You set up your HP Smart Tank 5101, the Wireless light blinked through the connection, and then your mesh router quietly dropped it. Now the printer shows up as offline, the HP app cannot find it, or jobs sit in the queue and never print. This is one of the most common pain points with mesh systems, and on the Smart Tank 5101 there is a specific technical reason behind it that you can work around in a few clear steps.
The fixes below are ordered from the simplest and safest to the more involved, with the factory reset and contact-support path saved for last. Work through them in order and stop as soon as your printer reconnects.
Why a Mesh Network Trips Up This Printer
The HP Smart Tank 5101 connects over Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n on the 2.4 GHz band only, plus Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth Low Energy, and Hi-Speed USB 2.0. It has no 5 GHz radio. That single spec is the root of most mesh headaches, because many mesh systems combine 2.4 and 5 GHz into one network name or steer devices onto a 5 GHz node that the printer simply cannot use.
Keep in mind this is a refillable ink-tank printer with a button-based control panel (Resume, Wireless, Information, and Cancel buttons with status lights and an icon or number display). It is not a touchscreen-menu printer, so there is no on-screen Settings menu to navigate. Everything below uses either the buttons, the HP app, or the printer's web interface instead.
Confirm the Printer Is on 2.4 GHz, Not 5 GHz
Because the Smart Tank 5101 can only join a 2.4 GHz network, the first thing to verify is that 2.4 GHz is actually available. On a mesh system this is frequently the real cause of a "won't connect" problem.
HP's guidance is to make sure the 2.4 GHz band is enabled and broadcasting on your router or mesh, and to confirm that the printer and the device you print from are on the same network. If your mesh app lets you check or toggle bands, confirm 2.4 GHz is on. Then move to the next fix to make sure both the printer and your phone or computer are actually sharing that band.
Put the Printer and Your Device on the Same 2.4 GHz Network
HP states that if your router broadcasts separate network names (SSIDs) for each band, you should connect the printer to the 2.4 GHz SSID. A separate 2.4 GHz name makes this easy, because you can join the printer directly to it.
On a single-SSID mesh where both bands share one name, do the following:
- 1.Set up the printer from a phone that is also connected on 2.4 GHz.
- 2.Keep the phone and the printer near the same mesh node during setup.
- 3.Confirm the printer and your device end up joined to the same network.
Staying close to one node during setup encourages the printer to associate with the band it can actually use.
Move It Closer and Restart the Whole Chain
Distance and stale error states cause a surprising number of dropped connections. HP recommends moving the printer within 8 m (26 ft) of the router or a mesh node, then checking that the Wireless light is solid blue, which indicates a connected state.
Next, restart everything to clear those error states:
- 1.Restart your computer or mobile device.
- 2.Restart the printer.
- 3.Restart the router or mesh.
One more detail matters here. Make sure the printer is not connected to a computer with a USB cable during Wi-Fi setup, because that can block the wireless setup from completing.
Let Diagnose and Fix Do the Heavy Lifting
The HP app includes an automated tool that resolves many connection and queue problems for you. Install or open the HP app, which you can download from 123.hp.com or your device app store.
To run it, open the HP app, click the printer, then click Diagnose and Fix (you can also reach it from the Printers menu or the Diagnostics section) and click Start, then follow the on-screen results. The tool checks whether the printer is offline and reconnects it to the network, clears stuck or paused print jobs, and resolves print-queue and print-spooler errors. On Windows it can additionally fix port mismatches and install available driver updates. Do not close the app while it runs.
Clear the Offline State and Print Queue on Windows
If Windows still shows the printer as offline even after it reconnects, a stuck setting or queue is usually the culprit. Open the print queue window and make sure Pause Printing and Use Printer Offline are not selected. If either shows a checkmark, click the item to clear it.
For jobs that refuse to clear, reset the print spooler:
- 1.In Services, right-click Print Spooler and choose Stop.
- 2.Browse to C:\Windows\System32\Spool\PRINTERS and delete all files inside that folder.
- 3.Restart the computer and the printer.
This clears the backlog without touching your network settings.
Clear the Queue or Reset Printing on a Mac
On macOS, the HP app's Diagnose and Fix can clear a stuck queue for you, so try that first. For stubborn cases that it cannot resolve, you can reset the printing system, though this is more disruptive.
To reset it, open Printers and Scanners, Control-click in the printers list, and choose Reset printing system, then re-add the printer with the Add button. Note that this removes all printers and scanners along with saved print settings, so you will need to re-add the Smart Tank 5101 (and any other printers) afterward.
Update the Printer Driver and Software
An outdated or corrupted driver can make a perfectly connected printer appear unreachable. Download the latest full-feature driver and software for the HP Smart Tank 5101 from HP's official driver page for the model, selecting your Windows or macOS version, then reinstall it.
On Windows, Diagnose and Fix can also check for and install available driver updates, so it doubles as a quick way to keep the driver current after a system update changes things behind the scenes.
Give the Printer a Fixed IP Address on Your Mesh
Mesh systems often reassign device IP addresses, which makes the printer seem to vanish even though it is online. Pinning the address keeps your computer pointed at the right place.
First, find the printer's IP. Press the Information button to print the Information page, which lists Wi-Fi Direct, network connection, and mobile-printing details, including the network address. Then open that IP in a web browser to reach the printer's Embedded Web Server.
From there you can set a static address under Network Settings, then TCP/IPv4, then Assign IPv4 Address, then Manually. Alternatively, reserve the IP for the printer inside your mesh app. One related note. If the Wi-Fi light is solid yet the printer still cannot be found, the router may be restricting two-way communication, so use your router settings to allow access to the printer's IP address.
Re-Enter Setup Mode After a Router or Wi-Fi Change
If you swapped routers or mesh hardware, or changed your Wi-Fi name or password, the printer is holding onto credentials that no longer work. Putting it back into Wireless Setup Mode lets you reconnect it cleanly.
On the control panel, press the Information button for three seconds until all buttons light up. Then press the Information button and the Cancel button until 00 displays and the Wi-Fi button blinks. The printer is now in Wireless Setup Mode.
Within two hours, return to the HP app to find and add the printer, completing setup on your 2.4 GHz network. The two-hour window matters, because the printer leaves setup mode after that and you would need to repeat the sequence.
Factory Reset as a Last Resort, Then Reach HP
If nothing above works, restoring factory defaults wipes the printer's stored configuration so you can start fresh. This clears your saved network settings, so plan to run wireless setup again afterward.
To restore factory defaults on the Smart Tank 5100 and 5101 series using the button method:
- 1.Turn off the printer.
- 2.Press and hold the Resume and Black Copy buttons at the same time.
- 3.Without releasing them, turn the printer on.
- 4.Wait at least 5 seconds, then release the buttons.
You can also use Restore Defaults inside the Embedded Web Server if you can still reach the printer's IP in a browser. After the reset, run wireless setup again from the HP app on your 2.4 GHz network. If the printer still refuses to join your mesh, contact HP Support for the model.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the HP Smart Tank 5101 connect to a 5 GHz network?
No. The Smart Tank 5101 has Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n on the 2.4 GHz band only, plus Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth Low Energy, and USB 2.0. It has no 5 GHz radio, so it can only join a 2.4 GHz network, which is why mesh systems that combine or steer toward 5 GHz can cause connection trouble.
How do I find the printer's IP address without a touchscreen?
Press the Information button on the control panel to print the Information page. It lists the Wi-Fi Direct, network connection, and mobile-printing details, including the address you can open in a browser to reach the Embedded Web Server.
What does a solid blue Wireless light mean?
A solid blue Wireless light indicates the printer is connected to the network. If the light is solid but a device still cannot find the printer, the router may be blocking two-way communication, so allow the printer's IP address in your router settings.
Does a factory reset delete my Wi-Fi settings?
Yes. Restoring factory defaults clears the printer's stored configuration, including network settings, so you will need to run wireless setup again from the HP app afterward to rejoin your 2.4 GHz network.
Why does the HP app's Diagnose and Fix tool do more on Windows than on a Mac?
Diagnose and Fix clears stuck or paused jobs, resolves print-queue and spooler errors, and reconnects an offline printer on both systems. The additional driver-update and port-mismatch repairs are Windows only, so on a Mac you would use the driver download page or the Reset printing system step for those issues.
