# laptop can't print to wireless printer



## Ashanti (Apr 12, 2007)

I have long printed from my laptop to my printer - wirelessly. Some time ago, my wireless router went down and I had to reconfigure to print via USB for awhile. Since the wireless has been back up, I can't print from my laptop. My daughter prints wirelessly from her laptop. My husband prints via USB. I've done my best to make sure my settings are right, but nothing works! One thing - when I got the new router, it couldn't handle my network name the way it had been before, so I changed it. Perhaps that messed something up - but I sure don't know how to know, nor how to fix it. Any ideas out there?!


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## etaf (Oct 2, 2003)

> it couldn't handle my network name the way it had been before, so I changed it.


 yes, you will need to reset the printer to see the new name - if a HP printer they often need to be re-installed again when a new router or change made



> My husband prints via USB.


 The printer may want to be used as either USB or networked NOT both


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## Ashanti (Apr 12, 2007)

Thanks! Here's the deal -- I did set the PRINTER to the new name, but I'm not sure if there's somewhere on my actual laptop that i have to change the printer settings?? Does that make sense? I did uninstall and reinstall software after the name change - twice.  

Re using USB or wireless, but not both... It has worked fine that way for awhile... ?? My daughter currently uses it wireless and my husband USB, without problems. DO you think that is causing problems??:

Thanks for your help! :up:


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

The printer is connected to one computer by USB and also connected to the router by Wi-Fi, right? Can you ping it from your computer?


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## pedroguy (Jan 28, 2001)

Just a thought.I just installed an HP wireless printer,that also supported a usb connection.
I ended up having to define two printer entries(add hardware),One for the wireless option and one to use with the usb option.
I probably missed something in the setup process,but that's how I got it to work.


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## rodcarty (Mar 23, 2011)

Is your laptop Vista of W7? If so you may have two entries for the printer, one USB and one wireless, but not see that there are two. In the Devices and Printers window, if you right-click on your HP printer and put the mouse over the Printer properties menu choice, do you get two choices there? If so, one is USB and one is wireless. Since you're using it wireless, set that one as the default printer and things should work as you want again.


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## Ashanti (Apr 12, 2007)

My husband just plugs in to the USB when he wants to print something. Otherwise it is used wirelessly by my daughter and, normally, me. 

How do I ping it?


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## Ashanti (Apr 12, 2007)

Thanks- I might give that a try.


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## Ashanti (Apr 12, 2007)

rodcarty said:


> Is your laptop Vista of W7? If so you may have two entries for the printer, one USB and one wireless, but not see that there are two. In the Devices and Printers window, if you right-click on your HP printer and put the mouse over the Printer properties menu choice, do you get two choices there? If so, one is USB and one is wireless. Since you're using it wireless, set that one as the default printer and things should work as you want again.


My OS is Windows XP. If I should still check that, I need you to tell me how I get to "Devices and Printers" - I don't remember.


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

With XP look in Printers and Faxes. Or is it Faxes and Printers?

*Start, Run, CMD, OK* to open a command prompt:
(For Vista or 7 type *CMD* in the Search box after *Start*)

Type the following command:

*ping <IP address of printer>*

So, if the printer's address is 192.168.1.234 the command would be

*ping 192.168.1.234*


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## rodcarty (Mar 23, 2011)

Ashanti said:


> My OS is Windows XP. If I should still check that, I need you to tell me how I get to "Devices and Printers" - I don't remember.


Click the start button, click on Control Panel, double click on Printers and Faxes. But if you have XP each instance of the same model of printer will show separately. If you have only one instance of that printer in your XP computer's list, does it show that it's connected by USB or wireless? In the Printers and Faxes window, right-click on the printer, then left-click on Properties. In the printer properties window that comes up, click the Ports tab and see what it's connected to. If it's USB then there's your problem.

It's probably easiest to uninstall the printer, then reinstall it. You will need the HP install disk. Uninstall the printer software by going back to the control panel, then double-click Add or Remove Programs. scroll through the list until you find the entry for the HP printer, then click on it and click the Change/Remove button and choose uninstall.


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## Ashanti (Apr 12, 2007)

Okay -- I removed the printer... totally removed/uninstalled everything HP from my computer,and started from scratch.THIS time it installed fine.Yea!!!!! Thanks to all of you for your help!


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