Your printer keeps going offline, and each time you check, its IP address differs from the one your computer expects. Most routers hand out addresses automatically through DHCP and don't promise the same one each time, especially after a power cut, a router restart or a few days with the printer off. Phones usually cope, but Windows ports tied to a fixed number don't. This guide shows how to lock the address in place and point every computer at it.
What you might be seeing
- The printer goes offline after the router restarts or the power blinks
- The address on the printer's network report differs from the Windows port
- Re-adding the printer fixes it until the next time
- Phones still print while Windows computers can't
Common causes
- Dynamic address assignment
- The router's DHCP service lends addresses for a limited time and may give the printer a different one later.
- Router restart or replacement
- A rebooted or new router may forget earlier assignments and hand out addresses in a new order.
- Port tied to an old number
- A Standard TCP/IP port in Windows stores a fixed address and doesn't follow the printer.
- Two devices handing out addresses
- A second router or a mesh system in router mode creates another address range, so the printer flips between them.
How to fix it, step by step
Work through these in order and test a print after each one. Most people are done within the first few steps.
When setting a static address, never choose one another device already uses. Two devices with the same address will both drop off the network.
Note the printer's address and MAC address
Print a network configuration page from the printer's setup or reports menu. Write down the IPv4 address, such as 192.168.1.40, and the MAC or hardware address, six pairs of letters and numbers separated by colons or dashes. The MAC address never changes, and the router uses it to recognize the printer.
TipPrinters with both Wi-Fi and Ethernet have a separate MAC address for each, so note the one for the connection you use.
Reserve the address in your router
On a Windows computer, run
ipconfigin Command Prompt and note the Default Gateway. Type that address into a browser and sign in with the router's admin password, often printed on its label. Look for DHCP reservation, Address reservation or Static lease under LAN or network settings, add the printer's MAC address with its current IP, save, and restart the printer. Router apps often offer the same option.Or set a static address on the printer
If the router can't reserve addresses, change the printer's IP configuration from Automatic or DHCP to Manual and pick an address outside the router's automatic range. If the router hands out 192.168.1.100 to 192.168.1.199, for example, use 192.168.1.50. Copy the subnet mask and gateway from the configuration page, and use the gateway as the DNS server if asked. Choose one method, not both.
Update the port on each Windows computer
Open Printers & scanners, select the printer, choose Printer properties and open Ports. With the checked Standard TCP/IP port highlighted, select Configure Port and replace the old number in Printer Name or IP Address with the reserved one. Select OK and Apply, repeat on every Windows computer that uses the printer, and print a test page from each.
Check Macs, phones and tablets
Macs that added the printer from the Default list follow it by name and reconnect on their own. If a Mac used the IP tab, remove the printer in System Settings › Printers & Scanners and add it again with the new address. iPhones, iPads, Android phones and Chromebooks look printers up by name each time they print, so they rarely need changes.
Look for a second router handing out addresses
Compare the first three numbers of the printer's address with your computer's, shown by
ipconfig. If they sometimes differ, such as 192.168.0 one day and 192.168.1 another, two devices are acting as routers. This often happens when a mesh system or second router is plugged into an internet provider's router. Setting the second device to access point or bridge mode leaves one router in charge of addresses.Lengthen the lease time as a fallback
If you can't make a reservation or set a static address, lengthen the lease time in the router's DHCP settings, for example from one day to a week. Longer leases make address changes rarer but don't prevent them. After any router firmware update, confirm your reservation survived, since some updates reset LAN settings.
How to keep it from happening again
- Reserve addresses for printers whenever you set up a new router
- Keep a printed copy of the printer's network configuration page
- Let only one device on the network hand out addresses
- Check reservations after router firmware updates
Common questions
Is a DHCP reservation better than a static IP?
Usually, yes. A reservation keeps address management in the router, so the printer still receives its gateway and DNS settings automatically and the router never gives that address to anything else. A static address on the printer also works, but you must pick a number outside the router's automatic range yourself.
Will reserving an address affect my other devices?
No. A reservation applies only to the device with that MAC address, and everything else keeps receiving addresses from the router's normal range. It's good practice to reserve addresses for any device other computers need to find, such as printers and network storage.
Why do phones keep printing when my PC can't?
Phones and tablets use AirPrint or Mopria, which look the printer up by name on the local network every time you print, so they find it wherever it moves. A Windows Standard TCP/IP port stores a fixed number and keeps sending jobs to the old address until you update it.
This guide is general information written for common home and office printers. Menus and button names vary between models, so check your printer’s manual where a step differs. Printer Problems Solved is independent and not affiliated with any printer manufacturer. See our disclaimer.