What can I do to speed up wireless printing on my Mac mini?

HP has a bazillion printer models, variously slightly or even very different, but with similar names and even with re-used model numbers. Put differently, please be careful about the model names when you’re looking for info.

If you have the HP OfficeJet Pro 8600 e-All-in-One Printer - N911a model (yeah, some HP model names are almost as long as some of those enormous HP URLs), there is an embedded web server which can be handy for viewing the settings and configuration details. Aim your web browser at the printer IP address to access that, and see if that’s working. That’ll allow you to check the firmware and such, and just to see if the network is working.

There is also a firmware update for that series printer from 2020. if you have that model N911a variant, check its installed firmware.

https://support.hp.com/us-en/drivers/hp-officejet-pro-8600-e-all-in-one-printer-series---n9/model/4323658

Then reset the Mac printing system, load the newest HP printer drivers, and check again.

That printer also appears to lack AirPrint support, which limits you to using the vendor drivers, or to common printing protocols. Printers with AirPrint can avoid needing vendor drivers for functions including printing and scanning.

I’ve also had several HP Wi-Fi adapters and network adapters brick themselves over the years, too. Those are easily replaceable on some HP models, and less than easily replaceable on others.

I’d also wonder whether there is a network configuration error or related issue here, either with the printer, or with the local Wi-Fi network, or a problem with the printer itself or with the Wi-Fi router (and we can discuss that in a bit), but do start with updating to current firmware if not already, and the Mac printing system reset and then the vendor driver reload.

ComputerIdiot24 wrote:

Thanks for the quick reply. It is wireless (not direct). I did connect - directly - the mac mini to the printer and it worked perfectly - I think telling me the issue is not with the printer but with the mac mini and MacBook air. For the time being I connect the ethernet to my computer if I have lots to print and then disconnect so my wife can use the printer wirelessly on her PC. I think something is wrong in the mac but can't figure out what. Thanks again

If you want us to take a general look at that Mac, please download (free) and run EtreCheck, and share the generated report to the clipboard. Then open a new reply here, and press the Additional Text button that looks like a printed page to get a text input box big enough to paste the hardware and software configuration report here, and paste and post that report here.

Potential culprits can include add-on VPN client apps, add-on security apps, driver issues, down-revision firmware, and other such.

Just to avoid any misunderstanding, is the HP Officejet 8600 wirelessly connected to a Wi-Fi router, and are you then (normally) printing from the Mac mini/MacBook Air/PC via the Wi-Fi network provided by the router? That is, you are not using HP wireless direct.

https://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c04204791.pdf

Has anything changed with the router recently?

I guess that the HP 8600 can use 2.4 GHz only for wireless communication. Many modern Wi-Fi are dual-band, using 2.4 GHz and/or 5 GHz. "Smart" device discovery and automatic band selection may create difficulties in some cases (sometimes, splitting /renaming bands may be needed). Have you checked all settings?

You mentioned connecting via Ethernet. Was this directly to the printer from your Macs? If so, that explains why the HP 8600's Wi-Fi would be disconnected.

Usually, one would wire (Ethernet) the printer to one of the LAN ports of the Wi-Fi router. In this case, wireless printing from all computers would still work (via the router). If necessary, it is also possible to wire (Ethernet) one or more computers to the LAN ports.

ComputerIdiot24 wrote:

Thanks for the information. I've reset the printing system and updated firmware. Still crazy slow unless I attach ethernet and then fast as a bullet. It's also very fast from my wife's PC via wireless network. Could the issue be something with wireless connection in the mac and MacBook air?

You have previously written this:

have a mac mini and wireless printing on HP 8600 worked perfectly until 2 months ago. Now it takes 15 minutes to print one sheet. But - from my wife's PC it prints perfectly. My MacBook air is also slow. If I connect ethernet it works well from both apple computers but then the wireless does not let my wife print. I've done everything various people have recommended. I'm ready to throw everything in the pool!!! Help?

To confirm what you are asking about with those two postings, you have an HP printer with wired and wireless connections, and the wired connections are currently much faster than is printing via the Wi-Fi connection.

You wish to improve the Wi-Fi connection (printing) performance.

This performance difference can point to issues with Wi-Fi interference, to Wi-Fi problems on the printer, Wi-Fi configuration errors, printer firmware issues, IP subnet issues, or to apps or services installed on the Mac that are causing networking-related issues.

To rule out some potential software macOS configuration issues, please post the requested EtreCheck data

Thank you for the information.

Just as an additional test, would it be possible to temporarily move the printer near the Wi-Fi router (or to use a long Ethernet cable), and connect the Ethernet port of the printer to one of the LAN ports of the Wi-Fi router?

That should at least provide a stable printer-to-router connection. You could then try to print wirelessly from all three computers via the Wi-Fi network of the router. Would this lead to a positive change in wireless printing speed and/or stability for all computers involved?

For the time being I connect the ethernet to my computer if I have lots to print and then disconnect so my wife can use the printer wirelessly on her PC.

According to the user guide (link above):

NOTE: Connecting an Ethernet cable to the printer automatically turns off the wireless capability

and the Wireless light also goes off.

This should not be a problem when the printer is constantly wired by Ethernet cable to the Wi-Fi router. The wireless network provided by the Wi-Fi router would still be active, allowing wireless printing from all computers.

👍

Try turning the Mini on it's side, the Wifi Antenna is in the bottom.