This article will guide you on how to fix the HP printer not responding to ping issue within minutes.
Table of Contents
HP Printer Not Responding to Ping [Cause]
The HP printer not responding to ping problem is caused by some DSL wireless router/modem gateway combinations that have the Home Phoneline Network Alliance or HPNA (HomePNA) feature made available by certain Internet Service Providers. The models that are usually the cause of this problem are (but are not exclusive to) CenturyLink 2100T and 2000T, AT&T 5268AC (U-verse), and Home Hub 2000 models.
HP Printer Not Responding to Ping [Solution]
The solution to the HP printer not responding to ping problem is to update your HP printer firmware to a newer version. We will share with you two methods to update your HP printer firmware. Choose the method that suits and applies to your HP printer model.
How to Update HP Printer Firmware via Printer’s Control Panel – Method 1
This method should be used for printers that use a network connection, and not a USB connection. You can also set your printer to update the printer firmware automatically whenever new updates are released. To use this method, your HP printer must have an internet connection.
The steps for this process vary depending on the control panel of your HP printer. Therefore, follow the instructions below that match the type of control panel your HP printer has.
White Background Touchscreen Control Panel
Do the following to update your HP printer if it has a white background touchscreen control panel:
Step 1: Ensure that you connect your HP printer either to a wireless or Ethernet (wired) network that has a working internet connection.
Step 2: Go to the control panel home screen.
Step 3: Open the control panel “Dashboard” by swiping the tab located in the upper area of your printer’s screen.
Step 4: Touch the icon for “Setup”.
Step 5: Scroll and then tap “Printer Maintenance”.
Step 6: Tap “Update the Printer”.
Notice: In the event that the option “Update the Printer” isn’t listed, jump to “How to Update HP Printer Firmware via HP Update Utility – Method 2” below.
Step 7: Tap “Check for Printer Updates Now”.
Note: Your HP printer checks for updates automatically and if it finds a new version, it will update the firmware automatically.
Step 8: To set your HP printer to update the printer firmware automatically whenever an update is released do the following:
i. Go to the control panel home screen.
ii. Open the control panel “Dashboard” by swiping the tab located in the upper area of your printer’s screen.
iii. Touch the icon for “Setup”.
iv. Scroll and then tap “Printer Maintenance”.
v. Tap “Update the Printer”.
vi. Tap “Manage Updates”.
vii. Tap “Allow Updates”.
viii. Touch “Yes”.
ix. Press your printer’s “Back” button.
x. Tap “Printer Update Options”.
xi. Touch “Install Automatically (Recommended)”.
Black Background Touchscreen Control Panel
Do the following to update your HP printer if it has a black background touchscreen control panel:
Step 1: Ensure that you connect your HP printer either to a wireless or Ethernet (wired) network that has a working internet connection.
Step 2: Go to the control panel home screen.
Step 3: Touch the icon for “Setup”.
Step 4: Scroll and then touch “Service”.
Step 5: Tap “LaserJet Update”.
Notice: In the event that the option “LaserJet Update” isn’t listed, jump to “How to Update HP Printer Firmware via HP Update Utility – Method 2” below.
Step 7: Tap “Check for Updates Now”.
Note: Your HP printer checks for updates automatically and if it finds a new version, it will update the firmware automatically.
Step 8: To set your HP printer to update the printer firmware automatically whenever an update is released do the following:
i. Go to the control panel home screen.
ii. Touch the icon for “Setup”.
iii. Scroll and then touch “Service”.
iv. Tap “LaserJet Update”.
v. Tap “Manage Updates”.
vi. Touch “Allow Updates”.
vii. Touch “Yes”.
viii. Select “ON” for the option: “Check automatically”.
2-Line LCD Keypad Control Panel
Do the following to update your HP printer if it has a 2-line LCD keypad control panel:
For HP M454 (dn, nw models), M404 –M405 (dw, dn, n models), and M305dn
Do the steps below to update printer firmware for HP LaserJet Pro M454, M405, M404, and M305 printer models:
Step 1: Ensure that you connect your HP printer either to a wireless or Ethernet (wired) network that has a working internet connection.
Step 2: Check your printer’s control panel and then press the button labeled “OK”. This action will display the control panel home screen.
Step 3: Navigate to “Setup” with the printer’s arrow buttons.
Step 4: Press the printer’s “OK” button.
Step 5: Navigate to “Printer Maintenance” with the printer’s arrow buttons.
Step 6: Press the printer’s “OK” button.
Step 7: Navigate to “Update Firmware” with the printer’s arrow buttons.
Step 8: Press the printer’s “OK” button.
Note: In the event that the option “Update Firmware” isn’t listed, jump to “How to Update HP Printer Firmware via HP Update Utility – Method 2” below.
Step 9: If there is a new firmware update, press the printer’s “OK” button. This action will start the process of updating your printer firmware.
For Other 2-line LCD Keypad Control Panel
Do the steps below to update printer firmware for HP LaserJet Pro printers with 2-line LCD keypad control panels (M454, M405, M404, and M305 printer models excluded):
Step 1: Ensure that you connect your HP printer either to a wireless or Ethernet (wired) network that has a working internet connection.
Step 2: Check your printer’s control panel and then press the button labeled “OK”. This action will open your printer’s “Setup” menu.
Step 3: Navigate to the “Service” menu with the printer’s arrow buttons.
Step 4: Press the printer’s “OK” button.
Step 5: Navigate to “LaserJet Update” with the printer’s arrow buttons.
Note: In the event that the option “LaserJet Update” isn’t listed, jump to “How to Update HP Printer Firmware via HP Update Utility – Method 2” below.
Step 6: Choose “Check for Update”.
Note: Your HP printer checks for updates automatically and if it finds a new version, it will update the firmware automatically.
Step 7: To set your HP printer to update the printer firmware automatically whenever an update is released do the following:
i. Go to the control panel home screen.
ii. Press the printer’s “OK” button. This action will open your printer’s “Setup” menu.
iii. Navigate to the “Service” menu with the printer’s arrow buttons.
iv. Press the printer’s “OK” button.
v. Navigate to “LaserJet Update” with the printer’s arrow buttons.
vi. Press the printer’s “OK” button.
vii. Navigate to “Manage Updates” with the printer’s arrow buttons.
vii. Press the printer’s “OK” button.
viii. Select “YES” for the option: “Allow Updates”.
vii. Select “ON” for the option: “Automatic Check”.
If method 1 does not fix the HP printer not responding to ping problem, try method 2 below.
How to Update HP Printer Firmware via HP Update Utility – Method 2
This method can be used to download and then install the HP Printer Update utility manually.
Notice: Only this method can be used to update the firmware of HP printers using a USB connection. However, you can use this method for HP printers that use a network (wireless or wired) connection.
Note: This method will only work if you have already installed an HP print driver for your printer model.
Preparing for the Firmware Update
Do the following to prepare for your HP printer firmware update:
Step 1: Print out a printer status or network setting page. This will be used to check your printer’s firmware version.
To print the network setting or printer status page, do these:
i. Go to the control panel, and then press the printer’s “OK” button. This action will display the control panel home screen.
ii. Navigate to the “Setup” menu with the printer’s arrow buttons.
iii. Press the printer’s “OK” button.
iv. Navigate to the “Reports” menu with the printer’s arrow buttons.
v. Press the printer’s “OK” button.
vi. Choose “Printer Network Configuration Report”. This will print out a network settings page.
Alternately you can choose “Printer status report”.
vii. Write down the firmware version on a piece of paper.
Step 2: Download your HP printer firmware file.
i. Open an internet browser on your computer.
ii. Enter this address: http://www.hp.com/go/support in the browser’s address bar.
iii. Click on “Software and Drivers”.
iv. Click on “Printer”.
v. Type the name of your HP printer model in the field for search.
vi. Click on “Submit”.
vii. Find “Firmware Update” in the section for “Firmware”
viii. Click on “Download”.
ix. Save the firmware file to your computer.
Updating the Printer Firmware on Windows
To update the printer firmware on Windows, do the following steps:
Step 1: Go to the folder where the firmware “.exe” file was saved.
Step 2: Double-click on the firmware file. This action will open the printer utility and begin the update.
Step 3: Wait until the printer utility finds the printers that are connected to your computer via network or USB.
Step 4: Choose your HP printer.
Step 5: Click on “Update”.
Note: Your HP printer’s control panel will show the status of the update. It will first display “Updating…”, and then when the files have been transferred, the display message will become “Downloading…”
Step 6: Wait for your HP machine to reboot into a Ready status once the download of the firmware is complete. Note that the reboot will occur automatically.
Step 7: Confirm that update was successful by printing a Printer Status Report or Printer Network Configuration Report with the steps we shared earlier. Once the report is printed, check if the printer firmware version is different.
If it is, then the update was successful.
If it is not different, then it means the old version is the current version.
Step 8: Click “OK”. This action will close the printer utility.
Updating the Printer Firmware on macOS
To update the printer firmware on macOS, do the following steps:
Step 1: Go to the folder where the firmware “.dmg” file was saved.
Step 2: Double-click on the firmware file. This action will save three files to your desktop.
Step 3: Click on the file “HP Firmware Updater”. This will create a file on your desktop with the name “HP LaserJet Pro M404 M405 XXXX”. “XXXX” stands for the number of the printer firmware version.
Step 4: Click on this firmware file to begin the process of updating your HP printer firmware. This action will open the printer utility.
Step 5: Wait until the printer utility finds the printers that are connected to your computer via network or USB.
Step 6: Choose your HP printer.
Step 7: Click “Continue”.
Step 8: Click on “Continue” again.
Note: Your HP printer’s control panel will show the status of the update. It will first display “Updating…”, and then when the files have been transferred, the display message will become “Downloading…”
Step 9: Wait for your HP machine to reboot into a Ready status once the download of the firmware is complete. Note that the reboot will occur automatically.
Step 10: Confirm that update was successful by printing a Printer Status Report or Printer Network Configuration Report with the steps we shared earlier. Once the report is printed, check if the printer firmware version is different.
If it is, then the update was successful.
If it is not different, then it means the old version is the current version.
Step 11: Click “Done”. This action will close the printer utility.
We recommend that you read this article: HP Printer Is Not Responding [Proven Solutions] if you are interested in learning more about how to solve other HP printer not responding issues.
HP Printer Not Responding to Ping [Workaround]
You can work around the HP printer not responding to ping by disabling the HPNA (HomePNA) feature on your DSL wireless router/modem.
Note: You can only disable the HomePNA feature on CenturyLink C2100T and C2000T models, and AT&T U-Verse 5268AC models.
How to Disable HomePNA Feature on CenturyLink C2100T and C2000T Modems
To disable the HomePNA feature on CenturyLink C2100T and C2000T modems, do the following steps:
Step 1: Check the label on the router/modem for the following and write it down somewhere or capture it with your smartphone camera:
i. Admin password
ii. Device access code
iii. IP address
Step 2: Open an internet browser on your computer that has an active internet connection.
Step 3: In the browser’s address bar, type your router/modem’s IP address. Ensure that you don’t make a mistake when typing the IP address.
Step 4: Press the “Enter” key on your keyboard.
Step 5: When you get a prompt, type the router/modem’s Admin password.
Step 6: Click “Apply”.
Step 7: Choose “Modem Status”.
Step 8: Check the screen’s left pane and choose “Connection Status”.
Step 9: Choose the option “HPNA Status”.
Step 10: Choose the option “Disable HPNA”.
The HPNA should now be displayed as “Disabled”.
How to Disable HomePNA Feature on AT&T U-Verse 5268AC Modems
To disable the HomePNA feature on AT&T U-Verse 5268AC modems, do the following steps:
Step 1: Check for a label on your router/modem for the following and write it down somewhere or capture it with your smartphone camera:
i. Advanced device configuration
ii. Device access code
iii. IP address
Step 2: Open an internet browser on your computer that has an active internet connection.
Step 3: In the browser’s address bar, type your router/modem’s IP address. Ensure that you don’t make a mistake when typing the IP address.
Step 4: Press the “Enter” key on your keyboard.
Step 5: Wait for the AT&T U-verse page to open, and then click on the tab labeled “Settings”.
Step 6: Click on the tab labeled “LAN”.
Step 7: Choose the option “Wired Interfaces”.
Step 8: Clear the option “HomePNA Networking”.
Step 9: Click on “Save”.
Step 10: Type the router/modem’s Access Code number.
Step 11: Click “Submit”.
The screen will display “Configuration Successful”.
Other Modems including Home Hub 2000
Other modems including Home Hub 2000 that we did not list above do not have the setting that allows you to disable the HomePNA feature. Therefore, for such modems, we recommend that you connect via Ethernet cable or print via USB cable.
