How to troubleshoot HP Printer?

If you are using an HP printer that connects to your computer over a network (wireless or wired), you are likely to have some problems connecting to it. Fortunately, HP has a built-in network troubleshooter to help you resolve these issues. However, before even using that troubleshooter, try a few simple steps first.

Despite her best efforts, 66-year-old Carol Sawyer remains concerned about the struggle to connect a printer to her home's WiFi network.

Even after the Houston native and community volunteer replaced a bug-ridden inkjet with a laser model, her wireless problems persisted, leaving her new HP printer stubbornly off the grid. HP printer troubleshooting steps are easy. "It's all very frustrating," says Sawyer. "The so-called quick setup is an oxymoron." Not even the experts at the local Micro Center Knowledge Bar were able to help her solve the problem. And so, she predicts more than a few YouTube tutorials in her future.

This is what she recommends to troubleshoot HP printer network problems

• Turn off the computer and the printer.

• Wait 30 seconds

• Turn on the printer

• Wait 30 seconds

• Turn on the computer

• After the boot is complete, try printing or scanning again. If everything works fine, stop here. If not, continue with the steps.

• IF the problem persists, double-click HP Solution Center

• Click on the Other option under "Other settings" (see image)

• Click Network Toolbox

• Click Utilities

• Click Run Network Diagnostics and follow the instructions on the screen.

The whole experience makes her feel like "a dinosaur," she admits. However, Sawyer's tests have little to do with her age.

"This confusion and frustration are unfortunately quite common," says Rich Sulin, who runs the printer testing program at Consumer Reports.

In fact, it's one of the most common pain points for printer owners, affecting one in 10 printers, according to CR's annual printer survey. (Ink/toner costs are another frequent source of problems.)

In theory, a wireless connection should allow easy transfer of documents from a laptop or smartphone to a printer. But in reality, it is not always that simple.

What happens?

Much of the problem, says Sulin, stems from people's desire to keep their printers out of sight. And who can blame them? Printers, even home models, tend to be big and ugly.

But hiding them leads to bad connections.

"Most people place their printer where it's most convenient for them, not necessarily where it gets the best WiFi signal," says Michael Duffett, vice president and general manager of inkjet printer marketing at Canon U.S.A.

Even when your laptop and printer are in the same room, the item waiting to print must go from the laptop to the router and back to the printer. So floors, walls, and doors - anything that comes between the router and the printer - can weaken the signal.

And this challenge is compounded by the design of the printer, which is one of the key reasons the setup process can be so annoying. "Unlike smartphones, which have signal strength indicators, most printers don't have an easily visible one," says Sulin. "This makes it difficult to measure the problem."

The displays on current models, the ones that actually have one, also tend to be small. The interfaces do not match the ease of use found on a smartphone or tablet. And many printers rely on multi-touch key input (think pre-iPhone texting) or arrow keys to enter increasingly complex WiFi passwords.

How to fix the problem

Following these steps should resolve the problem, but if problems persist, consider calling the manufacturer's helpline.

Try connecting to the printer with a cable. This allows you to see if the WiFi signal is the problem. If your printer works via a USB cable, then you know you have to move it.

Find a new place for the printer. Ideally, one that is not too far from the router. Although the WiFi signals that send data to our devices may be invisible, you will find that the impediments to those signals are often in plain sight. "There are so many things inside a house that can affect WiFi," says Duffett. "From refrigerators to materials used in the construction of your house, through pipes and even large fish tanks."

If the printer is under a desk or in a closet, move it. If you are in a room with a thick wooden door, open it before trying to print. That's one less barrier to impede the signal.

Check the printer queue. A print job with an error may be holding the line, in which case you simply need to cancel it. A large document can also take longer than expected to download and process. Sulin says, for example, that a file can take longer to travel to a printer from a phone than from a computer.

Restart the printer. If you've owned a piece of technology in the last 20 years, you already know the drill. Unplug the device, wait a minute, and plug it back in. Often times that is enough to fix the problem.

Conclusion

If so, this HP printer troubleshooting tutorial will provide you with an effective guide to the same. Users simply need to follow the guidelines mentioned in this “How to troubleshoot HP printer” tutorial for a comprehensive solution for the printer. In the event of any type of doubt or discrepancy, users can consult at any time the certified technicians who are available throughout the day and throughout the year.