Brother Printer Won’t Connect to Wifi – Here’s How to Fix It
It’s frustrating when you’re ready to print, but your Brother printer won’t connect to wifi. This is an incredibly common problem, whether you’re setting up a new machine like a Brother MFC-J series all-in-one, or your previously connected wireless printer suddenly drops off the network. A reliable Wi-Fi connection is essential for modern printing, allowing you to use features like mobile printing from your phone, laptop, or tablet.
The good news is that most connectivity issues are simple to resolve. They often boil down to a mismatch in settings, a temporary network glitch, or a forgotten step in the wireless setup wizard. This comprehensive guide will walk you through easy, step-by-step solutions, from the basics to more advanced checks, helping you restore your connection and get back to printing in minutes.
Still has not solved the problem? Then it is time to read on through the various phases in our guide!
Phase 1: Brother printer won’t connect to wifi? Essential Quick Check Basics
Before diving into complex settings, let’s cover the quick, most common fixes for when your brother printer won’t connect to wifi.
1. The Power Cycle & Restart 🔄
This simple technique resolves an astonishing number of computer and device issues by clearing temporary errors from the memory of both devices.
- Turn off your Brother printer and unplug it from the wall outlet.
- Turn off your Wi-Fi router and modem, and unplug them.
- Wait a full 60 seconds. This allows all residual power to drain.
- Plug in and turn on your router and modem first. Wait until they are fully booted and showing a stable internet connection (usually indicated by solid lights).
- Plug in and turn on your Brother printer.
- Try the connection process again or simply wait to see if it reconnects automatically.
2. Check the Wi-Fi Status Light
Look at your printer’s control panel or status lights. Is the Wi-Fi or WLAN light solid green, blinking, or off?
- Solid Green: Connection is active. The problem might be with your computer’s connection, not the printer’s.
- Blinking: The printer is trying to connect (searching for a network).
- Off: The wireless radio may be disabled. You’ll need to enable it via the printer’s menu (Menu > Network > WLAN > WLAN Enable).
3. Proximity and Interference Check
Is your printer too far from your wireless router? Wi-Fi signals degrade over distance and through walls and this is a primary cause of the problem where your brother printer won’t connect to wifi, as confirmed by this ResearchGate.net publication on the “Effect of Distance on Wi-Fi Signal Quality in the Home Environment”.
- First move the printer closer to the router temporarily to see if the connection is established.
- Second look for interference: Large metal objects, cordless phones, microwaves, and even fish tanks can disrupt the signal. Try moving the printer a few feet away from these items. (PingPlotter.com poses the serious question “Is the Microwave Cooking Your WiFi?”)
Phase 2: Brother printer won’t connect to wifi? Reconnection to the Wireless Network 📶
If the quick fixes don’t work, you’ll need to manually re-establish the connection.
1. Use the Setup Wizard (Recommended)
The easiest way to reconnect a Brother wireless printer is by running the setup wizard on the printer’s control panel.
- On your printer, press the Menu or Settings button.
- Navigate to Network or LAN Settings.
- Select WLAN or Wi-Fi.
- Choose Setup Wizard.
- The printer will search for nearby networks. Select your Network Name (SSID) from the list.
- Enter your Network Key (Wi-Fi password). Pay close attention to capitalization and special characters.
Note: If your router supports Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS), you can select the WPS option in the printer’s menu, and then press the physical WPS button on your router within two minutes. This bypasses the need to enter the password manually.
2. Verify Your Network Credentials
A common point of failure is simply mistyping the Wi-Fi password.
- Double-Check: Confirm your network’s SSID (name) and password. Check another device (like your phone) to ensure it uses the exact same credentials.
- Password Complexity: If your password is very long or contains many special characters, consider temporarily simplifying it on your router (then changing it back after the printer is connected) to rule out input errors.
Phase 3: Driver and Software Deep Dive 💻
Sometimes the printer is connected to the Wi-Fi, but your computer can’t “see” it because of outdated or corrupted software. That might be the reason why your brother printer won’t connect to wifi, and so we will cover this “invisible printer” solution next.
1. Update/Reinstall the Brother Printer Driver
An outdated driver can prevent your PC or Mac from correctly communicating with your printer, even if the printer is online – Brother.com discusses printer drivers in this FAQs & Troubleshooting page entitled “The printer status is Offline or Paused.”
- Uninstall Old Drivers: Go to Control Panel (Windows) or System Settings/Printers & Scanners (Mac) and remove your Brother printer from the list of devices.
- Download New Drivers: Navigate to the official Brother support page (a highly reliable source) and search for your specific model number. Download the latest Full Driver & Software Package for your operating system.
- Run the Installer: During the installation, choose the Wireless Network Connection option when prompted. The software will detect and configure the printer on your network.
According to the official Brother Support page, running the full software package is the most reliable method for first-time wireless setup and resolving persistent connection issues.
2. Check for Firewall or Antivirus Blocks
Security software can sometimes mistake the printer’s communication for a threat and block the connection and that could well be why your brother printer won’t connect to wifi.
- Temporarily Disable: Briefly disable your PC’s firewall (like Windows Defender) and/or your third-party antivirus program. (Brother.com discusses Firewall and Security in this FAQs & Troubleshooting page entitled “I cannot print using my Brother machine on a wireless network”)
- Test the connection. If the printer connects, you know the security software is the culprit.
- Add an Exception: Re-enable your security software and go into its settings to add an exception or allow rule for the Brother printer’s software and its communication ports (often UDP ports 137 and 161).
Phase 4: Advanced Network Troubleshooting ⚙️
If you still find that your brother printer won’t connect to wifi, then these checks are for users comfortable looking at their router settings.
1. 2.4 GHz vs. 5 GHz Band Conflict
Many modern routers broadcast two separate Wi-Fi networks: a 2.4 GHz band and a 5 GHz band.
- The Problem: Most older or simpler Brother printers can only connect to the 2.4 GHz band. If your computer or mobile device connects to the faster 5 GHz band, and the printer connects to the 2.4 GHz band, they can sometimes struggle to communicate, or the printer may not even see the 5 GHz network.
- The Fix: When running the setup wizard, ensure you are selecting the 2.4 GHz SSID (e.g., “HomeNetwork-2.4G”). Some users temporarily disable the 5 GHz band on their router during printer setup to ensure the printer locks onto the 2.4 GHz frequency.
2. Check the DHCP Address Lease
Your router uses a protocol called DHCP to automatically assign an IP address to your printer. If the address changes (the lease expires), the computer might look for the printer at an old, incorrect address. (Microsoft.com discusses IP Addresses in this page entitled “Essential Network Settings and Tasks in Windows”)
- Assign a Static IP: To prevent this, you can assign your Brother printer a static IP address within the router’s settings. This ensures the address never changes. (Brother.com discusses static IP addresses in this FAQs & Troubleshooting page entitled “Guidelines for configuring your Brother machine on a wireless network”)
- Find the printer’s current IP address (usually printed from the Network Configuration Report on the printer’s menu).
- Log in to your router settings and reserve that IP address for the printer’s MAC address, or set the printer’s IP address to be outside the DHCP range.
Pro Tip: This is especially helpful in office or complex home network environments where many devices compete for IP addresses. For more details on IP configuration, consult a resource like Microsoft’s network troubleshooting guide entitled “Fix Wi-Fi connection issues in Windows” on how your Windows PC interacts with network devices.
3. Reset Network Settings on the Printer
If the internal settings are corrupted, a factory reset might be necessary.
- Reset Procedure: On your Brother printer, navigate to Menu > Initial Setup > Reset > Network. This will wipe all saved Wi-Fi details, security settings, and network configurations, forcing you to start the wireless setup from scratch, often resolving deep-seated connection issues.
4. Firmware Update
Printer firmware is the internal operating system. Manufacturers release updates to fix bugs, improve compatibility, and enhance security.
- How to Update: Check your printer’s current firmware version via the control panel’s Information or System menu. Visit the Brother support site for your model to see if a newer version is available. You usually download the file to your computer and use a USB cable to install it.
This process is often a final solution for recurrent disconnects or a printer dropping Wi-Fi connection intermittently.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Why does my Brother printer keep disconnecting from Wi-Fi?
Brother printers often disconnect due to an unstable IP address lease from the router. Your router might be assigning a new IP, causing your computer to lose track of the printer. To fix this, you should assign a static IP address to the printer in your router’s settings, ensuring its address never changes. Interference from other electronics or a weak 2.4 GHz signal can also be culprits.
How do I find my Brother printer’s Wi-Fi network key (password)?
The Wi-Fi network key is the password for your wireless home network, not a specific printer password. If you’ve forgotten it, you can often find it printed on a sticker on your Wi-Fi router, or you can retrieve it from the network settings on a computer that is already connected to the Wi-Fi. It is the same key you use to connect a phone or laptop to your home network.
What is the difference between connecting a Brother printer via WPS and the Setup Wizard?
The Setup Wizard requires you to manually select your network and type in the password using the printer’s control panel. WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) is a quicker method where you press a button on the router and select the WPS option on the printer, which automatically exchanges connection details without needing to type the password. The Setup Wizard is generally more reliable if WPS fails.
My Brother printer only connects to 2.4 GHz, but my router uses 5 GHz. What should I do?
Most routers broadcast both a 2.4 GHz and a 5 GHz network, sometimes under different names (SSIDs). You must ensure the Brother printer is attempting to connect to the 2.4 GHz network. If your router uses a single name for both bands, you may need to temporarily log into your router’s administration page and separate the two bands by assigning them unique names, then connect the printer to the 2.4 GHz name.
Quick Guide: How to Fix Brother Printer Wi-Fi Connection Issues
This process typically takes about 30 minutes to complete.
Step 1: Perform a Power Cycle on All Devices
- Turn off and unplug the Brother printer, Wi-Fi router, and modem.
- Wait a full 60 seconds for power to drain.
- Plug in and turn on the modem, then the router, and finally the printer, allowing each to fully boot.
Step 2: Run the Wireless Setup Wizard on the Printer
- On the printer’s control panel, navigate to Menu > Network > WLAN > Setup Wizard.
- Select your Network Name (SSID) from the list.
- Carefully enter your Network Key (Wi-Fi password), paying attention to case sensitivity.
Step 3: Update or Reinstall Printer Drivers on Your Computer
- Visit the official Brother support website and search for your printer model’s latest Full Driver & Software Package.
- Uninstall any existing printer software from your computer.
- Run the newly downloaded installer and select the ‘Wireless Network Connection’ option to configure the connection.
Step 4: Perform a Network Settings Reset on the Printer (If Issues Persist)
- On the Brother printer menu, navigate to Initial Setup > Reset > Network.
- Confirm the reset to factory defaults for network settings. This will erase all previously saved Wi-Fi information.
- Repeat the ‘Run the Wireless Setup Wizard’ step to connect the printer to your Wi-Fi network as if it were a new device.
Conclusion and Prevention Tips 💡
Congratulations! By following these steps, you should have successfully resolved the issue where your Brother printer won’t connect to wifi. The key to success is patience and a methodical approach—starting with the simplest fixes before moving to advanced configurations.
To prevent similar wireless network connection problems in the future, follow these maintenance tips:
- Choose a Dedicated Spot: Locate your printer in a stable, central area, away from potential signal interference like large appliances or thick brick walls.
- Use a Static/Reserved IP: As discussed in Phase 4, assigning a permanent IP address to your printer prevents future DHCP address conflicts.
- Keep Drivers Updated: Make it a habit to periodically check the official Brother website for new software and driver releases for your model.
- Check Router Compatibility: Ensure your router is using an older, more universally supported security protocol like WPA2-PSK (AES). Some Brother models struggle with the newest WPA3 standard. For help adjusting router settings, consult the support area for your router’s brand.
A reliable connection means worry-free printing and by now we should have solved the problem you have where your brother printer won’t connect to wifi!
Be sure to check out our Tech Troubleshooting FAQ page for more basic tips that can solve any general tech problem.
Related Guides:
- If your printer won’t print at all, see: HP OfficeJet 3830 Not Printing
- For similar HP models, try: HP OfficeJet 4500 Not Printing
- For Epson models showing error codes, see: Epson Printer Error 000041
Need more help? Visit our Printer Troubleshooting Hub for more step-by-step guides.