Brother printers are renowned for their reliability and efficiency, but sometimes they might encounter connectivity issues. It will be causing frustration for users. One common problem is when the Brother printer fails to connect to WiFi.
This article will guide you through a range of troubleshooting steps to resolve the issue and get your printer back online.
Why is my brother printer not connecting to wifi?
Incorrect WiFi Credentials –
One of the primary reasons your Brother printer might not connect to WiFi is incorrect WiFi credentials. Double-check the WiFi name (SSID) and password you’re entering. Even a small typo can prevent your printer from establishing a connection.
WiFi Signal Interference
WiFi signal interference from other electronic devices or physical obstacles can weaken the connection between your printer and the router. Make sure your printer is placed in a location with minimal interference.
Outdated Printer Firmware
Outdated printer firmware can result in compatibility issues with your WiFi network. It’s crucial to keep your printer’s firmware up-to-date by visiting the official Brother website and downloading the latest updates for your printer model.
IP Address Conflict
An IP address conflict occurs when two devices on the same network have the same IP address. This can prevent your printer from connecting to the WiFi. Ensure that your printer’s IP address is unique and not being used by another device.
Network Overload
If there are too many devices connected to your WiFi network, it might become overloaded, causing connectivity issues. Consider disconnecting some devices or upgrading your internet plan for better performance.
Router Issues
Sometimes, the problem might not lie with your printer but with the router itself. Check if the router is working properly, and if needed, restart it to see if that resolves the connectivity problem.
Firewall or Security Software
Firewall or security software on your computer can sometimes block the printer’s connection attempts. Temporarily disable the firewall or security software to see if it’s causing the issue.
Incorrect Printer Settings
Incorrect printer settings, such as wrong network configuration or IP settings, can prevent your printer from connecting to the WiFi network. Make sure your printer settings align with your network setup.
WPS (WiFi Protected Setup) Issues
While WPS can simplify the WiFi connection process, it can also cause issues if not set up correctly. Ensure that you’re following the proper steps for WPS setup on both your printer and router.
Printer Hardware Problems
In some cases, hardware issues within the printer itself could be causing the connectivity problem. If none of the software-based solutions work, consider seeking professional assistance to diagnose and fix the hardware issue.
How do I Fix the Brother Printer That Won’t Connect To The wifi Network?
Restart the router and printer.
When your brother printer is not connecting to wifi, you need to reset the printer & router. Sometimes, the router or printer may become unresponsive, causing connection problems.
Restarting both devices can refresh the connection and resolve any communication errors. To restart the router, unplug it from the power source for at least 30 seconds, then plug it back in.
Wait for the router to fully restart before reconnecting the printer to the wifi network.
Reset network settings
If your brother printer won’t connect to WiFi network, you need to reset network settings. To do this, navigate to the network settings on the printer and follow these instructions.
- Let’s power on the brother printer.
- Press the menu or home key on it.
- Go to the Network option using the up and down arrow key. If you have a touch panel, you can press the next button to reach there.
- Click on the Network Reset option.
- Finally, Push the 1 or Yes on the reset network popup.
After resetting the wireless network, you should reconnect the brother printer to wifi.
Keep the printer nearby the router–
If the Brother printer is located too far away from the router, it may not be able to establish a stable Wi-Fi connection. To improve the Wi-Fi signal strength, move the printer closer to the router or consider using a Wi-Fi range extender.
Reset the wireless password & reconnect it.
If you’ve recently changed the Wi-Fi password, your Brother printer may not be able to connect to the network.
In this case, you’ll need to reset the wireless password on the router and then reconnect the printer to the network using the new password.
- Log into the Router’s admin panel.
- Click on the Wireless settings, wifi security option.
- Remove the current password, and type a new password.
- Press the apply changes or save changes button.
Now connect the brother printer to the wireless network using new password.
Update the router firmware–
Outdated router firmware can cause a variety of issues, including problems with the Wi-Fi connection.
To ensure that your router is running the latest firmware, log into the router’s admin interface and look for the option to update the firmware.
Update the printer firmware–
Just like routers, printers also have firmware that can become outdated over time. Updating the printer firmware can help to resolve any software-related issues that may be causing the Wi-Fi connection problem.
To update the Brother printer firmware, visit the Brother website and download the latest firmware for your printer model. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the update process.
- Download the Brother firmware tool from official website.
- Open the brother web admin panel.
- Login to the Admin panel.
- Now click on the Administrator tab.
- Here, you need to click on the Firmware upgrade.
- Now click on the check for new firmware.
- If you find the firmware. click on the next button.
- Now follow the installation process.
- Finally, press the finish button.
Reset the printer
If none of the above troubleshooting steps work, try resetting the printer to its default settings. Remember that resetting the printer will erase all custom settings and configurations, so make sure to back up any important data before proceeding.
To reset the printer:
- Navigate to the settings menu and look for the option to reset to default settings.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the reset process.
- Try reconnecting the printer to the wifi network.
Reset the router
As a last resort, reset the router to its factory default settings. Remember that resetting the router will erase all custom settings and configurations, so make sure to back up any important data before proceeding.
Use WPS Feature-
WPS (wireless protected setup) is my favorite method to connect the printer to the WIFI. To use this feature, Both devices (printer and router) should be WPS compatible.
If your brother printer won’t connect to the WIFI using the network key. You may use this feature to establish the connection. There are two methods to connect through WPS:
Push button method-
- Push the menu on the brother printer.
- Go to the network and press the ok button. Press the down key to reach WLAN option and press the ok button.
- Select WPS Option and press ok. Now press the Push button. Go to the router and press the WPS button on it too.
Now leave the devices free for 100-120 seconds. They will get synced.
Pin Method:
- Go back to the WPS option on the printer.
- Press the Pin method.
- Press the ok button.
Step 5 – Update the printer firmware-
If you have an old printer and you haven’t updated it from a long period. It may cause the ‘ brother printer not connecting to WIFI ‘ problem. In that case, you have to check for the firmware upgrade. If you find the recent version of firmware. You may do it immediately.
Set the wireless channels on the standard mode 9 or 11:
- Open the router admin panel on the computer.
- Click on the wireless settings.
- Set the wireless channel as 9 or 11 and press the apply changes button.
Setup the WEP encryption for security-
Once you have changed the Wireless channels, you should switch the encryption type as well.
Because some printers are using the Atheros adapters, and these types of adapters can have connectivity issue on the WPA / WP2 Encryption. So If you are currently using WPA/ WPA2 security, switch it over to WEP 64.
- Open the router admin panel on your device again.
- Go to wireless security.
- Choose the encryption type as WEP 64 bit.
- Now generate a new key for your network.
- Press the apply changes.
Once you change the encryption type, you should try to set up the wifi on the machine, let’s see if your brother printer is connecting to the wifi or not?
Some queries related to the brother printer wireless setup issue:
How to turn on the WIFI on the brother printer?
- Press the menu key.
- Go to the network.
- Press the WLAN.
- Press the WLAN enable, and click on ok.
How do I make my brother printer discoverable?
To make the printer discoverable in the computer or network. You must have to attach the printer to the pc through USB (Local) or wireless connection. If you are using the USB or local printer and want it to be discoverable in the network. Then you have to share it in the network from the printer properties.
My brother printer is connected to the WIFI but not showing up in the computer why?
Generally, PC’s are unable to find the printer due to the following reasons:
- The printer is in the deep sleep mode or states.
- Devices are not available in the same network.
So you should check these settings, if both settings are correct but still having trouble with the printer won’t connect to wifi or computer issue? Go to the router settings and update the settings.
- Check the firewall’s inbound/ outbound rules.
- Disable the antivirus, proxies and VPN for 15 minutes.
- Enable the DMZ settings on the router.
For more details, you can visit: why is my brother printer not connecting to computer?
What to do if the brother printer isn’t connecting to the iPhone?
Turn off the mobile data on the iphone. Now connect it to the same wireless network through which your printer is connected. If that doesn’t help in accessing the printer from iphone. You should reboot the phone and printer. Also, you should check the brother wifi direct password?
How do I check if my Brother printer is connected to my network?
If You want to check the Wireless settings on the brother printer. you can check the network status on the brother printer.
- Press the menu button.
- Go to the Machine info.
- Press the ok button.
- Now Click on the WLAN Report.
- Press the Ok and then click on the start button.
Finally, your printer will print a paper, in which you will able to see the network status on the printer.
