Brother Printer Not Connecting to Wi-Fi? Find the Cause
If your Brother printer not connecting to Wi-Fi is preventing you from printing, the problem may be with the printer’s wireless setup, your router, the Wi-Fi network, or the connection between the printer and computer. A printer can also appear connected while still being unreachable from the device you’re printing from.
Before reinstalling drivers or resetting the printer, check the wireless connection itself. The quickest route is to identify whether the Brother printer cannot join Wi-Fi at all, or whether it is connected but your computer cannot find it.
Quick Diagnosis: Start Here
| What you’re seeing | Start here |
|---|---|
| Printer cannot find your Wi-Fi network | Go to Fix 1 |
| Printer sees Wi-Fi but will not connect | Go to Fix 2 |
| Wi-Fi password was recently changed | Go to Fix 3 |
| Printer connects but computer cannot find it | Go to Fix 4 |
| Printer keeps losing the Wi-Fi connection | Go to Fix 5 |
| Printer and computer are on different networks | Go to Fix 6 |
| Printer was moved to a new router or network | Go to Fix 7 |
| Wi-Fi still will not work after reconnecting | Go to Fix 8 |
Why This Happens
A Brother printer may fail to connect to Wi-Fi for several different reasons:
- The printer is too far from the wireless router.
- The printer is trying to use an old Wi-Fi network.
- The Wi-Fi password has changed.
- The printer has incorrect wireless settings.
- Your computer and printer are connected to different networks.
- The router is working, but the printer has lost its network configuration.
- The printer connects to Wi-Fi but receives a different network address.
- The printer’s wireless connection needs to be set up again.
The important distinction is whether the printer cannot join Wi-Fi or joins Wi-Fi but cannot communicate with your computer.
Fix 1: Check Whether Your Wi-Fi Network Appears on the Printer
Start with the printer’s wireless setup.
Open the Wi-Fi or network setup option on your Brother printer and look for your current wireless network.
If your Wi-Fi network appears in the list, select it and continue with the connection process.
If it does not appear:
- Move the printer closer to the router temporarily.
- Make sure the router’s Wi-Fi is switched on.
- Check whether other devices can see the same Wi-Fi network.
- Restart the router and check again.
If other devices can connect normally but the Brother printer cannot see the network, the issue may be related to the printer’s wireless compatibility or configuration.
Fix 2: Re-enter the Wi-Fi Password
If the printer can see your network but refuses to connect, check the Wi-Fi password.
A single incorrect character can prevent the connection.
Reconnect the printer to your Wi-Fi network and carefully enter the current password.
Pay attention to:
- Uppercase and lowercase letters
- Numbers
- Special characters
- Spaces
- Similar-looking characters
If you recently changed the router password, the printer will need to be configured with the new credentials.
Once the printer connects, check its wireless status before trying to print.
Fix 3: Reconnect After Changing Your Wi-Fi Password
If the printer was working normally until you changed your Wi-Fi password, you usually do not need to reinstall the printer immediately.
The Brother printer may simply still have the old password saved.
On the printer:
- Open the wireless or network setup.
- Select your current Wi-Fi network.
- Enter the new password.
- Complete the connection.
- Wait for the printer to confirm the connection.
Then check whether your computer can see the printer.
If Windows still shows the printer as offline, the printer may be connected to Wi-Fi but the computer may still be using an old network address.
Fix 4: Check the Printer and Computer Are on the Same Network
A wireless printer and computer need to be able to communicate across the network.
Check the Wi-Fi network shown on your computer and compare it with the network configured on the Brother printer.
For example, if your computer is connected to your home Wi-Fi while the printer is still connected to an old router network or a different wireless network, the computer may not find it.
If necessary, reconnect the printer to the same network being used by your computer.
Also check whether your router has separate network names for different wireless bands. If the printer and computer are being placed on isolated networks, communication may not work as expected.
Fix 5: Restart the Printer and Router
A temporary network problem can sometimes prevent a previously configured printer from reconnecting.
Try a simple restart:
- Turn off the Brother printer.
- Unplug the router’s power.
- Wait for the router to restart completely.
- Turn the Brother printer back on.
- Check the printer’s Wi-Fi connection.
- Try printing again.
If the printer reconnects after the restart but repeatedly loses the connection later, the problem may be more than a temporary network issue.
Fix 6: Check the Printer’s Network Connection
If the printer appears connected to Wi-Fi but your computer cannot find it, check the printer’s network information.
On supported Brother models, you can print or view a network configuration report. This can show information such as the printer’s network status and IP address.
This is useful because a printer can show that it is connected to Wi-Fi while the computer is still trying to reach an outdated address.
If the printer’s IP address has changed, Brother’s Network Connection Repair Tool may be able to update the printer’s IP address in the installed driver.
After correcting the connection, try sending a new print job.
Fix 7: Reconfigure the Printer After Changing Your Router
Replacing your router can leave the printer configured for the old wireless network.
This is especially common when:
- The Wi-Fi name changed.
- The Wi-Fi password changed.
- The old router was replaced.
- The printer was moved to another location.
- Your home network was reconfigured.
In these situations, reconnect the Brother printer to the current wireless network instead of repeatedly trying to make the old configuration work.
Once connected, check the printer from your computer and make sure the correct Brother printer is selected.
Fix 8: Set Up the Brother Printer Again
If the printer still refuses to connect after checking the network, password and router, its wireless configuration may need to be set up again.
Before doing this, make sure you know your current Wi-Fi name and password.
Then:
- Open the Brother printer’s network or wireless setup.
- Follow the wireless setup process.
- Select your current Wi-Fi network.
- Enter the correct password.
- Wait for the printer to confirm the connection.
- Check the printer’s network status.
- Try printing from your computer.
If the printer connects to Wi-Fi but Windows still cannot communicate with it, the next problem to investigate is the printer setup on the computer rather than the Wi-Fi connection itself.
How to Prevent Brother Printer Wi-Fi Problems
Once your Brother printer is working, a few simple steps can help keep the connection stable:
- Keep the printer within reasonable range of the router.
- Avoid changing your Wi-Fi name or password unnecessarily.
- Reconnect the printer whenever you replace your router.
- Keep your computer and printer on a network that allows them to communicate.
- Check the printer’s network status if it suddenly goes offline.
- Avoid repeatedly reinstalling the printer when the underlying issue is simply a lost Wi-Fi connection.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why won’t my Brother printer connect to Wi-Fi?
The printer may have the wrong Wi-Fi password, an outdated network configuration, a weak wireless connection, or a problem communicating with the router. Start by checking whether the printer can see your current Wi-Fi network.
Why does my Brother printer connect to Wi-Fi but not my computer?
The printer may be connected to a different network, or its network address may have changed. Check the network connection on both devices and verify the printer’s current network information.
Why did my Brother printer stop connecting after I changed my Wi-Fi password?
The printer may still be using the old password. Reconnect the printer to your Wi-Fi network and enter the new password.
Do I need to reset my Brother printer to connect it to Wi-Fi?
Not necessarily. Try reconnecting it to the current Wi-Fi network first. A full reset should generally be considered only when simpler network setup steps have not solved the problem.
Why can’t my Brother printer find my Wi-Fi network?
Check that Wi-Fi is enabled on the router and that other devices can see the network. Moving the printer closer to the router can also help determine whether signal strength is contributing to the problem.
Why does my Brother printer keep disconnecting from Wi-Fi?
Repeated disconnections can be related to wireless signal strength, router issues, network changes or the printer’s network configuration. Check the printer’s network status when the problem occurs rather than immediately reinstalling the printer.
Can I use my Brother printer if Wi-Fi is not working?
If your particular Brother model supports another connection method, such as USB, you may be able to print using that connection while troubleshooting the wireless problem.
