AC86U WPS not working to connect HP 452nw printer

[murgatroid]

Trying WPS with my AC86U router to connect to HP 452nw printer. Firmware 386.4.

WPS enabled in wireless settings. Connection status remains idle. Printer never connects.

The router button blinks few times when I either push Start in the router GUI or push the button on the router.

Is there a trick? Is there a bug?

Right now I'm getting by with the WiFi Direct feature but I'd rather have the printer on my household wifi network.

 

[ColinTaylor]

There were a couple of similar reports of WPS not working here and here. TBH I don't think very many people use WPS. Can you not connect your printer "normally" to the WiFi network?

 

[OzarkEdge]

WPS may work but the printer may not like the router WiFi settings. (Wiring it would be simple... maybe, faster, and more robust.)

OE

 

[Tech Junky]

I noticed with my Canon it only works on 2.4G and not on 5G. So, it might be dependent on which network WPS is being activated for if you're using different SSID's for each band or the printer isn't smart enough to connect on the desired band. Also, it might be difficult to connect while the SSID is hidden.

With Canon there's a utility in the driver setup for WIFI configuration that while connected via USB you can input the network info to connect to and it works fine from that point on w/o cabling needed. Cheaper WIFI printers don't have a NIC to connect to Ethernet anyway so it's a moot point.

 

[murgatroid]

There were a couple of similar reports of WPS not working here and here. TBH I don't think very many people use WPS. Can you not connect your printer "normally" to the WiFi network?

No, the geniuses who designed didn't include a way to key in the SSID and password. It's either Wi-Fi Direct (seperate network) or WPS.

It may be possible to plug in an Ethernet cable and enter the SSID and password.

Still want to know if WPS is supposed to work, because it sure looks like it from the effort put into the WPS page on the GUI.

Clicking the GUI Start button seems to do the same thing as pushing the router button.

 

[murgatroid]

WPS may work but the printer may not like the router WiFi settings. (Wiring it would be simple... maybe, faster, and more robust.)

OE

I used WPS with my old router.

Wiring it is an option. I'd prefer to use the wireless feature I bought. If WPS is officially broken I will probably wire it up.

 

[murgatroid]

I noticed with my Canon it only works on 2.4G and not on 5G. So, it might be dependent on which network WPS is being activated for if you're using different SSID's for each band or the printer isn't smart enough to connect on the desired band. Also, it might be difficult to connect while the SSID is hidden.

With Canon there's a utility in the driver setup for WIFI configuration that while connected via USB you can input the network info to connect to and it works fine from that point on w/o cabling needed. Cheaper WIFI printers don't have a NIC to connect to Ethernet anyway so it's a moot point.

I only have the 2.4G network enabled.

Didn't get any option to enter the info in the setup.

I thought maybe I could connect to the WiFi Direct network and enter the info but I don't have a password. The Internet says the default is 12345678 but no dice for me.

 

[Tech Junky]

Wiring it is an option.

I would do that then and then see if you can go to the DHCP IP and manage the printer from there.

 

[ColinTaylor]

No, the geniuses who designed didn't include a way to key in the SSID and password. It's either Wi-Fi Direct (seperate network) or WPS.

The usual HP instructions are to run the setup program and after you say you want to set it up wirelessly to "temporarily connect a USB cable".

It may be possible to plug in an Ethernet cable and enter the SSID and password.

This should work. At least that's always been the case with HP printers in the past (including my current M252dw).

 

[murgatroid]

I plugged it in. So much for a wireless connection.

Thank you for your replies.

 

[OzarkEdge]

I used WPS with my old router.

Wiring it is an option. I'd prefer to use the wireless feature I bought. If WPS is officially broken I will probably wire it up.

The new router is a new network, and perhaps with different WiFi settings/conditions (don't know and don't care to ask ). WPS may be functioning properly on the new router but maybe the printer doesn't like a new network WiFi setting... the band, the channel, the bandwidth, the WiFi mode, the Authentication method, the password length or a character, radio interference from other WiFi or cordless devices while using WPS, etc... anything is possible. Frankly, it's not worth trying to figure out when you can wire it for an ultimately better user experience.

Wiring it requires a wire, but after that it will all work better. You will spend no time messing with it over the years when your WiFi acts up... and it will when you need to be printing and getting real work done.

Now that it is wired, try browsing to the printer's IP address. If it has a webUI, you may be able to manually enter your WiFi credentials there and see what happens.

And you may want to disable the printer's WiFi Direct AP... maybe that signal is conflicting with your new network WiFi and/or the WPS comms. Disable all unnecessary WiFi Direct signals you can the minute they come in the door... they are everywhere these days.

Yes, wireless is great, but it's not trouble-free, so... "if it doesn't move, wire it"... this will save you much time and trouble messing with it over the years of use. This is just one area where IoT is going off the rails... consumers are filling their homes up with stationary WiFi headaches in waiting.

OE

 

[murgatroid]

Yes, I disabled Direct WiFi... no need for extra interference.

Yes, no doubt that a wire is great, but it still sucks that WPS didn't work. It's not always convenient to run a wire. Part of the reason I bought a wireless printer was that I could put it anywhere without having to worry about running a wire.

I'm doubtful that it's a problem on the printer side but no longer care to run a controlled experiment to narrow it down.

Thank you for your reply.

I hope this thread serves as a warning/help to those who are getting nowhere with WPS. It'd be nice for a dev to say one way or another if the WPS feature is robust.

 

[OzarkEdge]

It'd be nice for a dev to say one way or another if the WPS feature is robust.

Asus doesn't really participate here.

I suspect WPS works fine, in general... it's how AiMesh adds nodes. There is no knowing what the issue is on your end until you figure it out. I appreciate your disappointment but I would not prejudge anything or at all. IT includes a certain amount of disappointment... I just try to keep it to a minimum.

I stopped buying HP printers when the company slumped and it began to show... poor software, premature end of driver support, and the last straw was when their consumer printers started looking like shiny white porcelain potties... then black/dusty boxes... all ugly.

Maybe there is a firmware or driver update for your printer. Yes, I know it worked with your old router, but that doesn't mean much with newer technology.

OE

 

[Tech Junky]

Maybe there is a firmware or driver update for your printer. Yes, I know it worked with your old router, but that doesn't mean much with newer technology.

Beyond printers....

I have a NIC that has a fit with Linux kernels. If I use 5.14.RC7 on a system with 8700K CPU that's as new of a kernel I can use. If I use a 12700K CPU then it works on 5.15.x but hangs on 5.16.x.

@murgatroid
So, I feel the pain but, being wired to the printer and going to the http://x.x.x.x should yield a configuration page where you can adjust the WIFI / LAN info and be wireless again.

 

[murgatroid]

Asus doesn't really participate here.

I suspect WPS works fine, in general... it's how AiMesh adds nodes. There is no knowing what the issue is on your end until you figure it out. I appreciate your disappointment but I would not prejudge anything or at all. IT includes a certain amount of disappointment... I just try to keep it to a minimum.

I stopped buying HP printers when the company slumped and it began to show... poor software, premature end of driver support, and the last straw was when their consumer printers started looking like shiny white porcelain potties... then black/dusty boxes... all ugly.

Maybe there is a firmware or driver update for your printer. Yes, I know it worked with your old router, but that doesn't mean much with newer technology.

OE

I often wonder if there'd be a market for tech that just works, not necessarily cutting edge. I guess Apple tries to control everything and make it smooth but I've never liked the limitations they impose.

 

[OzarkEdge]

@murgatroid
So, I feel the pain but, being wired to the printer and going to the http://x.x.x.x should yield a configuration page where you can adjust the WIFI / LAN info and be wireless again.

Yes, someone with more experience would have marched on through to this in the first 20 minutes to solve the problem and then moved on. No offence intended, OP... this is how IT troubleshooting must be done if you want to get on to the next issue sooner than later!

OE

 

[murgatroid]

Yes, someone with more experience would have marched on through to this in the first 20 minutes to solve the problem and then moved on. No offence intended, OP... this is how IT troubleshooting must be done if you want to get on to the next issue sooner than later!

OE

Why do you assume I am inexperienced? Perhaps I knew this was an option from the start but chafed at the idea of having to run an inconvenient wire at all if there was a chance WPS would work.

I do have it wired now and can set the SSID and password. Now that I've bothered to cleanly wire it up there isn't much point to going wireless.

Well, another case of IT just not working so smoothly.

 

[OzarkEdge]

Why do you assume I am inexperienced? Perhaps I knew this was an option from the start but chafed at the idea of having to run an inconvenient wire at all if there was a chance WPS would work.

I do have it wired now and can set the SSID and password. Now that I've bothered to cleanly wire it up there isn't much point to going wireless.

We have to assume a lot here. It's good to hear you got it working wirelessly as was suggested. Now if you need to relocate the printer, you can. Otherwise, wired is better.

If you just want to be chafed and rant in public, I doubt anyone cares.

OE