HP Envy Laptop can't find HP2542 Printer

Swanseajack

Since being reunited with my faithful HP2542 printer, (it's been in storage 3 months) I am unable to enable its 'discovery' on my HP Envy laptop, and therefore can't connect it to my new WiFi. I have tried a few things but have got myself tied up in knots really. I'm not terribly tech-savvy but know enough to have tried a few YouTube suggestions, but nothing seems to help. I have tried to connect the WiFi through the WPS button on the router, but I guess if the laptop is unable to find the printer, there's nothing to connect. It all feels a bit chicken and egg, but suffice to say it was working brilliantly before I moved house. If someone could suggest a few steps to try I'd be very grateful. Thanks, Jack

35har1old

Swanseajack said:

Since being reunited with my faithful HP2542 printer, (it's been in storage 3 months) I am unable to enable its 'discovery' on my HP Envy laptop, and therefore can't connect it to my new WiFi. I have tried a few things but have got myself tied up in knots really. I'm not terribly tech-savvy but know enough to have tried a few YouTube suggestions, but nothing seems to help. I have tried to connect the WiFi through the WPS button on the router, but I guess if the laptop is unable to find the printer, there's nothing to connect. It all feels a bit chicken and egg, but suffice to say it was working brilliantly before I moved house. If someone could suggest a few steps to try I'd be very grateful. Thanks, Jack

Are you not trying to connect with a usb cable?
Do you have the drivers cd for the printer?

Swanseajack

The laptop gave me the option to connect via the WPS (if my router had that button, which it does) so that's what I went with, albeit failed. I didn't quite understand the USB cable option, my printer doesn't have a USB port and I don't have a double ended USB cable anyway, but I'm not sure if they meant an ethernet cable, but isn't that really old fashioned, and I don't think that I'd still have one of those in my possession.
I don't have any CDs for the printer I'm afraid, it was purchased quite a few years (and moves) ago.

Neil_Jones

YOu don't need the CD.

Here you go, here's the drivers for it:

https://support.hp.com/au-en/product/details/hp-deskjet-2540-all-in-one-printer-series/model/5385253

That is a wifi and USB printer.

According to documentation you have to set it up as  USB printer before you can set up it up as Wi-Fi, though it may have been overtaken by the HP Smart App.

Swanseajack

Thanks so much, I'll give that a go in the morning. Much obliged for your help, all the best.

jshm2

Swanseajack said:

Since being reunited with my faithful HP2542 printer, (it's been in storage 3 months) I am unable to enable its 'discovery' on my HP Envy laptop, and therefore can't connect it to my new WiFi. I have tried a few things but have got myself tied up in knots really. I'm not terribly tech-savvy but know enough to have tried a few YouTube suggestions, but nothing seems to help. I have tried to connect the WiFi through the WPS button on the router, but I guess if the laptop is unable to find the printer, there's nothing to connect. It all feels a bit chicken and egg, but suffice to say it was working brilliantly before I moved house. If someone could suggest a few steps to try I'd be very grateful. Thanks, Jack

These "button WPS" printers are always hit or miss. It's usually faster to attach via USB first, let Windows install the driver.

Then install the app, and let it make the printer wireless.  

J_B

Swanseajack said:

 I didn't quite understand the USB cable option, my printer doesn't have a USB port and I don't have a double ended USB cable anyway, ..........

You need something like this ...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/kenable-Speed-Cable-Printer-24AWG-Black/dp/B072DR9MD4?th=1

Swanseajack

Hi again, and thanks for those extra suggestions of help. I'm back at it now. I went and bought a cable to connect my laptop to printer but not really sure if I've grasped what I'm supposed to do with it. Is the cable supposed to help establish a WiFi connection instead of trying to use the WPS button? I've reset everything I can think of, unplugged router, printer and laptop, waited and turned them all back on again. The laptop seems to have found the printer, but it's telling me it's Offline. When I connect the cable to the printer and plug the USB end into the laptop, it makes a sing-song noise but there's no visible instruction onscreen. I was expecting to see the ISP name with a request for the password. If anybody has any suggestions what to do I'd be very grateful. I'd hoped to print some pics off for grandchild's birthday, but now feeling like a right old duffer, and becoming immensely frustrated! Thanks for any help, Forumites. 

tizerbelle

I have a HP laptop and a HP printer - honestly I gave up with the wireless printing.  It was always hit and miss and an absolute pain in the proverbial.  Now we just make sure wireless is switched off on the printer and just connect via USB when we need to print - no problems whatsoever!

Swanseajack

It's very frustrating isn't it?! The chap in Curry's said it's probably to do with having changed WiFi router to a new Sky Hub, but I didn't really follow what he was saying. I was talking to him about the USB cable, and he said it can be a security risk if you're bypassing the WiFi to print via USB. That has slightly alarmed me! He also suggested using Which's tech support people but I'm not sure how that works. It's extra annoying when things were previously working perfectly normally and then you can't make them work again!

tizerbelle

That Curry's chap needs his !!!!!! kicking and sacking.  There is no security risk whatsoever in printing by connecting the printer and laptop with a USB cable.   

Just switch the printer on, make sure the wireless options are switched off and then connect it by USB cable to the laptop and print direct to the printer - don't use HP Smart.