Brother Printer Offline But Connected to WiFi? Fix It Now!Updated 3 months ago
Is your Brother printer showing as offline even though it's connected to WiFi? This common issue can be frustrating, but don’t worry—there are several solutions you can try to get your printer back online. In this guide, we will walk you through troubleshooting steps to fix the problem quickly.
Why Is My Brother Printer Offline?
Before jumping into solutions, let’s look at the common reasons why your Brother printer might be offline:
Printer is not set as the default printer
Communication issues between printer and computer
Outdated or corrupt printer drivers
Incorrect printer settings
Print spooler issues
Firewall or security software blocking the connection
Step-by-Step Solutions to Fix Brother Printer Offline Issue
1. Restart Your Printer and Computer
A simple restart can often fix temporary connectivity issues:
Turn off your Brother printer and unplug it from the power source.
Restart your computer and WiFi router.
Plug in and turn on the printer.
Check if the printer is now online.
2. Set Brother Printer as Default
If your Brother printer is not set as the default, Windows or macOS may not recognize it properly.
On Windows:
Open Control Panel > Devices and Printers.
Right-click on your Brother printer and select Set as Default Printer.
Try printing a test page.
On Mac:
Open System Preferences > Printers & Scanners.
Select your Brother printer and click Set as Default Printer.
3. Check Printer Status in Windows
If your printer is set to offline mode, you need to change it back:
Open Control Panel > Devices and Printers.
Right-click your Brother printer and click See what's printing.
Click Printer in the top menu and uncheck Use Printer Offline if selected.
4. Reconnect Your Printer to WiFi
Even if your printer appears connected, a fresh connection may help:
For printers with LCD screens:
Go to Menu > Network > WLAN > Setup Wizard.
Select your WiFi network and enter the password.
Confirm the connection and try printing again.
For printers without LCD screens:
Press and hold the WiFi button until the light blinks.
Press the WPS button on your router within two minutes.
Wait for the connection confirmation.
5. Update or Reinstall Printer Drivers
Outdated drivers can cause connectivity issues. To update or reinstall:
Visit the Brother Support website.
Enter your printer model and download the latest drivers.
Install the drivers and restart your computer.
6. Restart the Print Spooler Service (Windows Only)
A stuck print job can cause the printer to appear offline.
Press Win + R, type
services.msc, and press Enter.Scroll down and find Print Spooler.
Right-click and select Restart.
Check if your printer is now online.
7. Disable Firewall or Security Software Temporarily
Security software might block the connection between your computer and printer.
Temporarily disable your antivirus or firewall and check if the printer comes online.
If this solves the problem, adjust your firewall settings to allow the printer connection.
8. Reset Network Settings on Brother Printer
If none of the above solutions work, resetting the network settings may help:
Press Menu on your printer.
Navigate to Network > Network Reset.
Confirm the reset and reconnect your printer to WiFi.
Final Thoughts
By following these troubleshooting steps, you should be able to fix the issue of your Brother printer showing as offline while connected to WiFi. If the problem persists, consider reaching out to Brother customer support for further assistance.
We hope this guide helped! Let us know if you have any questions or need more assistance.