Printers are very essential in both personal and organisational activities, and among the best printers are the HP printers. However, one most prevalent problem that can be faced by users is when their printer is an HP printer that does not connect through the USB cable. This problem can occur because of problems with hardware, as well as software or drivers.
In this article, we will know the details of an HP printer not connecting through USB and different ways of troubleshooting this problem.
Why am I unable to connect my HP printer through USB?
Some of the possible causes of the failure of connecting your HP printer using a USB cable are explained below. One needs to know the root of the problem before moving for the right solution to the problem. Here are some common causes:
1. Faulty or Damaged USB Cable
Another obvious cause of why you may find yourself with a failed connection is that the USB cable you are using could be damaged or faulty. If the cable is badly damaged, such as frayed, bent or internally damaged, it will hinder the printer from connecting to the computer.
2. Lose Cable Clamping or improper cable connection.
That is where one can be assured that even if it is the USB cable that seems to be in good working conditions, it can still cause connectivity problems due to loose or wrong connections. Check that the cable is plugged in correctly into the printer and the USB port of your computer, respectively.
3. Old/Corrupt Print via Drivers
Printer drivers act as an interface between the computer and the printer. Incompatibility of drivers makes the printer not connect properly, or if the drivers are corrupt or have become obsolete, then соединение will not be possible. If this is not installed properly or even if it requires an update, it would cause this problem with the drivers.
4. Faulty USB Port
At times, it may be relative to the printer or the USB cable, but could be a problem with the USB port of a computer. An improper or damaged port cannot permit the printer to establish a connection, and this results in connection problems.
5. Operating System Issues
Another type is operating system (OS) conflicts, which sometimes may result in connection issues between your printer and computer. Sometimes due to some specific security updates, sometimes firmware issues, or sometimes the conflict between the operating system and the printer drivers or the printer themselves might also create a barrier to connecting.
6. Printer Hardware Issues
Sometimes it could be due to some internal printed circuitry problems of the printer, not to mention the USB controller section. This could be caused by a faulty USB connection on the printer, or other internal parts of the printer.
Solutions to Apply When an HP Printer Won’t Connect via USB
After that, you should find specific factors that can affect your solution and work on the correction of the problem. If your gateway desktop has already been successfully configured to work with the printer through USB, then you might need to follow these steps in case you have problem reconnecting the Hp printer to the gateway desktop computer.
Check the USB Cable
Inspect the cable for damage. Visible inspect the cable; look for signs of tear such as cuts, fraying, internal damage, or bending. Every scratch may harm the bond, despite the fact that people do not always describe this change in temperance.
Try a Different USB Cable: If this is the case, try using another different USB cable, as it can be a problem causing device. Make certain that you obtain a suitable replacement cable that fits the printer and your computer as well.
Test on a Different USB Port: At other times the problem may be due to faulty or non-functional USB ports on the computer. You might want to try another USB port just to know if it will fix the issue or not.
Frequently, merely connecting the printer again and then restarting all the entire devices will solve the problem.
Turn Off the Printer and Computer: Turn off the printer and the computer in order to clear any occasional bugs that may be present.
Unplug and Reconnect: Check the connection of the USB cable, and if it is disconnected, make sure to reconnect it properly.
Restart the Computer and Printer: This way, switch on the computer first before starting the printer. The connectivity should not be attempted again until both devices have had the chance to complete a full power cycle.
Can’t Connect To Printer—Update or Reinstall Printer Drivers
Printer drivers are other driver kinds that are required for the printer to communicate with the computer it’s connected to. If your HP printer is not connecting to the computer via USB, then updating or reinstalling of drivers is a solution.
Update Drivers:
This is done by visiting the HP Support website and typing your printer model down to find out which drivers are current.
For this, using your browser, go to the manufacturer’s website and get the latest drivers installed on your system.
If it ever needs to be updated, uninstall the driver, then reboot the device and try reconnecting the printer.
Reinstall Drivers:
Connect to your computer and open the Device Manager application, the device manager can be found in the Start menu.
Look for the Printers section, find the Hewlett Packard printer, right click on the icon, and then click on uninstall.
After you have removed the drivers, reinstall the printer via USB, and your operating system should automatically detect the absence of the drivers and guide you in the reinstallation process.
Or else, visit the HP website and download the drivers on your own and install them.
Inspect the USB Port anywhere on the Printer
It is unlikely that every possible troubleshooting procedure will be done on your computer if the USB port of the printer is defective
Inspect the USB Port: If the printer connects to a computer, then start by checking the USB port of the printer for any signs of damage or dust. You have to carry the printer to a service centre if the port appears to be damaged.
Try Wireless Connectivity: In this case, if your printer was capable of the wireless connection, you can use Wi-Fi or Bluetooth for a while until your USB connection problem is solved.
Check the Settings of a Printer on Your Computer
Sometimes, the wrong settings of your printer on the computer might prevent the recognition of the printer through a USB.
Go to Control Panel > Devices and Printers and ensure that your HP printer is set as the default printer by performing a right-click action on it and pressing Set as default.
Check and see if the printer is online. If it still shows that the printer is offline, right click your printer and use the printer online feature.
Print a test page Check the settings and then print a test page as a default test to ensure whether the printer actually works.
Operating System Compatibility
Sometimes, OS updates tend to throw some operating systems out of compliance with certain printers. So if your HP printer stopped working after an OS update, try these
Windows/Mac Compatibility Test: The drivers available on the HP website must also work on your current operating system version, such as your current Windows or Mac OS.
Update operating system: All your operating system update settings should be enacted. Probably, newer operating systems have incorporated updates on printer connection issues.
Rollback Update: The issue may have started with the update of the latest OS loading into the system. Rolling it back will reconnect the printer.
Other Options that can work
If those troubleshooting steps mentioned above didn’t make any thing right, try out these following ones:
1. HP Print and Scan Doctor
HP provides a Print and Scan Doctor that is developed by HP. It helps to solve common print problems. It will then diagnose a problem and attempt to fix it:
Download from the HP Support site and install the HP Print and Scan Doctor
Hit the run on the tool. Select HP printer from the list of already detected devices. All instructions will be displayed on the screen as problems at detection
2. Reset the printer
In many cases, a factory reset on the printer solved software-related issues that prevented connection via USB.
Refer to your user manual or the HP website for instructions on resetting the printer to its factory defaults.
Reboot the printer and reattach it to the computer through USB or reload drivers if necessary.
3. HP Support Contact
In case nothing works in your favour, then it would be inevitable to seek help from HP. The problem may be a lot more profound, thus including malfunctioning hardware or firmware that would require the intervention of a professional. Their customer support will provide you with the more advanced troubleshooting steps or recommend service repair.
Conclusion
It is rather infuriating when HP printers could not even be hooked up via USB; however, this one forms the largest component of a person’s daily operations. But most problems usually pertain to connections, hence, a systematic approach usually reveals the offending elements in the following: checking the USB cable, updating printer drivers, inspection of ports, and verification of settings. If it doesn’t, turn to HP support or a professional tool like HP Print and Scan Doctor. They’ll be able to diagnose the issue and get everything working their best .