F'ing Printer!!!

Discussion in 'Hardware' started by TimW, Dec 12, 2021.

  1. TimW

    TimW MajorGeeks Administrator - Jedi Malware Expert Staff Member

    Spending hours trying to get this piece of crap to either print via WiFi or through USB cord. HP All in One printer scanner 2725 series. Turned it on and hit WPA button on router...no go. Tried following instructions...inputted the security code....no go. Started with USB cord and got it to print ONCE....but it won't recognize it today. Tried turning it on and plugging in...then tried plugging it in then turning it on. I am about ready to toss this POS. Yes, it use to work fine until we had to switch internet servers.
     
    TimW, Dec 12, 2021
    #1
  2. foogoo

    foogoo Major "foogoo" Geek

    I have a ton of trouble with HP AIOs at work. We static the IPs and when you're installing the software it errors. So the easy fix was leave them online (to report usage) and hook up USB so the user can print. Did you check if the printer port changed from to USB to network? it happens..
     
    foogoo, Dec 12, 2021
    #2
  3. Replicator

    Replicator MajorGeek

    Your PC and printer are not talking to each other across WiFi, establish that all devices needing to connect are on the same network, then run through the troubleshoot.
     
    Replicator, Dec 13, 2021
    #3
  4. Digerati

    Digerati Major Geek Extraordinaire

    I'm with foogoo on this - sort of.

    I never use "static" IP addresses. But always used "Reserved" IP assignments.

    With static, you tell the NIC in the networked device to always ask for a specific IP address. This, IMO, is a PITA to set up as it has to be done locally on each connected device. This means if you have 10 connecting devices you want to have static addresses, you have to deal with potentially 10 different menu systems.

    With Reserved, you do all this for all 10 devices in the router's admin menu - only one menu to learn and use, and you can do all from one computer.

    With Reserved, the router "reserves" that IP address for a specific MAC address. Much easier to setup and use, IMO. For me, I use reserved for my HP AiO and my NAS. I just make sure I pick addresses above all my other connecting devices. That is, I might have 10 computers, smart TVs, cell phone and guests come to use my netowork using 192.168.1.2 through 192.168.1.12. So I set my router to reserve 192.168.1.75 for my HP and .76 for my NAS. No problems connecting with anything - even after extended power outages and all my computer IP numbers shift about when the power is restored.

    My concern, however, is you said you tried USB and it still did not work. Do you mean you tried USB from the router, or to a host computer?

    I might suggest you connect this device directly to a computer and see if it prints okay. This may have nothing to do with networking.
     
    Digerati, Dec 13, 2021
    #4
  5. plodr

    plodr MajorGeek Super Extraordinaire Moderator Staff Member

    I bought my first AIO wireless printer in 2017, an HP 2655. It has never been attached to any computer nor to my router, which is one floor away from the printer. It is simply plugged into a surge protector.
    I found directions on how to set it up using a smart phone. Thank goodness I bought a smart phone 4 months earlier. I followed the instructions and was pleased to find they worked perfectly the first time.

    These are the directions I found online and used to set it up.
    Download the HP Smart AIO Remote app to the phone. (It might be called something else in the 4 years since I bought the printer). When you first boot the app, it will request that you turn on wifi, if it isn't already on and begin searching for the printer. My model uses WiFi direct. (Again I'm not sure if HP still puts this in the AIO printers.) The searching takes anywhere from 30 seconds to 2 minutes. Once it finds the printer, you'll be asked to select your printer from a list and enter your password. This data is transmitted to the printer and it logs into your network. At this point all the computers will see the printer in their devices list.

    It has worked fine for over 4 years. In fact, my husband printed something from his laptop in the tv room to that printer in the basement this morning. He said to me, I love that printer setup. We keep the printer powered up all the time simply because we don't know when we want to print something. He is up at 4am and reading email. Neither of us wants to keep going into the basement to see if the printer is on.
    We lost power for long stretches in the past 12 months: 18 hours on Christmas Day 2020 and 23 hours at the beginning of September 2021. In both cases, when the power came back, the printer was ready to print with no input from us.
     
    plodr, Dec 13, 2021
    #5
  6. TimW

    TimW MajorGeeks Administrator - Jedi Malware Expert Staff Member

    From the printer directly to my laptop. It doesn't show up in available printing devices.
     
    TimW, Dec 13, 2021
    #6
  7. Digerati

    Digerati Major Geek Extraordinaire

    Yeah, that is not good. Assuming the cable is not damaged, it may be time for a new printer. :(

    Does it still work as a local copy machine so it maybe is not a total waste?
     
    Digerati, Dec 13, 2021
    #7
  8. TimW

    TimW MajorGeeks Administrator - Jedi Malware Expert Staff Member

    Somehow, I managed to get it to do an add printer and after pushing the WPA button on the router a few times, it started looking for and found the printer. This time it didn't ask for a password and it did connect with the network. This was a nightmare for weeks!! Thanks all.
     
    TimW, Dec 13, 2021
    #8
    plodr and Replicator like this.
  9. Digerati

    Digerati Major Geek Extraordinaire

    If you have multiple devices printing to this networked printer, I still recommend looking in your router's admin menu for "reserved" IP addresses. On my Netgear, it is under LAN Setup. You "should" be able to see and select the printer, then the router will assign or reserve the IP of your choice to the printer's MAC address. Then rebooting the printer "should" pick up the new, reserved IP address then, and from then on.

    I know "should" is not exactly reassuring, but that is how it "should" work, and does for me, and has for years on many different setups.
     
    Digerati, Dec 13, 2021
    #9
    TimW likes this.

MajorGeeks.Com Menu

Downloads All In One Tweaks \ Android \ Anti-Malware \ Anti-Virus \ Appearance \ Backup \ Browsers \ CD\DVD\Blu-Ray \ Covert Ops \ Drive Utilities \ Drivers \ Graphics \ Internet Tools \ Multimedia \ Networking \ Office Tools \ PC Games \ System Tools \ Mac/Apple/Ipad Downloads

Other News: Top Downloads \ News (Tech) \ Off Base (Other Websites News) \ Way Off Base (Offbeat Stories and Pics)

Social: Facebook \ YouTube \ Twitter \ Tumblr \ Pintrest \ RSS Feeds