In this article, we will guide you on how to fix HP printer error unable to connect to web services,
If your HP printer displays the error “unable to connect to web services”, then do the following troubleshooting to fix the error in the order they are arranged. After trying each item, check if the error is resolved before moving to the next item.
Table of Contents
1. Ensure that Web Services is supported by your HP Printer
How to ensure that Web Services is supported by your HP Printer
To confirm if Web Services is available on your HP printer, do the following:
Step 1: Turn your printer on.
Step 2: Look for either an icon for ePrint or Web Services on your printer’s control panel.
If you can’t find any of these icons on your printer’s control panel or you aren’t certain if your printer supports this service, then you should visit this site for further information.
Step 3: If your HP printer doesn’t support this service, then you should think of getting a new HP printer with this feature.
2. Check your Printer’s Network Connection
How to Check the Wi-Fi Connection of your Printer
Step 1: Ensure that your HP printer isn’t connected via a USB cable.
If your printer is connected this way, connection to Web Services will not be possible.
Step 2: Check the documentation or the support website of the router you are using to verify if it meets the requirements below:
- Check the frequency band. A good number of routers use 2.4 GHz as well as 5.0 GHz; however, some HP printers do not support both. Hence, you need to enable the 2.4 GHz band. In case the router broadcasts different SSIDs (network names) for each frequency band, ensure that you connect your HP printer to that of the 2.4 GHz frequency band. If your HP supports the 5.0 GHz band, you can go ahead and connect it to the SSID of that band.
- Bonjour support for Mac: HP recommends the use of routers with Bonjour support. Hence, if you use a Mac computer, ensure that your router supports this discovery software.
Step 3: Ensure that your HP printer’s connection isn’t on a host or guest network.
Step 4: On your HP printer, open the menu for “Settings” or “Wireless Network” to confirm that the printer’s wireless connection is on. Also, verify that the icon for “Wireless” is solid blue.
If the icon light blinks, then you need to move both your printer and your computer a bit closer to your router. You should also move away large metal devices and objects that send out radio signals.
Step 5: Click the icon for “Wireless” on your PC to see the name of the wireless connection and its status.
- If the network currently selected isn’t your router’s network, click on “Disconnect”, and then connect to your router’s network.
- If you find the signal strength to be weak, then you need to move both your printer and your computer a bit closer to your router. You should also move away large metal devices and objects that send out radio signals.
- If your network status displays as “not connected”, then you should connect to the network. After that, check the network status again. You should see a “connected” status or checkmark beside your router’s network name when the connection is established.
How to Check the Ethernet (Wired) Connection of your Printer
Follow the steps below to check the Ethernet (wired) connection of your HP printer:
Step 1: Ensure that your HP printer isn’t connected via a USB cable.
If your printer is connected this way, connection to Web Services will not be possible.
Step 2: Confirm that the Ethernet cable is well connected to the Ethernet port of your HP printer and then connected to a free port on your router. Once the cable connection is properly done, the ready green light will become steady while the orange indicator will blink.
Step 3: Click the icon for “Wireless” on your PC to see the name of the wireless connection and its status.
- If the network currently selected isn’t your router’s network, click on “Disconnect”, and then connect to your router’s network.
- If you find the signal strength to be weak, then you need to move both your printer and your computer a bit closer to your router. You should also move away large metal devices and objects that send out radio signals.
- If your network status displays as “not connected”, then you should connect to the network. After that, check the network status again. You should see a “connected” status or checkmark beside your router’s network name when the connection is established.
3. Restart your HP Printer, Router, and your Computer
You can resolve the error by restarting all the devices connected via a network.
How to Restart your HP Printer, Router, and your Computer
To restart all the devices connected via a network, do the following:
Step 1: Turn your HP printer off.
Step 2: Remove any cable (Ethernet and USB) from your printer.
Sometimes, these connections might be the reason your printer is unable to connect to a wireless network.
Step 3: Remove the power cable from the back of the router.
Step 4: Wait for about 15 seconds.
Step 5: Plug the power cable back into your router and wait for the indicator lights to indicate that the status is now connected.
Step 6: Restart your computer.
Step 7: Turn your HP printer back on.
4. Turn the Web Services on From the EWS (Embedded Web Server)
How to Turn the Web Services on from the EWS (Embedded Web Server)
Follow the steps below to turn the Web Services on from the EWS (Embedded Web Server):
Step 1: Print out a Wireless Network Test Results or Network Configuration page.
- Inkjet printers (with control panel menu): Open the menu for “Wireless”, “Setup”, or “Network Settings” to find the list of existing reports.
- Inkjet printers (without control panel menu): Press the “Information” and “Wireless” buttons at once. Or you can press the buttons for “Start Copy Black” and “Wireless” at once.
- LaserJet printers: Press down the button for “Wireless” until the Ready indicator light blinks or for about 10 seconds. Or you could enter the menu for Wireless, and then choose “Wireless Network Test”.
- Neverstop Laser and Laser NS printers: Press down the “Wireless” and “Resume” buttons at once for about 3 seconds.
- Tango, ENVY 6400 and 6000, DeskJet 6400 and 6000 printers: Press down the button for “Information”. Do this until you see the button lights on the control panel come on. After that, press the “Resume” and “Information” buttons at once.
Step 2: From the Network Configuration Page, find the URL for the EWS address.
If you discover that the URL is “http://0.0.0.0”, then it means your HP printer isn’t on any network connection. Therefore, you should reconnect the printer to your chosen network before checking for the EWS URL again.
Step 3: Open a web browser on your PC.
Step 4: Enter the EWS URL in the address bar of the browser. Press “Enter” after that.
Step 5: If a certificate or login window pops up, you need to fill in the information to open the EWS.
- If the screen displays a website security certificate, then you should click on “Continue”. This will cause your HP printer’s homepage to open.
- If the screen opens a login window, then enter “admin” as the username. After that, type in the PIN that is on the printer’s label either at the back or underneath the printer. Or you could use the administrator’s password.
Step 6: Click on the tab for “Web Services” on the Embedded Web Server webpage.
Step 7: Click on “Continue”, “Enable”, or “Turn On”. After that, follow the onscreen instructions to turn the Web Services on.
5. Check the Internet Proxy Settings – HP Printer Error Unable To Connect To Web Services
If your network uses proxy servers, you can update the settings of the printer’s Web Services using the proxy information.
How to Check the Internet Proxy Settings on Windows
To check the internet proxy settings on Windows, do these steps:
Step 1: On your Windows computer, search for “internet”.
Step 2: Click on “Internet Options”.
Step 3: Click on the tab for “Connections” when the window for “Internet Properties” opens.
Step 4: You should choose your network if necessary.
Step 5: Click on “Settings”. This action will allow you to see the internet proxy settings.
Step 6: Find and jot down the values in the fields for “Address” as well as “Port” underneath “Proxy Server”.
Step 7: Open your HP printer via the HP Smart App. Or you could just type in the IP address of your HP printer into the address bar of an internet browser.
Step 8: Click on the tab for “Web Services” from the Embedded Web Server.
Step 9: Click on “Proxy Settings”.
Step 10: Type in the values for “Address” as well as “Port” which you wrote down earlier.
Step 11: Click on “Apply”.
How to Check the Internet Proxy Settings on Windows
Step 1: Open your computer’s “System Preferences”.
Step 2: Click on “Network”.
Step 3: Click on “Advanced” in the window for “Network”.
Step 4: Click on the tab for “Proxies”.
Step 5: Choose your proxy.
Step 6: Jot down the proxy server value for “Address” and that of “Port”.
Step 7: Open your HP printer via the HP Smart App. Or you could just type in the IP address of your HP printer into the address bar of an internet browser.
Step 8: Click on the tab for “Web Services” from the Embedded Web Server.
Step 9: Click on “Proxy Settings”.
Step 10: Type in the values for “Address” as well as “Port” which you wrote down earlier.
Step 11: Click on “Apply”.
6. Update your HP Printer Firmware
To update the printer firmware, we recommend you follow the instructions under the “Update your Printer Firmware” subsection of this HP printer error and solutions – How do I fix the printhead error on my HP printer article.
If you are experiencing the “HP printer error unregistered”, then updating the firmware can easily fix this error.
7. Update Your Router Firmware
How to Update your Router Firmware
To update your router firmware, follow these steps:
Step 1: To update your router, you will need the IP address, user name, as well as password of your router brand.
If you don’t know this information, you can consult the user manual of your product or contact your router manufacturer.
Step 2: After getting those details, you will then enter the IP address into the address bar of a web browser. After that, press the “Enter” key on your keyboard.
Step 3: When the homepage of the router comes on screen, enter the router’s user name as well as the password.
Step 4: Click on the menu for “Administration”, “Maintenance”, “Tools”, or “Utilities” as the case may be to update the firmware.
8. Restore your Printer to Factory Defaults
How to Restore HP Touchscreen Printers to Factory Defaults
To restore HP touchscreen printers to factory defaults, do the following:
Step 1: Touch the icon for “Setup” on the control panel.
Step 2: Touch the “Printer Maintenance” option.
Step 3: Touch “Restore”.
Step 4: Tap on “Restore Factory Defaults”.
Step 5: When prompted, touch “Continue”. This action will complete the restoration of your printer to factory defaults.
To learn about other HP printer errors and how to fix them, we recommend this article: HP Printer Errors and Solutions [Detailed].
How to Restore HP Non-Touchscreen Printers to Factory Defaults
To restore HP non-touchscreen printers to factory defaults, do the following:
Step 1: Open your HP printer via the HP Smart App. Or you could just type in the IP address of your HP printer into the address bar of an internet browser.
Step 2: Click on the tab for “System” or “Settings”.
Step 3: Enter your administrator password for your printer if you are prompted. You can also enter the PIN found on your printer label if you don’t have the administrator password.
Step 4: Find and open the menu for “Services” or “Restore Defaults”.
Step 5: Click on “Restore Factory Defaults”. This action will complete the restoration of your printer to factory defaults.
9. Service your HP Printer
If none of the above fixes the error, then you need to service your printer. Contact HP customer support so that they can fix a time when repair or replacement if necessary will be done.
