>>>>Hi,
>>>>
>>>>I have Officejet Pro 8600 printer/scanner that I have been using via a wireless connection. But the wireless often time fails and I have to reset the router every time (to resolve the issue).
>>>>
>>>>I would like to connect the PC to this printer using a cable. In the back of the printer there is a universal USB port. There is also a USB port in the front of the printer. So, it is logical to assume that these ports are supposed to allow connecting the PC. But the user manual has not mentioning on how to connect PC to the printer with the cable. As far as the universal USB port, the manual says that "If you are connecting a digital camera, change the USB mode of the camera to
>>>>storage mode, and then connect one end of the USB cable to the camera." But nothing about computer.
>>>>
>>>>Does it mean that this printer is designed to be used only via Wireless connection?
>>>>
>>>>TIA
>>>
>>>The PDF manual I found online also mentions an Ethernet port on the back -- perhaps you could use that one instead of using wireless? As for the USB ports, the manual I found does mention using USB connection with computer, but doesn't specify if it is the one in front or back -- I am apt to think that the one on the rear is the one you'd want to use to connect to computer and the one in front is the one for connecting thumbdrive or digital camera.
>>>BTW, how good of a wireless signal is being registered at the printer? and computer? If the signal strength appears to be high, then could you be encountering a situation where multiple wireless access points could be interfering?
>>
>>First, it is interesting that I updated my message and somehow you were able to reply to the original message. This, according to what I understand, should not happen here on UT. But, anyway.
>>
>>I did connect the printer and the computer with an USB cable and it works. That is, now I see two printers available (on my PC): one HP 8600 Network and HP 8600 (meaning hardwired). And when printing or scanning, I can select either one.
>>
>>As far as the signal. Yes, both the computer and the printer show very good and strong signal. The router and the PC and the printer are all in the same office (about 15'x15'). I don't know why I have to reboot the router to make the wireless connection work. When it does not work I cannot ping the printer (I can see its IP on the digital display) from my PC. After rebooting the router, the IP is the same, then I can ping it and it works. But now I can simply choose the USB hard-wired connection.
>>
>>Thank you.
>
>Perhaps the printer is going to sleep (i.e. going into power-save mode) while idle for a period, then needs to be awakened ( but can't be done directly after having "dropped off" the network due to lack of network activity ) ? I'd guess that either resetting the router or printer will probably restore the connection (since the restart will initiate process to establish connection -- thus "waking up" the printer so that it could be detected on the network). I don't know if you've tried to set up a static IP address for the printer, but that's what I tend to do whenever setting up something that acts as a "server" of sort. When doing this you can either set it to an IP address within the network but outside the DHCP pool, or go into the DHCP server to "reserve" the address by pairing the address with the MAC address.

Whenever my PC stops communicating with the printer, I do the following 1. wake up the printer 2. turn it off and then on 3. turn the PC off and then on. And nothing works. The only thing that works to resolve the problem is turning the router off and then on.

No, I have not tried static IP for the printer. But I have noticed that the printer "maintains" the same IP for a long time; even after I reboot the router and the printer. Having said it, I need to learn how to assign a static IP to the printer (I have never done it and it would be a good knowledge).

Now that I have the printer hard-wired to the PC, it practically eliminated the need for wireless connection. Except that the wife has to send/email me a file if she needs/wants it to be printed. So having wireless working would be nice.

Thank you.