Printer setup ain't what it used to be

[brian_p]

I do have hplip installed. I did NOT have hplip gui installed. I will try gui after I read the rest of the posts.

When you have studied the rest of the posts, it would be good if you came to the following conclusions:

• You have a modern printer that the printing system is designed to cater for.

• No part of HPLIP is needed. It is redundant. It may as well be removed from your system.

• Connecting the printer by wireless is the way forward and will automatically provide a printing service.

[ajgreeny]

The printer setup should tell you somewhere what its IP address is, and you may also be able to find it in your router setup.
I usually set mine using the Reserved IP Addresses in my router setup, but that will depend very much on your router.

[sofasurfer]

I am connected by USB not wireless.
Why did my printer work effortlessly in 16.04 and then when 20.04 came out obviously the process was made less effective?

[brian_p]

I am connected by USB not wireless.

So - set up a wireless connection to get you going. USB is doable, but I do not feel like doing it (unless my arm is twisted).

Why did my printer work effortlessly in 16.04 and then when 20.04 came out obviously the process was made less effective?

Things change. The world moves on. Move on with it.

[Dennis N]

If you initially click on "Additional Printer Settings" instead of "Add" you can get the previous printer dialog. Maybe it will work better for you.

P.S.> Be sure the printer is turned ON.

[sofasurfer]

My printer now APPEARS to be functioning properly after running sudo hp-setup -i. I did read that it is required to have the newest hplip package but that hplip also depends on the newest python which apparently does not support ubuntu 20.04.

[Autodave]

Not a cure, but maybe worth posting since I ran into a similar problem. Aunt's computer running 20.04 with an HP inkjet. I installed 20.04 (previously had Win7 on it) and everything worked fine. Printed test page: good. Few days later she called and said it wouldn't print. Went over and checked everything. Tried new USB cable. No go. Removed HP-Lip and reinstalled. Worked great. Next week, same problem. Removing and installing HP-LIP will make it print. Rebooting the machine stops the printer from working until HP-LIP is removed and reinstalled.

[sofasurfer]

I was going to try that but did not. Now I guess I will since TODAY IT IS NOT WORKING AGAIN. I'm also going to start shopping for a new distro since printing is something I need very much. Manual printer configuration is something that I have never been able to accomplish and that is why I have always been so happy with 16.04. Not being a programmer I can not comprehend why when something work you would choose to downgrade its abilities.
Thanks for your help and suggestions.

[QIII]

Strangely, the two HP printers I have in my home, both more recent than yours, both wireless, were detected quite without any effort on my part running 20.04.

The problem may indeed be USB, but not being there to investigate leaves us unable to say for sure.

As far as distro shopping, do as you wish. That won't make anyone here suddenly admit to having an answer they have withheld from you and we won't beg you to stay, Best of luck to you whichever distro you choose.

[brian_p]

Strangely, the two HP printers I have in my home, both more recent than yours, both wireless, were detected quite without any effort on my part running 20.04.

This is encouraging information and is precisely what the system is designed to do. However. sofasurfer seems determined not to follow the wireless route, in spite of needing printing very much.

The problem may indeed be USB, but not being there to investigate leaves us unable to say for sure.

Ubuntu introduced ippusbxd on 20.04. In general - it was a disaster. I would remove the package. This returns the printing system with USB to the state of 16.04.