Printing has stopped working, mostly, and driving me crazy

I have tried it, first at the suggestion of HP for that printer it worked for a few days, as noted above. Then Windows changed the printer port back to the WSD port without my doing anything. When I manually changed it back to the ip port, it still didn't work.

RandySea said:

I have tried it, first at the suggestion of HP for that printer it worked for a few days, as noted above. Then Windows changed the printer port back to the WSD port without my doing anything. When I manually changed it back to the ip port, it still didn't work.

Click to expand...

make a note of the IP addresses of these printers within the router and ensure these addresses are reserved.

then delete all printers from the system including any within the device manager
restart the system

now there should be no reference to any printer on your system
then try setting each printer up manually using static addressing

IP address from the router
gateway address .. example 192.168.1.1
subnet mask 255.255.255.0

save the settings and then try the printer please.

i have my Brother printer/scanner setup manually, on WiFi, within Windows and also within the settings available within the printer itself.
it has static addressing reserved within the router and now 2 desktops, 4 laptops and several phones can connect without issue.

best of luck Steve ..

What software did you run to set up your printer? here is the latest software for your printer:

HP Easy Start Printer Setup Software (Internet connection required for driver installation)
Version: 17.3.16 | 24.3 MB | Jan 28, 2026

HP Universal Scan - Full Feature Software and Driver
Version: 63.6.6364 | 439.6 MB | Nov 3, 2025

HP Universal Scan - Basic Feature Software and Driver
Version: 63.6.6364 | 116.1 MB | Nov 3, 2025

I have an HP OfficeJet Pro 6975 printer. Here is what I normally do to set up my printer:
Note, this is only necessary to do the first time with the printer.
1. Start WPS mode on my router
2. In my printer front panel Wi-Fi settings set WPS mode
3. Using this the printer automatically connects to my router with about 1 minute

For each of my computers I had to do this:
1. I then download and run the Basic Feature Software and Driver program.
2. The software scans for my printer. After it finds it I select it.
3. I continue with the setup until it is done.

Note the only time I had to run the HP driver software again is when there is a driver update. This was usually after a Windows update.

It was even easier to set up the printer on my 20-year old Toshiba laptop running Linux. Right after I turned the printer on Linux automatically found the printer on the network and loaded the HP driver for it.

Thanks. If I have time tomorrow, I'll try it. Meanwhile, I don't understand why it should be necessary since it never was before.

To XxXxX and MisterEd. Thank you again for your suggestions.

Following up on both your suggestions, I should explain my latest tests and failures. My HP shows and has always shown it has an IP address of ending in .68.57. In Settings, Printers, the HP shows connected to the WSD port with a long following string, see screen shot above. I can manually change the HP to an IP port and can then briefly print on the HP. However, after a while or on rebooting in the morning, the port choice will revert to the long WSD port and not print any more from my Lenovo until I again change to port to the IP.
Whatever the HP is set to in Settings, I can still connect to it in HP Smart and, for example, direct it to print a network test, which shows up as Passed.

Meanwhile, my wife has no problem printing to the HP from her Dell. Her Printer/Settings shows the port is the long WSD. It doesn't need to be changed to an IP port. I should add that the things of done on my Lenovo are not affected by whether my wife's Dell is turned on or not.

Note also that we use different VPNs. She uses Norton, I use Mozilla. Turning off Mozilla hasn't helped on my Lenovo. Nor could it explain why Windows keeps changing my printer port selection from the IP to the long WSD.

Both of us use the Norton Smart Firewall. Turning it off hasn't helped me and leaving it on hasn't stopped my wife's Dell from printing. Nor could it explain why Windows keeps changing my printer port selection from the IP to the long WSD.

Last point to repeat, both laptops are close to each other and connect to the same nearby Deco node for WiFi.

One more note. I thought I had posted the versions of my HP software but I guess it isn't up here. I should note that the printer is less than two months old here. I don't remember how it installed initially on my Lenovo, but it did work perfectly at first.
I have HP Smart v. 163.1.1121.0
I can run the new app I recently got from HP also. It will connect to the printer for scanning. But when I try to print the scan result, it just hangs on "connecting to printer". I haven't found any way to get a version number for this app.

i found this in relation to your HP printer

https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/ish_1716406-1413451-16

its a complete walk through on set up and trouble shooting form HP
it maybe of help, best of luck Steve ..

This is very likely an IP/port conflict combined with a Windows spooler issue. Try this step-by-step:

Restart the Print Spooler service (services.msc → Stop → Start).
Remove both printers completely from Windows.
Reboot your PC.
Check each printer’s current IP from the printer display or router.
Reinstall using the standard TCP/IP port with the correct IP (avoid auto-detect).
In port settings, uncheck SNMP Status Enabled.
Reserve static IPs in your DECO router.

In our experience setting up and troubleshooting office print environments at EzSignStore, a clean driver reinstall combined with fixed IP assignment resolves most “printer not responding” issues.