Unable to print from Android phone via BT Home Hub 5

[Pentris]

I have a new BT Home Hub 5 installation like many people stuck on an outside wall well away from where I need it. Therefore I must use WiFi for all my connectivity. Since getting this new installation I am unable to print from my Android phone over WiFi to my printer. Works perfectly from my PC's over WiFi. Tried WiFi Direct, still will not work. Was perfectly fine with my previous router. Have tried setting up the WiFi on the phone and printer several times but the requests are just not getting through. The phone sees the printer as a valid printer on the network. USB is not an option. Any ideas would be appreciated.

[Michael_D]

Hi @Pentris.

Thanks for coming to the community.

Is the phone and the printer connected together in your phone settings over the WiFi and then can't print, or is it not connecting up at all?

Is the software on the phone up to date?

Michael

[Pentris]

The phone is as up to date on software as can be. Tried WiFi direct from phone to printer but despite the phone seeing the printer correctly and shown as connected it does not print.  Then removed from WiFi direct to try and print using WiFi Hub as I have always done, phone correctly sees the printer and shows as being online but again fails to print. Have been using this facility every month to print out my credit card statements without any issues until the new BT Home Hub 5 installation.

[gg30340]

What make and model of printer do you have?

Have you set it up to use the new BT hubs SSiD (name) and password or alternatively have you changed the SSiD and  Password on the new BT hub to be the same as your old BT Hub.

This would negate the need for you to log all your devices, including the printer,  onto the the new hub as the devices would just seamlessly use the old details that are now on the new hub.

[Pentris]

The printer is an Epson XP-760 working on 2.4GHz band. I am using the new SSID and password of the Hub. The printer works perfectly over WiFi from my PC's with no issues. I have reset the phones Network settings and reentered the new WiFi and Bluetooth connection so that there is no old settings confusing the phone. These both work ok for Internet, WiFi VO LTE calling but just the print function not quite right. I wondered if the router needs setting up for pass through WiFi data or something like that. I might have to revert to using my desktops in future as smart phones can be anything but smart at times.

[gg30340]

Try turning off the 5GHz band on the BT Homehub5 or rename it so that it has a different SSID (name) to the 2.4GHz band. 

Once you have done that then try connecting the phone to the printer. If it works and connects without issue, turn the 5GHz back on. The phone should stay connected.

Obviously if you changed the 5GHz SSID you will need to connect your devices that can use 5GHz to the new SSID.

EDIT: I should have added that my thinking for the above is per chance the phone is connecting on the 5GHz and the printer which is on the 2.4GHz which may for some reason not be communicating with the phone although they are on the same network.

[Pentris]

Tried turning off 5GHz band. Still did not work. I am wondering if it is to do with privacy settings on the phone. Cannot find it at present but will contact phone manufacturer for advice.

Had massive problems with new BT Whole Home Discs which refused to work with our phones (previous posting) so some settings may have been inadvertantly changed on my phone. Discs had to be abandoned and got my money back and only use Home Hub 5 now.

[Pentris · Accepted solution]

Solved the problem in a roundabout way. The phones inbuilt 'system printer' functionality appears to have failed for some reason since resetting the network settings. Have loaded an Epson Print Enabler app and by switching to that it now works.  Thank you all for your help and suggestions.