WiFi Printer Problems

I am having way more problems connecting printer to Windows 11 than I ever had with any other Windows product. Progress is a amazing that in the Microsoft world. I was unable to connect a Samsung ML-2160 via wifi and since I have been having jamming problems with this older printer I decided to upgrade. Enter HP M203dw. Looked like connecting with that WPM number might be a snap. Wrong. Will not connect. I tried and retried 4 or five times. Each time the printer spits out the major WPM number which fails every time until it seemed to work. But no, it didn't. No icon in Word when I went there to try and test my shiny new printer, and when I go back to "Bluetooth Devices>Printers & Scanners" I have an entry for the printer saying "Driver is unavailable" and most concerning, no "carat" to select to do anything with the printer. It nicely matches the same entry for the Samsung ML-2160.

You left out what you did to get to this point so I will ask a couple questions.

I assume the first thing you did was setup the printer with your router so that the printer had an IP address assigned to it. Did you do that?

The next step is to download and install the driver for the printer from HP. Did you do that?

BTW, I have using HP printers for 30 years. The only drive I download and install now is the Basic Driver.

No I did nothing with my printer and router. Had no idea I had to do that.

Stan Denman said:

No I did nothing with my printer and router. Had no idea I had to do that.

Click to expand...

If your printer is using WiFi to connect to your router you have to configure both so that the printer gets an IP address. Only then can the setup software on the computer find the printer and use it.

I don't know anything about your printer so I can only use mine as an example.

When my printer is connected to the router using WiFi a blue symbol appears on the printer display. If that symbol doesn't appear I need to configure the WiFi. The easiest way is to use WPS. There should be a button on your printer control panel for this.



Once you select WPS for the printer you need to start the WPS on your router. There should be a button on your router to start WPS. On the routers I have had I had to hold this button down for a few seconds for the WPS light on the router to start flashing. Once the light starts flashing the printer should automatically connect to the router within a minute or two. If you have a problem you might have to start the process again.

Once the WPS process completes the printer should have an IP address assigned to it. There be some setting on the printer control panel to show the wireless status. Here is what it shows on my printer.



Once your printer has an IP address you need to go to the HP support website and download the driver for it. you can find the driver software on the following web page:

Software and drivers for HP LaserJet Pro M203dw Printer



HP encourages you to use the HP Smart app to set up your printer. If I were doing it I would just use the Basic Driver. It is up to you which setup software to use. Notes

• During the driver setup the printer must be turned on
• During the setup software will scan for your printer on your network. It identifies your printer by its IP address that was assigned to it

I've always downloaded & used the Full feature software & drivers that is shown in MrEd's diagram above.
The only time I've had a problem [which turned out to be that I was an idiot], I used HP Print & Scan Doctor to solve it for me.


Best of luck,
Denis

The smart app does it all really. How times change.

Try3 said:

I've always downloaded & used the Full feature software & drivers that is shown in MrEd's diagram above.
The only time I've had a problem [which turned out to be that I was an idiot], I used HP Print & Scan Doctor to solve it for me.


Best of luck,
Denis

Click to expand...

Please explain what benefit the Full Feature Software and Driver download has over just the Basic Driver download. BTW, it is not enough to just say that is what HP recommends. Of course, even that is no longer true because now they recommend HP Smart.

I stopped downloading the Full Feature Software and Driver over 10 years ago. The Basic Driver has everything I need.

I confined myself to saying what I do because I am not able to compare the choices.
Like the OP, I have a printer-scanner. Mine is the HP LaserJet M477fdw.
My Full feature software & drivers includes the scanning software.
- I would imagine that a benefit of Full feature software & drivers over the Basic Driver might be the inclusion of scanner software.
- I can see above that the HP Smart app has a Scan button and I think it includes scanning software.
- I have no idea if Full feature software & drivers has any benefit over modern versions of the HP Smart app, which I tried once very briefly & ditched*** but that was ten years ago.


*** Upon checking my notes I can see that the HP Smart app required me to create & sign into an HP Account in order to access all printer functions. That seems to be when I bailed out.


All the best,
Denis

Try3 said:

I confined myself to saying what I do because I am not able to compare the choices.
Like the OP, I have a printer-scanner. Mine is the HP LaserJet M477fdw.
My Full feature software & drivers includes the scanning software.
- I would imagine that a benefit of Full feature software & drivers over the Basic Driver might be the inclusion of scanner software.
- I can see above that the HP Smart app has a Scan button so it might also include scanning software.
- I have no idea if Full feature software & drivers has any benefit over modern versions of the HP Smart app, which I tried once very briefly & ditched but that was ten years ago.


All the best,
Denis

Click to expand...

But the Basic Driver does include the same Scanning and Printing software as the Full Feature Software and Driver. The only difference I found was that the Full Feature Software and Driver contained optional software. Since I always unchecked and didn't install any of this software, one day it dawned on me that why bother to download the Full Feature version when the Basic version had all that I needed.

I found HP Smart contained a dumbed down interface and tried to convince me to sign up for their ink subscription. BTW, since I don't want HP Smart I tried uninstalling it. Unfortunately, like a virus it keeps coming back.

Try3 said:

HP Smart app required me to create & sign into an HP Account in order to access all printer functions. That seems to be when I bailed out.

Click to expand...

Me, too. I personally use the full feature software packages. I will say, I've set up a couple of recently purchased HP printers and the HP smart app is all that's offered along with basic driver. No full feature packages at all.

glasskuter said:

I've set up a couple of recently purchased HP printers and the HP smart app is all that's offered along with basic driver

Click to expand...

I'm hoping to avoid having any new printer for quite some time.
I bought my excellent HP LaserJet M477fdw printer five years ago when it was on offer for only £250 and discounts like that just don't seem to exist any more.

glasskuter said:

Me, too

Click to expand...

But I have finally bought a decent Windows 11 test laptop [Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 16inch] that I am gradually setting up as a very low priority so, when I eventually reach the printer setup, I could try the Smart app.
If all it needs is an HP Account for just the setup procedure then that's just an annoyance rather than an encumbrance.
I'll let you know how I get on but please don't hold your breath. My target completion date is the 13th of October 2025.


All the best,
Denis

I'm just using the Microsoft IPP class driver on an M252 DW. Never bothered to get the actual HP bloatware driver but the wife has it. Ain't networking grande?

I am using an orbi mesh system (terrible). Are we taking about the orbi router, or are we talking about the box from ATT? Neither has a WPS button.

Stan Denman said:

I am using an orbi mesh system (terrible). Are we taking about the orbi router, or are we talking about the box from ATT? Neither has a WPS button.

Click to expand...

Have you tried to search or ask on the Orbi Community?
This is the Support for the Orbi which seems to be Netgear:


Scroll down to Knowledge base.

Community:

Search Results | NETGEAR

I am going to give up and just connect via cable. Thanks for the responses.

Stan Denman said:

I am going to give up and just connect via cable.

Click to expand...

That's a shame. Didn't Print & scan doctor help at all?

Try3 said:

The only time I've had a problem [which turned out to be that I was an idiot], I used HP Print & Scan Doctor to solve it for me.

Click to expand...

Denis

HP Scan Doctor will not find the printer either.

Stan Denman said:

HP Scan Doctor will not find the printer either.

Click to expand...

But did you connect the printer to the router? If you don't understand something about this let us know. We will be glad to help.

Yes connecting the printer to the router has been the whole problem. I have an orbi mesh RBR10 which does not have support for WPS. I have nothing but trouble with it since day 1: internet drops, speeds can be terrible such that my RingCentral call quality is affected. They claim to support WPS. how? Look at this page - a two-sentence help article. Which unit do I press synch on? the main router? or the satellite? or both? ("OK honey I am pressing my synch button - you do the same"). Anyway pressing the synch button did not work. I have ordered an Amazon Eero 6 mesh system and will throw the orbi in the trash where it belongs!

I skipped over most post so this might have been mentioned. Most of the times I tried installing an HP printer I had to connect it to my computer using the USB port to connect it to the computer. My opinion from trying to use HP Smart in the past. It should be named HP Stupid. I know others like it but I don't and doubt I ever will.