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title: Yellow Blinking Light on HP DeskJet 3700 Won’t Connect to Wi-Fi? Here’s What It Really Means & How to Fix It

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# Yellow Blinking Light on HP DeskJet 3700 Won’t Connect to Wi-Fi? Here’s What It Really Means & How to Fix It
If your HP DeskJet 3700 is showing a yellow (amber) blinking light and simply refuses to connect to Wi-Fi, you’re dealing with a setup / wireless status issue, not a broken printer.

This problem is extremely common with the DeskJet 3700 series because it depends heavily on Wi-Fi and the HP Smart app. Let’s break it down in plain language and fix it step by step.
## What the Yellow Blinking Light Means on HP DeskJet 3700
A blinking yellow (amber) light usually indicates one of these states:

1. Printer is not connected to Wi-Fi
1. Printer is in Wi-Fi setup mode
1. Wi-Fi setup failed
1. Network credentials were entered incorrectly
1. Router compatibility issue (very common)

So the light itself is not an error — it’s the printer saying:
👉 “I’m not properly connected yet.”
## Step 1: Make Sure Your Wi-Fi Is Compatible (Critical)
The HP DeskJet 3700 only works on 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi.

❌ It will NOT connect to:

5 GHz–only networks

Hidden networks

Some mesh networks during setup
What to do:Log in to your router

Ensure 2.4 GHz is enabled

Temporarily turn OFF 5 GHz (if possible)

Keep the printer close to the router

This single step fixes Wi-Fi issues for many users.
## Step 2: Reset Wi-Fi on the Printer (Must Do)

You need to clear old or failed Wi-Fi settings.

Wi-Fi reset steps:

Turn the printer ON

Press and hold Cancel (X) + Wireless (📶) together

Hold for 5 seconds

Release when the blue light starts blinking

This puts the printer into Wi-Fi setup mode.
## Step 3: Set Up Wi-Fi Using HP Smart App (Correct Way)

Do NOT try to connect it like a normal printer from Windows or macOS settings.

Proper setup:

Install HP Smart on your phone or computer

Turn ON:

Bluetooth

Location services

Open HP Smart

Tap Set Up a New Printer

Follow on-screen instructions exactly

⚠️ During setup, allow all permissions — HP Smart needs them temporarily.
## Step 4: Watch the Light Behavior

After successful connection:

Blue Wi-Fi light becomes solid

Yellow blinking light stops

If yellow keeps blinking:

Setup didn’t complete

Go back to Step 2 and retry
## Step 5: Restart Everything (But in the Right Order)

If setup fails again:

Turn OFF printer

Restart Wi-Fi router

Restart phone / computer

Turn printer back ON

Run HP Smart setup again

Order matters here — don’t skip it.
## Step 6: Avoid These Common Mistakes

Many users get stuck because of these:

* Trying to connect via USB first (not needed)
* Using a VPN during setup
* Using public or office Wi-Fi
* Entering Wi-Fi password with extra spaces
* Running setup from multiple devices at once

Stick to one device, one network.
## When the Yellow Light Still Won’t Stop Blinking
If you’ve tried everything above and:

Wi-Fi reset doesn’t work

HP Smart can’t find the printer

Light never turns solid blue

Then the issue may be:

Router compatibility

Wireless module fault (rare)

Corrupted firmware

At that point, trying a different 2.4 GHz router or hotspot is the fastest test.
## Final Verdict

If your HP DeskJet 3700 has a yellow blinking light and won’t connect to Wi-Fi:

✔ It’s almost always a setup or network issue
✔ The printer itself is usually fine
✔ Resetting Wi-Fi + using HP Smart correctly solves it