How do I bypass the wireless option on my HP Laser Jet printer and just use the ol' fashioned cable connection at the back of the printer with the USB plug-in? Can't print naymore because my MFP M26m doesn't have the software beyond 10.15. Stinks. Surely, I can just plug it in and print directly? Thanks. /Michael.
MacBook Air 11″, macOS 10.15
Thanks to both for the responses. I followed the directions, went to 123.hp.com, downloaded the latest driver package, deleted the printer from Preferences, clicked away, set it up again, fresh, chose USB and not wireless for the option. Noticed that the printer is showing an added 'E079AE' in brackets after the 'MFP M26w'. Wasn't there before. Maybe this was the trick.
Anyway, finally printed with the USB cable attached. I guess I need not ditch the HP after all. Whew. Just saved a few hundred dollars.
Thanks again. /M.
Thanks to both for the responses. I followed the directions, went to 123.hp.com, downloaded the latest driver package, deleted the printer from Preferences, clicked away, set it up again, fresh, chose USB and not wireless for the option. Noticed that the printer is showing an added 'E079AE' in brackets after the 'MFP M26w'. Wasn't there before. Maybe this was the trick.
Anyway, finally printed with the USB cable attached. I guess I need not ditch the HP after all. Whew. Just saved a few hundred dollars.
Thanks again. /M.
Surely, I can just plug it in and print directly? Thanks. /Michael.
You'd still need a printer driver. Plug it in and Add a printer in Printers & Scanners in system preferences. It should recognize that there is a printer and perhaps download the appropriate driver. If there isn't one, then it won't work.
Hi,
You could also try resetting the printing system, before (re)adding the printer as suggested by Barney-15E.
Reset the Mac printing system to solve a problem - Apple Support
Add a printer on Mac - Apple Support
Please check the exact model. Is it possibly an HP LaserJet Pro MFP M26nw? If so, it appears to be using a special PCLmS printer driver.
http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c05190421.pdf
If a suitable driver cannot be found, you could perhaps look for compatible drivers for other (similar) HP printers using the PCLmS language (this is not standard PCL). For older HP printer models, one idea may be a search for PCLmS under Printer Data Stream in an article like https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/information-printers-hp . See also HP Printer Drivers v5.1 for macOS and Printer and scanner drivers for Mac - Apple Support . This may or may not work. As with any experiment, software conflicts cannot be ruled out. Data may be lost. So, make sure that you have multiple backup copies (on separate media) of all important files (documents, photos, et cetera).
If absolutely nothing else works, an HP LaserJet Pro MFP m26nw seems to be partially supported by HPLIP for Linux.
https://developers.hp.com/hp-linux-imaging-and-printing/supported_devices/index
This means that it should be possible to use a spare old PC as a print server, running an appropriate earlier version of the free Ubuntu operating system. The printer can be connected to a USB port on that PC, and could then be shared on a network (a few simple steps). Ubuntu uses CUPS, and understands Bonjour/mDNS.
Thank you for the report. Good news.
Printing with USB Cable, Bypassing Wireless?
