My c309a printer can't communicat​e wirelessly with my laptop but it used to.

Question

My HP C309a is not communicating with my cell phone or my laptop computer.  It was fine until a few days ago when I stuck in a camera memory stick it and printed pictures.  The pictures printed just fine (as they have in the past), but a few days later my children tried to print something and the printer wouldnot respond.  When I looked at it, it said "This usb device is not compatible"  The wierd thing is that there were not any devices in at that time.  I figured it must have had something to do with the pictures I had printed.  So I turned off the printer and turned it back on.  But it was still giving the same message.  So I unplugged it from the wall.  This time it worked and my children were able to print from the desk top computer.  But today I tried to print from my laptop and it never printed.  I went to Windows Printers and devices and it said that the printer was off line.  There was was an exclaimation mark next to my laptop icon.   I clicked it and it said that there was a problem with the printer, that the drivers were missing.  So i got the original cd that came with the printer and I uninstalled and then reinstalled the software.  All was fine until I went to set up the wireless settings.  It would not work.  I then tried to set up the printer on my new Droid cell phone and it said that there were no wireless printers found.  Therefore I think its the bluetooth in the printer itself.  Is there anything I can do to fix it.  I've only had the printer for about 10 mos.  Help please!
I appreciate any input you can give in this matter.
Sincerely
LaDonna Hall-Gamble

Answer 1

OK, I think you are trying to connect the printer wirelessly to your wireless router, right?
I think that is the way to go, so let's do that:
1. Restart the router by pulling its power cord momentarily.  Let it restart.
2. On the front of the printer go to Setup > Wireless (or Netowrk, not sure) > Wireless Setup Wizard.  Run the Wizard to connect your printer to your router.
3. After that, go to Control Panel > Devices & Printers and delete all instances of the printer.
4. Finally re-add the printer with these instructions:
1. Make sure the printer is turned on and connected to your network. Verify that you can access the printer's internal web page by browsing to its IP address before continuing. Get its IP from a Network Test printed from the front panel of the printer.
2. Click >> Start >> Control panel >> Devices & Printers.
3. Click the Add a printer
4. Select Local printer
5. Select Create a new port and select Standard TCP/IP Port and click Next button.
6. Under Device type, select TCP/IP Device. Under Hostname or IP address, enter the printer's IP address. Click Next.
7. Select Hewlett-Packard from the list of manufacturers and select and select your printer model. Click Next.
If your printer model was not listed, then select Have Disk, browse the HP CD that came with your printer and select the first file that starts with hp and ends with inf. Click Open then OK. Select your printer model. Click Next.
8. If you are asked, use the currently installed driver.
9. It will ask for the Printer name -- enter a new name or use the existing one. This will be the name of the printer that you select from other applications.
10. You may be asked to share the printer. Choose NO.
11. The Print Test Page box appears. Go ahead and print it.
12. Click Finish.
Say thanks by clicking "Kudos" "thumbs up" in the post that helped you.
I am employed by HP