Why is My HP Deskjet WiFi Light Blinking?

Ever tuned on your HP Deskjet and just seen the WiFi light blinking? You probably have; otherwise, you wouldn’t be here. It is human to worry, but there is a simple reason for this issue.

The reason HP Deskjet printer WiFi light blinks is that the printer is trying to connect to the wireless network or the existing network has a signal that is too weak.

It is not a problem, though, as you can easily fix this issue by following the instructions given in this article. Now, let’s go!

Why Your HP Deskjet WiFi Light is Blinking

HP Deskjets are all-in-one printers, and they allow you to connect them to your computer or smartphone using a LAN, USB cable, or wireless WiFi connection. The WiFi indicator light signals that a connection has been achieved with the wireless network. If it is blinking incessantly, there is a problem with the connection. 

The lack of connection might come as a result of a few reasons. They are:

• The network is not active anymore, or the signal strength is low. 
• The printer has gone to standby mode or slept
• The distance between the printer and the WiFi router is not optimum. This might be because they are too close or too distant. HP recommends a distance of 1-1.5 meters (3-5 feet)
• There is a VPN (virtual private network) or a firewall preventing the printer from accessing the computer and the wireless network. 
• There is a device like a microwave or cordless phone emitting radio signals. This can interfere with the connection. 

While this might seem overwhelming, it is not much of a problem. You can easily solve it by following the guide in the next section.

How to fix an HP Deskjet WiFi Light Blinking

The essential feature of these HP printers is that they enable printing with no need for USB cables due to the use of a cloud connection. Therefore, when there is an issue with the connection causing blinking lights as such, it is not a trivial issue. Luckily, it is not very difficult to resolve. 

Since the root of the problem is that the printer refuses to connect to the network, the solution is to troubleshoot and find a way to connect it. 

• Check all the connected devices and see if they are working well. 
• Ensure that the printer is within the range of the router.
• Check for possible VPN or router interference. 
• Check for all devices that could help the emitting radio signals. 

How To Connect HP Printer With Network

If the troubleshooting shows that the problem is the printer itself not connecting to the network and not the network having issues, you will have to connect them again. To do this, you have first to restore the WiFi setup mode of the printer. Afterward, connect it to the network using either the HP smart app or software or a WiFi-protected setup. 

Restore WiFi Setup Mode

To start with, restore WiFi setup mode to prepare the printer for WiFi connection. Follow these steps to do this:

1. Press the cancel button. This cancels all operations and readies the system for what you want to do. 
2. Press and hold the wireless and cancel buttons for five seconds till the power button starts flashing.
3. Wait for the light of the wireless button to start blinking. After this, wait for two hours and return to the app or software to add your printer to the network. 

Connect Using HP Smart App/Software

After restoring to WiFi setup mode, install the HP smart app on your phone or the software on your computer. After the installation, do the following to set up the printer on your network:

• Place both your printer and phone or computer near the WiFi router. 
• Turn on the WiFi on the phone or computer and use it to connect to your router. This is an important thing to note, so do not use an Ethernet cable as a replacement for the connection. 
• Enable the Bluetooth of your computer or mobile device to make HP smart app or software detect the printer. 
• In the HP smart app/software, click on Add printer. Or use the + sign to search for the printer. Afterward, follow the in-app instructions to complete the process. 

If the HP smart method isn’t working, try using an alternative method–the WiFi-protected setup. 

Connect Using WiFi protected setup

To use WPS to connect the printer to the network, follow these processes:

• Place the printer within the recommended range of the router. 
• Put the printer in WPS connection mode. Hold the WiFi button and the power button together for five seconds until the blue light starts blinking. 
• After a couple of minutes, hold the WPS button on the router until the connection begins. 
• Now, wait for the wireless light of the printer to stop blinking. When this happens, the connection is in place. 

Conclusion

If you are faced with the red light of an HP Deskjet printer blinking incessantly, you do not have much to worry about. It is just an indication that the printer cannot connect to the wireless network, and you can easily fix it by following the steps mentioned above. However, if they don’t work, you’ll have to contact customer support.