WiFi printers are great, and Brother has a fantastic range of options to go wireless.

However, if your Brother Printer won’t connect to WiFi, it turns what was once a convenience into a nuisance.

Technology is supposed to make the world more straightforward, but when it fails, it leaves you pulling your hair out with unexpected delays that ruin your schedule.

So let’s see if we can get you back on track quickly with some troubleshooting for your Brother printer WiFi setup.

Why Brother Printer Won’t Connect to Wi-Fi

There are several potential causes for your Brother printer not connecting to Wi-Fi.

The main culprits are:

• Weak Wi-Fi signal – Try moving your printer closer to the Wi-Fi router.
• Incorrect Wi-Fi network settings – See step 2
• Software issues such as out-of-date firmware or drivers – See step 3

Step 1 – Power Cycle All Devices

Before we go any further, a simple step that often solves a Brother printer not connecting to Wi-Fi is to turn all your devices off and on again.

This means the Wi-Fi router, computer, and Brother printer.

Rebooting your devices can get your Brother printer back connected to the Wi-Fi and back to being productive again.

If your devices do not automatically reconnect, see the end of the blog for a guide to connecting a Brother printer to Wi-Fi.

Step 2 – Checking the Wireless Connection

The next step is making sure your wireless network is working correctly.

You can’t connect to a Brother printer wirelessly if the Wi-Fi network isn’t operating as it should.

Try using another device to test the Wi-Fi connection. For example, can you access the internet, send/receive emails, etc.

If your internet access is okay, but your Brother printer won’t connect to Wi-Fi, the problem lies with the printer and its connectivity.

Brother Printer Connecting WLAN

The best way to find why your Brother printer won’t connect to WiFi is by printing the WLAN report.

To print the WLAN report navigate to “Print Reports” on your Brother Printer (Found in Settings or Menu), choose “WLAN Report,” and select either “Black (Mono) Start,” “Color Start,” or “Start.”

Listed at the top of the WLAN report is a “Connection” column. If the status reads “Connection: OK”, move on to the next section.

If the connection status reads “Failed,” you will also receive an error code.

Below is a table explaining the issue associated with each error code and its solutions.

Error Code	Issue	Solutions
TS-01	Wireless setting not activated	Change the printer’s network interface to “ON.”
TS-02	Wireless access not detected	Power cycle WiFi RouterReinstall Drivers (see step 3)Reconfirm SSID and network key
TS-03	Network or security setting incorrect	Reconfirm SSID and network key
TS-04	Authentication/Encryption method not supported	Change the authentication/encryption methods for your WiFi router
TS-05	SSID/Network key incorrect	Reconfirm SSID and network key
TS-06	Incorrect wireless security information entered	Confirm wireless security information (authentication/encryption methods and SSID/network key)
TS-07	Cannot detect WLAN access with WPS enabled	If using a WPS connection, confirm the connection method on the access point/router.
TS-08	Two or more WLAN access points with WPS enabled detected	Confirm only one access point/router within range has the WPS method active.

If you are unsure how to implement any of these solutions, see below.

Enabling Brother Printer Network Interface

• Press “Menu”
• Navigate to “Network”
• Select “Wired LAN” or “WLAN”
• Select “WLAN Enable”
• Select “On”

 

Confirming Wireless Security Information

Your Brother printer Wi-Fi setup needs the correct wireless security information to connect to the network.

This means inputting the correct network name (SSID) and password (network key).

See the end of the blog for how to connect a Brother printer to Wi-Fi and where to input the SSID and key.

If the error is caused by the authentication/encryption method, you will have to consult your printer’s manual to discover the available compatible methods.

WPS Connection

WPS, or Wireless Protected Setup, is a simple way to connect your printer to the Wi-Fi without entering an SSID and network key.

See the “How to Connect Brother Printer to Wi-Fi” section at the end of the blog to learn how to use it.

Network Connection Repair Tool (Windows Only)

This tool can assist in getting your Brother printer back connected to the Wi-Fi network.

It will automatically update your printer’s IP address in the driver.

You can download the tool for your printer model from Brother’s Support & Downloads Page.

Here’s how you can do it:

• Select your printer model from the list.
• Find the Network Connection Repair Tool in the list of available downloads for your printer model.
• Click the download link and save the file to your computer.
• Locate the downloaded file and double-click it to run the installer.
• Follow the installation prompts and launch the tool.

Step 3 – Software Issues

Drivers

Drivers provide the interface between your computer and the printer.

Unfortunately, out-of-date drivers can prevent you from connecting your Brother printer to Wi-Fi.

You can find up-to-date drivers for Brother Printers here.

Firmware

Firmware is the software that runs your printer.

If you have an old printer, it may require updated firmware in order to solve your Brother printer Wi-Fi setup problem.

Brother offers a guide for updating your machine’s firmware here.

Step 4 – Other Wireless Connection Solutions

Other more complex solutions when your Brother printer won’t connect to WiFi include:

• Print the Network Configuration Report and check the “Wireless Link Status”. If it shows an error, you may need to reset the network setting to the factory default.
• Check the IP address of your computer and printer (Found on the Network configuration report), making sure they are the same except for the end numbers.
• Ping your Brother printer from your computer to make sure they are connected.
• You can try resetting the network settings back to factory settings. This resets all information, including the password and IP address.

Step 5 – Get in Touch with Brother

If you have tried everything and your Brother printer won’t connect to WiFi, unfortunately, you will have to contact Brother customer support.

How To Connect Brother Printer to Wi-Fi

1. Find Your Wi-Fi network Settings

Find the Wi-Fi network name (SSID) and key (password) if it is not an open network. These are often found on the router itself.

2. Brother Printer Wi-Fi Setup

Navigate to “Network”, select “WLAN”, and ensure the wireless network interface is enabled on your Brother Printer.

Begin the “Setup Wizard” (Also under the WLAN menu).

The printer will return a list of available networks (list of SSIDs).

Select your chosen network and enter the network key (password) if required.

When successful the display will return “Connected.”

3. Download and Install Brother Printer Software

When connecting your Brother printer to Wi-Fi for the first time, ensure you have all the correct, up-to-date drivers installed.

Connecting Via WPS

WPS is a method of connecting your printer to the Wi-Fi network without entering the SSID and network key.

To implement this, you need a WPS-compatible printer and router.

There are two methods for WPS connection:

• Push Button Method

Select the “WPS” option under “WLAN”.

Next, press the Push Button, then press the WPS button on the router.

Leave the devices for 2 minutes until they are synced.

• PIN Method

Under the “WPS” option and select the “PIN” option.

Then enter the WPS pin available on your router.

Summary

Frustratingly there are many possible reasons why your Brother printer won’t connect to Wi-Fi.

Hopefully, you found a simple fix here and are back printing away.

If not, we hope you have a USB cable to hand while you contact Brother to find a solution

Further reading:

• 7 Common Laser Printer Problems
• Printer Maintenance Tips: A Nitty Gritty Guide