Windows “WSD” port keeps going offline — switch to RAW 9100/TCP

Joe B.

Expert ★★★★★ 27,853 satisfied customers

Specialities: Windows 11/10, macOS (Sonoma/Ventura/Monterey), Printers, Networking, Office Equipment

WSD port offline on Windows 10/Windows 11 — switch to Standard TCP/IP Port (RAW 9100) or LPR

Technician

Hey! Let’s stop your Windows WSD port from going Offline. Tell me the brand (HP, Epson, Canon, Brother) and whether the printer has a static IP or uses DHCP. We’ll replace the flaky WSD (Web Services for Devices) discovery with a reliable Standard TCP/IP Port — RAW 9100/TCP (or LPR) and make SNMP status work properly.

Customer

Windows 11 Pro, HP OfficeJet on Wi-Fi. Port says WSD-… and it flips to Offline randomly. It prints after a reboot then disappears again. DHCP is on; IP changes sometimes.

Technician

Got it. Why WSD ports go Offline on Windows 10/11:
• WSD relies on mDNS/SSDP/WS-Discovery broadcasts; Wi-Fi sleep, AP isolation, or router multicast filtering breaks discovery.
• DHCP changes the printer’s IP, while the WSD endpoint stays cached.
• Some drivers misreport status over WSD; SNMP with RAW/LPR is more stable.
Quick plan: assign a static IP (or DHCP reservation) → create a Standard TCP/IP Port using RAW 9100 → (optional) enable LPR queue if 9100 is blocked → verify with a test page.

Customer

Can you show steps to change WSD to RAW 9100/TCP on Windows 11?

Technician

Switch WSD → Standard TCP/IP Port (RAW 9100) on Windows 10/11:
1) Give the printer a static IP (set on the device) or a DHCP reservation in the router.
2) Settings → Bluetooth & devices → Printers & scanners → choose your printer → Printer properties → tab Ports → Add Port… → Standard TCP/IP Port → New Port….
3) Enter the printer’s static IP (e.g., 192.168.1.50). When prompted, pick Custom → Settings… → Protocol: Raw, Port 9100. Leave SNMP Status Enabled with community public unless your network blocks it.
4) Finish, check the new port, and uncheck the old WSD port. Print a Test Page.
If RAW 9100 is blocked, choose LPR, queue name: raw or vendor-specific (e.g., lp), and enable LPR Byte Counting if jobs truncate.

Customer

Do I need to change anything in the HP driver or just ports? And what about Windows “Let Windows manage my default printer”?

Technician

Use the vendor’s Full Feature/Universal Print Driver but the key fix is the port type. Also:
• Turn off Let Windows manage my default printer so Windows doesn’t flip queues.
• In Printer properties → Advanced, keep Spool print documents and enable Keep printed documents temporarily for testing.
• If SNMP is blocked by your router/firewall, uncheck SNMP Status Enabled on the port to avoid false Offline states.

Customer

We’re on a mesh Wi-Fi (Eero/Google/Orbi). AirPrint works from iPhones but Windows still loses the printer. Anything router-specific?

Technician

Yes. WSD depends on multicast discovery (mDNS/SSDP) which mesh systems often throttle. Tips:
• Disable AP/Client Isolation on the SSID; allow Multicast/IGMP and mDNS across nodes.
• Keep printer on 2.4 GHz for legacy devices; give it a DHCP reservation for a stable IP.
• After we switch to RAW 9100/TCP, discovery is no longer required — Windows talks directly to the IP/port, which eliminates the “WSD port keeps going offline” loop.

Customer

We also have a Canon laser and a Brother MFC in the office. Any brand-specific steps to create RAW or LPR?

Technician

HP: Use HP Smart/Full Feature or HP Universal Print Driver. Create a Standard TCP/IP Port → RAW 9100. If SNMP mismatch shows “Offline,” disable SNMP on that port.
Epson: Install Epson Drivers & Utilities. Add printer by IP; pick Raw 9100 or LPR (queue: lp) if required.
Canon: UFR II/Generic Plus drivers work well with RAW 9100; for LPR use queue lp and enable Byte Counting if jobs truncate.
Brother: Full Driver & Software or Generic PCL/PS; set RAW 9100 or LPR (BINARY_P1).

Customer

Our firewall is strict. Which printer ports/protocols do we need to allow for RAW or LPR?

Technician

Allow outbound from the PC to the printer on:
• TCP 9100 (RAW/JetDirect) — most reliable.
• TCP 515 (LPR/LPD) — alternative when 9100 is blocked.
• Optional: UDP 161 for SNMP status; if blocked, uncheck SNMP on the port.
Discovery ports like mDNS 5353/UDP, SSDP 1900/UDP aren’t needed once you use a Standard TCP/IP Port.

Customer

After changing to RAW 9100, the queue still sometimes switches back to WSD when we reinstall. Can we prevent that?

Technician

Yes. When adding the printer, choose “The printer that I want isn’t listed” → Add a printer using a TCP/IP address or hostname. That forces a Standard TCP/IP Port and avoids Plug-and-Play WSD.
For fleets, deploy the port via Print Management or a GPO. Also disable “Let Windows manage my default printer”.

Customer

Great — test page printed instantly and the status stays Ready. Anything else to tune for reliability?

Technician

Best practices: keep the printer on a static IP, update firmware, ensure the PC and printer are on the same subnet/VLAN, and avoid power-saving modes that shut Wi-Fi radios. If you ever see Printer Offline again, confirm the port still reads Standard TCP/IP – RAW 9100.

Customer

Awesome — the WSD offline issue is gone. Thanks for the help!

Technician

Summary: If your Windows WSD port keeps going Offline, assign a static IP/DHCP reservation, add a Standard TCP/IP Port with RAW 9100/TCP (or LPR), and optionally disable SNMP status if blocked. This bypasses unreliable discovery and stabilizes printing for HP/Epson/Canon/Brother. Need hands-on help? Open the chat.

Quick answer: the accepted fix

Accepted fix when WSD port keeps going Offline (Windows 10/Windows 11): give the printer a static IP, create a Standard TCP/IP Port using RAW 9100/TCP or LPR, uncheck SNMP Status if your network blocks it, and set this queue as default. Avoid re-adding as WSD.

FAQ

Step-by-step (Windows 10/11)

1. Assign a static IP on the printer or set a DHCP reservation.
2. Open Printers & scanners → printer → Printer properties → Ports → Add Port… → Standard TCP/IP Port.
3. Choose Custom → Settings → Protocol Raw, Port 9100 (or LPR 515 with queue raw/lp).
4. Uncheck the old WSD port, print a Test Page, and set this queue as default.

Step-by-step (macOS)

1. Add the printer by IP in System Settings → Printers & Scanners.
2. Protocol: HP Jetdirect – Socket (RAW 9100) or LPD (LPR) with the proper queue.
3. Install the vendor driver if available; otherwise AirPrint works well with IP-based printing.

Sources

• Microsoft — Troubleshoot printer problems (Windows 10/11)
• Microsoft — Standard TCP/IP Port (RAW/LPR)
• HP — Drivers & Software
• Epson — Drivers & Utilities
• Canon — UFR II / Generic Plus drivers
• Brother — Full Driver & Software Package

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