How to Set Up a Printer Under $100 | First-Time Setup Walkthrough

Setting up a printer under $100 takes about 20 minutes and follows one basic sequence: unpack, power on, install ink, load paper, then run the software setup.

Most budget printers in this price range no longer ship with a CD, and the software-driven onboarding process is where beginners usually hit a wall. Whether you bought an HP DeskJet or another low-cost model, the process follows the same core order. The steps below match the current setup flow from HP for its DeskJet consumer models, but they apply to nearly any printer in this price bracket.

The Standard Setup Order

Follow this sequence exactly. Jumping ahead—especially connecting the USB cable too early—can interrupt the software prompts and force you to restart.

1. Unbox and remove all packaging. Peel off every piece of tape, foam insert, and orange tab. Printers ship with a surprising amount of protective material, and leftover tape inside the paper path causes jams later.
2. Connect the power cord and turn the printer on. Wait for the control panel lights to stop blinking.
3. Load paper into the input tray, sliding the width guides snug against the stack.
4. Install the ink cartridges. Open the cartridge access door, press each new cartridge into its labeled slot, and close the latch. The carriage mechanism moves automatically when the door opens.
5. Run the software setup on your phone, PC, or Mac—the order here depends on your connection type.
6. Print a test page to confirm alignment and connection.

Software Setup: HP Smart, 123.hp.com, and Wi-Fi

For HP DeskJet printers—including the 2700 and Ultra 4800 series—setup is routed through the HP Smart app rather than a setup CD. Install it on a mobile device for the fastest onboarding, then choose your connection type.

Wi-Fi setup (most common): Open HP Smart and select Add a New printer or the plus sign to find the printer. The app walks through connecting the printer to your Wi-Fi network. One common failure point: many DeskJet models only support 2.4 GHz networks. If your router broadcasts a separate 5 GHz band, the printer won’t see it—switch to the 2.4 network in your router settings.

USB setup: For a direct connection, download the full driver package from 123.hp.com. Select your exact model and operating system before downloading—the wrong package blocks installation. Then connect the USB cable when the software prompts you to, not before. Connecting too early interrupts the device-detection step. HP’s public setup guide at support.hp.com/us-en/printer-setup covers Wi-Fi, wired network, and USB paths.

If you run into a setup failure after a software error, the most reliable fix is removing the printer from Windows settings, uninstalling HP Smart, and restarting the whole flow from the beginning. You can scan the QR code on the printer’s setup sheet to relaunch the mobile onboarding.

Common Setup Mistakes and Fixes

• Wrong driver or OS package: Downloading a generic driver instead of the exact match for your model and Windows version blocks the install. Go to 123.hp.com and select the right combination.
• 5 GHz-only network: Budget printers commonly lack 5 GHz support. Check your router’s band settings before starting Wi-Fi onboarding.
• Skipping the mobile app: Some DeskJet models expect app-based onboarding as their primary setup path. If the desktop software can’t find the printer, HP Smart on your phone usually completes the connection.
• USB cable connected too early: On USB flows, the software needs to detect the printer itself. Disconnect, restart the installer, and plug in only when the prompt appears.
• Reversed or wrong ink cartridges: Check the model number on the cartridge against the printer manual and verify the directional arrows before pressing them in.

Before you start the whole process, it’s worth confirming the printer is a good fit for your needs in the first place. Our tested best printer under $100 roundup compares the top budget models side by side so you know what you’re getting into.

When Setup Fails: The Reset Order

A failed first setup is rarely a broken printer—it’s almost always an interrupted sequence. Run this in order, stopping as soon as a step works:

1. Restart the printer by powering it off, waiting 30 seconds, and powering it back on.
2. Restart your router and phone/computer. This clears stale network entries that sometimes block the printer from joining.
3. Remove the printer from your device entirely—delete it from Printers & Scanners on Windows or Print & Scan on Mac, and uninstall HP Smart.
4. Reinstall HP Smart and start the add-printer flow fresh.
5. Factory-reset the printer’s network settings using the control panel (Wireless menu > Restore). Then rerun setup from step 1 of the software section.