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My HP 8020 goes offline so often. I would like to bypass the WiFi and connect to my Acer laptop with an Ethernet cable or a USB to USB cable. I have tried and it insists I get on the internet.

Is this possible, using a direct cable?

Amy
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    Welcome to SU. Please be specific... when you connect the printer with USB cable, who exactly insists you get on the internet to do exactly what? Maybe you can provide a screenshot? What exactly is your Operating System? Please don't answer in comments, [edit](https://superuser.com/posts/1777216/edit) your question instead to add new info so it's up-to-date and everything relevant readily available. – Peregrino69 Apr 03 '23 at 19:18
  • Did you check for printer firmware updates to see if that corrects your wifi issues? – cybernard Apr 06 '23 at 13:34

3 Answers3

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To disable wifi, use the printer's menu.

  1. Go through the menu and click settings.
  2. Click wireless.
  3. Click wireless settings.
  4. Click disable wireless and then click ok.

Now connect a USB Type-A male to Type-B male cable to your printer and laptop, and allow the HP software to connect the devices via its wizard.

Alternatively, your printer allows direct ethernet connection via a CAT5 or CAT6 patch cable, which can be easily source from any IT hardware vendor.

spikey_richie
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According to the Printer setup guide for: HP OfficeJet Pro 8020 All-in-One Printer series, you may connect your printer directly to your computer with a USB cable, which will solve all your problems.

This requires installing on the laptop the HP Smart app to complete setup and support.

The article also contains a link to HP printer setup (USB cable).

If you opt for using USB, read all the information in these articles and then follow it exactly. The printer won't then insist on an internet connection, since the HP Smart app will have it from your computer.

harrymc
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    "which will solve all your problems" - it's still a HP printer, so there will be another problem along in a few minutes :D – spikey_richie Apr 04 '23 at 09:51
  • @spikey_richie: Bitter experience? – harrymc Apr 04 '23 at 09:52
  • @spikey_richie - I've had an HP colour laser printer since 2015 and have had exactly zero problems in that time. – Michael Harvey Apr 04 '23 at 10:05
  • @MichaelHarvey Non-ancient HP printers are dodgy as - more then once HP has modified deployed printers to limit their functionality with remote firmware updates (eg disabling afteemarket ink cartridges/requiring cartridges with ink in them to be replaced for the printer to work) - https://www.theverge.com/2023/3/11/23635168/hp-printer-update-brick-third-party-ink-dynamic-security and https://www.howtogeek.com/403346/hps-ink-subscription-has-drm-that-disables-your-printer-cartridges/ - not trusting hp with an internet is prudent. Buying other brands even more-so. – davidgo Apr 04 '23 at 10:23
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    @davidgo - I agree about inkjets. I decided at the time never to buy another one. I don't know that a 2015 model is exactly 'ancient'. They carried on selling them for a number of years, there's still a similar model today, and my local Ikea (Bristol, UK) uses them for printing stuff out for customers. – Michael Harvey Apr 04 '23 at 11:03
  • We have an AIO HP which has now been decommissioned due to the issues. The last one; the paper feed tray snapped off with no force applied. – spikey_richie Apr 04 '23 at 11:44
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As the printer has an ethernet port, you can connect it to one of the RJ-45 ports on your router. You may need to disable wireless, as @spikey_richie suggested.

Then give the printer an IP address (best done by reserving one on the router) and "add a printer from "devices and printers". Tell it it is a local printer, and it is not listed. Create a Standard TCP/IP Port for its IP address. When asked to select a model, select it from the list, or browse to the location of the driver files

hdhondt
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