I am unable to get my HP Office jet Pro to work with my iMac

>I have discovered that my printer is unable to connect to wifi. I cannot use an ethernet cable because my mac 24 only has 2 thunderbolt ports.

The way to do this (if the printer is not too far away) is to connect the printer by Ethernet cable to one of the LAN ports of a Wi-Fi router (your home Wi-Fi network). The Mac computer can be wirelessly connected to that same Wi-Fi router. If you use Ethernet for the printer, disconnect the USB cable between printer and computer.

Hi,

What kind of printer driver has been installed? HP's support page for this printer indicates that HP Easy Start can be used for macOS12 Monterey.

https://support.hp.com/us-en/drivers/selfservice/hp-officejet-pro-8100-eprinter-series-n811/4322917/model/4323213

If this for some reason does not work, you could perhaps check whether the HP 5.1.1 Printer Software Update package download from Apple could be used (despite the System Requirements limitation). It may or may not open/install/work. It would be entirely experimental. Look for something like the HP Officejet Pro 8100 version 4.1.1 driver listed in the referenced article Printer and scanner drivers for Mac - Apple Support.

As always, make sure that you have backup copies of all important files before testing anything. Software conflicts cannot be ruled out.

If there is a problem with USB, you may want to try a network connection (Ethernet or Wi-Fi) to a Wi-Fi router instead.

http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c02948312.pdf

Add a printer to your printer list so you can use it on Mac – Apple Support (UK)

Reset the printing system on your Mac to solve a problem – Apple Support (UK)

Thank you for the information. Please note that HP Smart and HP Easy Start are two different things. Anyway, I have to assume that the HP Easy Start application has downloaded the correct driver intended for this very printer model, so questions about compatibility must be directed at HP.

Have you tried to reset the printing system (link above) and re-adding the printer?

Have you tested a network printer connection (this printer can use Ethernet or Wi-Fi) to a router?

If necessary, power cycle (the router and) the printer and the Mac.

Addendum

Albeit not listed in About AirPrint - Apple Support, the OfficeJet Pro 8100 series (OfficeJet Pro 8100 - N811, N811a, N811d) has been mentioned as supporting AirPrint (under Mobile printing support and solutions for OfficeJet printers) in the HP article https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/ish_2843711-2427128-16 .

The driverless AirPrint technology is compatible with macOS, and allows use without additional drivers/software, provided that the printer and the Mac computer are connected to the same network (Wi-Fi router). AirPrint works with wireless (Wi-Fi) or wired Ethernet network connections.

However, since the OfficeJet Pro 8100 series appears to be from approx. 2011, this may be an early AirPrint/firmware version, possibly with many limitations. You could perhaps use an iPhone/iPad in order to check whether there are basic AirPrint capabilities.

Use AirPrint to print from your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support

If this particular printer would work well via AirPrint with a macOS 12 Monterey Mac is another matter.