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Secure your HP printer against unwanted access

Protect your HP printer against unwanted access and printouts by using a password-protected (secured) Wi-Fi connection, creating a unique printer display name, and limiting access to your printer.

Connect to a secured Wi-Fi network

Connect the printer to a secured Wi-Fi network to prevent unwanted access.

CAUTION:

HP does not recommend connecting your printer to an unsecured (open) network. Doing so increases the risk of possible unwanted printer and network access.

When connecting to a network, look at the icon next to the network name and make sure it has a Lock icon next to it. This lock represents a secure connection.

Change the Wi-Fi network password

Change the router Wi-Fi password to make the network more secure and to remove any unwanted users.

Note:

Changing the Wi-Fi password removes all connected devices from the network. Any devices you want to use will need to be reconnected with the new password.

Determine your router IP address and password.

Note:

The following list is provided for informational purposes only and might not work with your router model. Consult your internet provider or router documentation for steps to access router settings.

Common router brands with default IP addresses, user names, and passwords
Router brand	IP address	User name	Password
3Com	http://192.168.1.1	admin	no password required, or admin
ASUS	http://192.168.1.1	admin	admin
Belkin	http://192.168.2.1	no user name required, or admin	no password required
D-Link	http://192.168.0.1	admin or user	no password required, or admin
Linksys	http://192.168.1.1	admin, no user name required, or Comcast	admin, no password required, or 1234
Netgear	http://192.168.0.1	admin	password, 1234, or setup

Open an internet browser, type the router IP address into the address bar, and then press Enter.
On the router sign-in page, enter the user name and password.

The router home page displays.
Locate your Wi-Fi network settings, and then change the password.

The router reboots and the password is updated.
Reconnect your printer to the network using the new password with the HP Smart app or 123.hp.com.

Create a unique printer display name

Create a unique printer name to make it easier to identify in a list of available network devices.

Open the Advanced Settings (EWS) in the HP Smart app or type the printer IP address into a web browser address bar.
If a login or certificate window displays, complete the information to finish opening the EWS.
- If a website security certificate displays, click Continue to open the printer homepage.
- If a login window opens, type admin for the username, and then type the PIN found on the label located underneath or on the back of the printer, or the password set by the printer administrator.
On the printer home page, click the Network, and then select Advanced Settings > Bonjour.
Under Bonjour Service Name, enter a new display name for your printer.

For example, if the original name is HP ENVY Inspire 7900 series [C00000], change it to something you can recognize easily but is not personally identifiable to protect your privacy.
Click Apply to save the changes.

The printer name is now more identifiable and secure.

Secure access to the printer features

Secure additional printer features such as HP ePrint, Print Anywhere, Wi-Fi Direct, and HP wireless direct.

Note:

Available features vary by printer model and country/region.

Secure the Print Anywhere feature

Make printers that support Print Anywhere more secure by enabling Private Pickup (HP+ only) and limiting who can use it remotely.

On your computer or mobile device, open the HP Smart account dashboard.
- HP Smart app: Open the app, and then click the Account icon or the icon with your initials.
- HP Smart website: Sign in to HP Smart.
From the HP Smart menu, select Solutions > Print Anywhere. If you do not see the menu, click the menu icon .

The Print Anywhere settings display.
Change the Print Anywhere settings to make it more secure.
- Allow printing from anywhere: Turn the feature on or off. HP recommends if you are not using Print Anywhere to turn the feature off.
- Require Private Pickup (HP+ only): Turn on Private Pickup to control when a print job prints to protect sensitive information.
Example of Print Anywhere on with Private Pickup enabled
From the HP Smart menu, select Users, and then review the list to determine who has access to your printer.
- If there is only one user listed, the printer is not being shared with anyone else. You do not need to do anything.
- If there are multiple users in the list, click the delete icon to remove any users you do not want accessing the printer.

Print Anywhere is now more secure.

Secure the Wi-Fi Direct feature

Make printers that support Wi-Fi Direct more secure by requiring a password to use the printer, customizing the printer display name, and changing the password.

Open the Advanced Settings (EWS) in the HP Smart app or type the printer IP address into a web browser address bar.
If a login or certificate window displays, complete the information to finish opening the EWS.
- If a website security certificate displays, click Continue to open the printer homepage.
- If a login window opens, type admin for the username, and then type the PIN found on the label located underneath or on the back of the printer, or the password set by the printer administrator.
On the printer home page, click Network > Wi-Fi Direct > Status.
On the Status screen, click Edit Settings, and then customize the settings to make the Wi-Fi Direct connection more secure.
- Status: Turns Wi-Fi Direct on or off. HP recommends turning Wi-Fi Direct off when you are not using it.
- Wi-Fi Direct Name: Change the printer name to something you can recognize easily but is not personally identifiable to protect your privacy.
- Connection Method: Choose Manual or Advanced to require as password to use the printer. HP does not recommend using the Automatic method to avoid unwanted access and printouts.
- Wi-Fi Direct Password: Create a custom password to add extra security, or click Generate to randomly generate a password.
Example of updated Wi-Fi Direct security settings
Click Apply to save the changes.

Wi-Fi Direct is now more secure.

Secure the HP ePrint feature

Make printers that support HP ePrint more secure with a custom ePrint address and by limiting who can send print jobs.

Note:

These steps do not apply to HP+ printers. Print Anywhere replaced HP ePrint for printers released after Fall 2020.

On your computer or mobile device, open the HP Smart account dashboard.
- HP Smart app: Open the app, and then click the Account icon or the icon with your initials.
- HP Smart website: Sign in to HP Smart.
From the HP Smart menu, select Printers, and then click Printer Options underneath the printer status. If you do not see the menu, click the menu icon .

The HP ePrint settings display.
Customize the HP ePrint settings to make it more secure.
- ePrint Access: Select Allowed, enter any additional email addresses you want to send ePrint jobs, and then click Add.
- ePrint Address: Change the email address to one that easier to remember or if the existing one is compromised, and then click Submit.
Example of the HP ePrint Access and Address menus

HP ePrint is now more secure.

Secure the HP wireless direct feature

Make printers that support HP wireless direct more secure by requiring a passcode to use the printer.

Note:

Wi-Fi Direct replaced HP wireless direct for printers released after 2014.

On the printer control panel, open the HP wireless direct settings menu using one of the following methods:
- Press the HP wireless direct icon or button .
- Navigate to the Network Setup or Wireless Settings menu, and then touch Wireless Direct.
From the Wireless Direct screen, touch On to require confirmation or On with security to require a passcode to use the printer.
Take note of the passcode, and then touch OK.

HP wireless direct is now more secure.

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