Printer Drops Off the Network; Printer IP Address Keeps Changing

Why does my printer keep dropping off the network?

One of the most common reasons for a printer to "drop off the network" is that it has obtained a new IP address. When a printer obtains a new IP address, print jobs fail as the printing port used on the computer to send print jobs is still configured with the old IP address.

Why did the IP address of my printer change?

By default, most networked devices such as computers or printers are configured to obtain an IP address using DHCP. A DHCP server or router is responsible for assigning an IP address to all DHCP-enabled devices on a network. The problem this creates is, depending on the size and configuration of the network, a lot of these IP assignments are temporary due to DHCP leasing.

How can I fix the problem and prevent it from happening again?

The easiest and recommended method to resolve this issue is to update the printing port on the computer to use the printer's host name instead of the IP address. The host name can be found on the Configuration Report under the Network Setup section next to Host Name.

Note: Some users resolve the problem by manually setting a static IP address on the printer and then updating the printing port on the computer with the newly assigned static IP. This may not always resolve the problem, however, as it's possible the IP address can still change in some situations.

How do I update the printing port on the computer to use the printer's Host Name or newly assigned IP address?

Note: The following steps were performed on a computer with Microsoft Windows 10. Step will vary if using a different operating system.

1. Click on the Start button, and then click on Settings.

2. Click on Devices.

3. Click on Printers & scanners.

4. Select the appropriate printer, and then click on Manage.

5. From the manage your device screen, click on Printer Properties.
   
   NOTE: If an option to "Run as Administrator" is displayed, select that option first and then click on Properties.
   
   

6. Click on the Ports tab. The standard TCP/IP port used for the printer should be highlighted.

7. Click on the Configure Port button.
   
   NOTE: If the Configure Port button is grayed out, you do not have permissions to modify the port or the port is on a different computer as a shared print queue. Contact your network or system administrator for additional assistance with updating the port.
   
   

8. Enter the printer's Host Name or new IP address in the Printer Name or IP Address field.

9. Click on OK to save changes.

10. Click on Close to close the Standard TCP/IP Port Monitor properties window.

11. Close the Settings window.

12. Try to send a print job to the printer.