect).

Thanks,

Bill

[pctech33]

Let's set a static IP address for the printer:

- Print a Network Config Page from the front of the printer. Note the printer's IP address.
- Type that IP address into a browser to reveal the printer's internal settings.
- Choose the Networking tab, then Wireless along the left side, then the IPv4 tab.
- On this screen you want to set a Manual IP. You need to set an IP address outside the range that the router automatically sets (called the DHCP range). If you do not know the range, change the last set of numbers (those after the last '.') to 250
- Use 255.255.255.0 for the subnet (unless you know it is different, if so, use that)
- Enter your router's IP (on the Network Config Page) for the gateway.
- Enter 8.8.8.8 for the first DNS and 8.8.4.4 for the second DNS.
- Click 'Apply'.

Now, shut down the router and printer, start the router, wait, then start the printer.

After this you may need to redo 'Add a Printer' using the new IP address.

[bbrob123]

Followed your instructions to the letter, had to reinstall the printer as you said, and after 15 minutes of inactivity  it went to sleep and won't wake up.

The printer display says it is connected, the signal strengh bars are all lit up but my coputer says there is NO COMPUTER AVAILABLE.  I still have to turn off the network and then turn on the network and everything works just fine.  Until it is idle for 15 minutes.

I am getting the idea that this is not a common problem.  Am I correct in that thinking?

Thanks,

Bill

[CPRLADY]

I am having the same exact problem with a HP 6510.  Tried the static address with know improvement.  I have a thread going too.  I'll let you know if I find a solution.  I'm wondering if there is some kind of security setting in the router that is blocking wake-up calls?

Another Bill with an HP problem.

[bbrob123]

Hello Bill,

Sorry to hear you are having a problem too, but I am glad to know that it isn't just me.  I'm going to call customer service tomorrow and see if I can get something "official" going.  I will let you know if/when I find out anything.

Bill

[Binary_Zen · Accepted solution]

Hi,

As a troubleshooting step, try connecting the printer to the router via an ethernet cable (cat5). This is just to find out if the printer and the router are having problems communicating via wireless.

[bbrob123]

BINGO! 

Cabled it last night and 12 hours later it was still accessible.

I have called At&T several times about losing connection to the internet.  I have explained what the modem (furnished by AT&T) does and they assure me that it is not a problem with the modem. 

Many times a day all the lights go out with he exception of the power light (stays green).  THAT, they say, means there is not a problem with the modem.

After a few seconds (up to a minute or so) the Broadband light starts flashing red.  Seconds later while it is still flashing red the Wireless light will come back on green.  Seconds later the Broadband light goes green and seconds after that the Service light goes green.

It sure seems to me that there is a problem with the modem. 

Your thoughts, please?

Thanks,

Bill

[bbrob123]

Just got off the phone with Ma Bell.  I got a tech that absolutely agreed with me that the modem is faulty.  I should have a new one by Friday.

Many thanks to all that contibuted.  I am considering this problem solved and NOT attributable to HP.

Bill