Brother Printer Won’t Connect to Wi-Fi: Troubleshooting Tips

If your Brother printer won't connect to Wi-Fi, it can be frustrating, but the issue is often resolvable with systematic troubleshooting. This guide will walk you through various solutions, addressing potential causes like network settings, router issues, and printer configurations. By the end, you should be able to get your printer back online.

Step 1: Verify Your Network Configuration

The first step is to check if your network is functioning properly.

Ensure your Wi-Fi network is active: Check whether other devices (phones, laptops) can connect to your Wi-Fi network without issues. If other devices aren’t connecting, you might need to restart your router.

Check network SSID and password: Ensure that the network name (SSID) and password you are entering into your Brother printer are correct. Pay special attention to upper/lowercase characters, special symbols, and spaces.

Ensure the printer and router are within range: If your Brother printer is too far from the router or blocked by walls or heavy interference (e.g., from microwaves or other devices), it may struggle to maintain a connection. Try moving the printer closer to your router.

Step 2: Restart the Router and Printer

Sometimes, simply rebooting the devices can resolve connection problems.

Restart the router: Unplug your router, wait for about 30 seconds, then plug it back in. Wait for the router to fully reboot (this may take a few minutes).

Restart the printer: Turn off the printer, wait for a few seconds, and turn it back on.

Step 3: Check Printer Settings

Once you've confirmed that the network is operational, ensure that your printer settings are correct.

Verify Wireless Setup: Use your Brother printer’s control panel to verify or re-enter the wireless settings. Depending on your printer model, you may do this through the menu or using a WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) method.

Manual Configuration: From the printer’s control panel, navigate to Network Settings or WLAN settings. Select the option to set up a new connection, and choose your wireless network from the list of available SSIDs. Enter the Wi-Fi password carefully.

WPS Setup: Many Brother printers support WPS, which simplifies the connection process. To use WPS:

Press the WPS button on your router.

Quickly press the WPS button on your Brother printer (refer to your printer’s manual if needed).

The devices should automatically connect.

Correct Network Interface: Ensure that the Brother printer is set to use its wireless interface and not a wired one. Sometimes, printers may default to wired mode after a reset or reboot. Check the network interface setting in the printer's menu and set it to WLAN.

Step 4: Ensure Network Compatibility

Check router frequency (2.4 GHz vs. 5 GHz): Many Brother printers only support the 2.4 GHz frequency, while newer routers may operate on both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. Ensure that your router is broadcasting a 2.4 GHz signal and that the printer is attempting to connect to that network.

IP Address Conflict: If another device on your network is using the same IP address as your printer, the connection will fail. To check this, you can:

Use your router's admin interface to see connected devices.

Change your printer’s IP settings to Automatic (DHCP) from the control panel, allowing the router to assign a new IP address.

Step 5: Update Printer Firmware

Outdated firmware can sometimes cause connection issues.

Download the latest firmware: Visit the Brother support website and enter your printer model to find the latest firmware updates. Download the firmware update tool and follow the instructions to install the update on your printer.

Update via Printer Control Panel: Some Brother printers allow you to update the firmware directly from the control panel. Navigate to Settings → Firmware Update, and follow the prompts to download and install the update.

Step 6: Reset the Printer’s Network Settings

If none of the above steps work, resetting the printer’s network settings can help resolve lingering configuration issues.

Reset network settings: On your Brother printer, navigate to Settings or Network Settings. Find the Reset option and confirm that you want to reset the network settings to default.

Reconnect to Wi-Fi: After resetting, try reconnecting the printer to your Wi-Fi network as described in Step 3.

Step 7: Check for Router or Firewall Issues

Sometimes, the router or firewall settings can block your printer from connecting.

Check router settings: Make sure your router’s firewall isn’t blocking the printer. You can check this by temporarily disabling the firewall and testing the connection again. If the printer connects successfully, you’ll need to adjust your router’s firewall rules to allow the printer to connect.

Router firmware update: Ensure your router's firmware is up to date. Just like printers, routers need occasional firmware updates to resolve bugs or improve performance.

Network congestion: Too many devices connected to the router can cause connectivity issues. Try disconnecting unnecessary devices to see if the printer connects more reliably.

Step 8: Additional Troubleshooting

Static IP address: If your printer frequently disconnects, assigning a static IP address can improve reliability. Set a static IP from the printer’s network settings or assign one from the router’s control panel.

Reinstall Printer Drivers: If you’ve been trying to print wirelessly from a computer, reinstall the printer drivers. Visit the Brother support page for your printer model and download the latest drivers for your operating system. Follow the installation steps, ensuring you choose the option for wireless setup during the installation

Contact Brother Support: If the problem persists, Brother’s support team may be able to provide specific guidance for your model.

Conclusion

Fixing a Brother printer that won’t connect to Wi-Fi often involves checking your network settings, adjusting printer configurations, and ensuring compatibility between devices. By methodically working through these steps—checking network status, restarting devices, verifying configurations, updating firmware, and possibly resetting the printer—most users will be able to resolve the issue. If problems persist after all troubleshooting efforts, contacting Brother support or your router's manufacturer may be necessary for more advanced solutions.