Brother Printer Offline? Here’s How to Get It Online Again

Hagrid Potter

If your Brother printer is stuck in an offline status, it can disrupt your workflow and be incredibly frustrating. This guide will provide step-by-step instructions to help you resolve the issue and get your printer back online. Whether you're using Windows or Mac, the solutions cover common causes such as connectivity problems, incorrect settings, or outdated drivers.

Understanding Why Your Brother Printer is Offline

Printers go offline for a variety of reasons. Understanding the root cause can help you prevent the issue in the future. Some common reasons include:

  • Connection Issues: If the printer is not properly connected to your computer or network, it will show as offline.
  • Printer Settings: Incorrect settings on your computer or the printer can lead to the offline status.
  • Driver Problems: Outdated or corrupted printer drivers can cause communication issues between your computer and the printer.
  • Printer Queue or Jam: If there’s a paper jam or a long queue of unfinished print jobs, the printer may switch to offline mode.

    • Step 1: Check Physical and Network Connections

    Before diving into more technical solutions, ensure that your printer is properly connected.

    Verify the Power: Ensure that the printer is powered on and not in sleep mode. Check the power cable to make sure it’s securely plugged into both the printer and the power outlet.

    Check USB or Network Connections:

    If you’re using a USB connection, ensure that the cable is plugged in properly to both the computer and the printer.

    If you’re using a Wi-Fi connection, confirm that the printer is connected to the same network as your computer. Use the printer’s control panel to check its Wi-Fi status, or print a network configuration report.

    Restart Devices: Power cycle your printer, router, and computer. Often, a simple restart of all devices will resolve temporary glitches causing the printer to appear offline.

    Step 2: Set the Printer as Default and Online (Windows)

    If you are using a Windows system, sometimes the printer settings need to be adjusted manually to bring it online.

    Open Control Panel: On your computer, go to the Control Panel and select Devices and Printers.

    Check Printer Status: In the list of devices, locate your Brother printer. If it shows as "Offline," right-click the printer icon and select See what’s printing.

    Set to Online: In the printer queue window, click Printer from the top menu and uncheck the Use Printer Offline option if it’s selected.

    Set as Default: Right-click on your Brother printer and choose Set as Default Printer. This ensures that your computer uses the correct printer by default.

    Clear Print Queue: If there are jobs stuck in the queue, this can prevent the printer from coming online. Right-click the Brother printer icon, select See what’s printing, and then cancel all jobs.

    Step 3: Adjust Printer Settings on Mac

    For Mac users, the process is slightly different but just as effective.

    Open System Preferences: Go to the Apple menu and choose System Preferences. Select Printers & Scanners.

    Select Your Printer: In the left pane, find your Brother printer. If it shows as offline, click the printer name.

    Resume Printer: If the status of the printer is set to Paused or Offline, you’ll see a Resume button. Click it to bring the printer back online.

    Delete and Re-Add Printer: If the printer remains offline, try removing it and adding it back. Click the – button to remove the printer, and then click the + button to add it again. Select your Brother printer from the list and complete the setup.

    Step 4: Update or Reinstall Printer Drivers

    Printer drivers are crucial for communication between the printer and your computer. If the drivers are outdated or corrupted, your Brother printer may remain offline.

    Download the Latest Drivers: Visit the Brother support website and download the latest drivers for your printer model. Make sure to select the drivers that are compatible with your operating system (Windows or macOS).

    Uninstall Old Drivers:On Windows, go to Device Manager, find your Brother printer under Printers, right-click, and choose Uninstall device.

    On Mac, go to Printers & Scanners in System Preferences, remove the printer, and delete the old drivers from Library/Printers/Brother.

    Install the New Drivers: Once the old drivers are removed, run the installer for the updated drivers you downloaded. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the setup.

    Restart the Computer: After installing new drivers, restart your computer to ensure all changes take effect.

    Step 5: Check for Printer Firmware Updates

    In some cases, outdated printer firmware may be the cause of connection problems.

    Check for Updates: Visit the Brother support website and look for firmware updates for your printer model. Download and install the update tool provided.

    Update Through Control Panel: On some Brother models, you can update the firmware directly from the printer’s control panel. Navigate to Settings → Firmware Update, and follow the prompts.

    Step 6: Troubleshoot Network Issues

    If your Brother printer is still offline, network problems could be the issue.

    Check IP Address: Print a network configuration page from the printer’s control panel to verify the printer’s IP address. Ensure it matches the IP address set on your computer.

    Reset Network Settings: On the printer, go to Settings → Network → Reset Network Settings to clear any incorrect settings. Reconnect the printer to your Wi-Fi network.

    Firewall and Security Settings: Ensure your computer’s firewall or antivirus software isn’t blocking the printer from communicating. Temporarily disable the firewall and check if the printer comes online.

    Conclusion

    Getting your Brother printer back online is often a matter of adjusting settings, updating drivers, or resolving connectivity issues. By systematically going through these steps—checking connections, configuring settings, updating drivers, and addressing network issues—you should be able to resolve the offline problem. If these steps don’t work, Brother’s technical support can provide additional help specific to your model.