Why Is My Brother Printer Connected to Wi-Fi but Not Printing? Easy Troubleshooting Guide
Introduction
A Brother printer connected to Wi-Fi should allow you to print conveniently from a computer, laptop, smartphone, or tablet without using a USB cable. However, sometimes the printer shows that it is successfully connected to the wireless network but still refuses to print. Documents may remain stuck in the print queue, the printer may appear offline, or your computer may fail to communicate with the printer even though the Wi-Fi connection looks normal.
This problem can be caused by several factors, including an incorrect printer selection, stuck print jobs, outdated drivers, network communication problems, incorrect printer settings, or a temporary issue with the router or printer. Brother's troubleshooting guidance specifically recommends checking the printer's status, print queue, wireless connection, router, drivers, and firmware when a wireless printer cannot print.
Fortunately, you can work through a series of simple troubleshooting steps to identify the cause and restore printing.
Why Is My Brother Printer Connected but Not Printing?
A Wi-Fi connection alone does not guarantee that your computer can successfully send print jobs to the printer.
Common causes include:
Printer is connected to the wrong Wi-Fi network.
Computer and printer are using different networks.
Print jobs are stuck in the queue.
Printer is set to Offline.
Incorrect or duplicate printer installation exists.
Printer driver is outdated or corrupted.
Wireless communication has been interrupted.
Router is experiencing a temporary problem.
Printer firmware needs updating.
Printer displays an error or warning.
The printer's network configuration has changed.
Identifying the cause can make troubleshooting much easier.
Check the Brother Printer's Status
Start by checking the printer itself.
Make sure the Brother printer is powered on and ready. Look at the printer's display or indicator lights for error messages, paper warnings, ink or toner alerts, or other notifications.
If the printer displays an error, resolve that issue before attempting to print from the computer.
Brother also recommends confirming that the machine is turned on and checking whether its display shows an error.
Verify the Wi-Fi Connection
The next step is to confirm that the printer is actually connected to the correct wireless network.
Check the printer's network or WLAN settings and verify the network name. Then check the Wi-Fi connection on your computer.
Ideally, both devices should be connected to the same network.
If you recently changed your router, Wi-Fi password, or network name, the printer may still contain the previous wireless configuration. In that situation, reconnecting the printer to the current network may be necessary.
Restart the Printer and Router
A temporary communication problem can sometimes prevent printing even when the printer appears connected.
Try the following:
Turn off the Brother printer.
Restart your wireless router.
Wait until the router finishes reconnecting.
Turn the printer back on.
Wait until the printer is ready.
Try printing again.
Restarting the network equipment can refresh the communication path between the computer, router, and printer.
Check the Print Queue
A stuck document can prevent newer documents from printing.
On Windows, open your printer settings and select the Brother printer. Open the print queue and look for pending documents.
Cancel unnecessary or failed print jobs and wait until the queue is empty.
Then send a new document to the printer.
Brother's official troubleshooting guidance specifically includes checking whether remaining print jobs are present in the print queue.
Make Sure the Printer Is Not Offline
Windows can sometimes place a printer into Offline mode.
Open the Brother printer's print queue and check the printer menu. If Use Printer Offline is selected, disable it.
You can then try sending a new print job.
Brother's official support video also recommends checking the printer's online status and clearing pending jobs when a Brother wireless printer cannot print.
Check for Duplicate Brother Printers
Sometimes Windows creates more than one copy of the same printer.
For example, you may see entries such as:
Brother Printer
Brother Printer (Copy 1)
Brother Printer (Copy 2)
The computer may be sending print jobs to an incorrect or inactive installation.
Check your printer list and remove unnecessary duplicate entries when appropriate. Keep the correct Brother printer installation and make sure applications are using it.
Brother identifies unnecessary duplicate printer icons as one possible issue when troubleshooting wireless printing problems.
Update or Reinstall the Brother Printer Driver
The printer driver allows your computer to communicate with the Brother printer.
If the driver is outdated, corrupted, or incompatible, the printer may connect to Wi-Fi but fail to receive or process print jobs correctly.
Install the appropriate Brother software and driver for your specific printer model and operating system.
If updating the driver does not help, remove the existing printer installation and reinstall it using the correct Brother software. Brother recommends ensuring that the correct software and drivers are installed for wireless printing.
Check the Printer's IP Address
Wireless printers communicate across your network using network information such as an IP address.
If the printer's network address has changed, Windows may continue trying to communicate with an old printer address.
You can print a network configuration or WLAN report on supported Brother models and check the current network information.
If necessary, reinstall the printer using its current network configuration.
Check the Router
Your router may also be responsible for the problem.
Check whether other devices are successfully connected to the same Wi-Fi network. If phones, laptops, and other devices are also experiencing connection problems, restart or troubleshoot the router before focusing on the printer.
Also make sure the printer is within a reasonable wireless range.
Brother recommends checking and repairing the wireless connection and verifying that the wireless router or access point is functioning correctly.
Update Printer Firmware
Printer firmware controls many of the device's internal functions.
An outdated firmware version can sometimes contribute to wireless communication or compatibility problems.
Check for firmware updates that apply to your Brother printer model and install them according to Brother's instructions.
Brother includes firmware updates for both the printer and wireless router/access point among its recommended checks for wireless printing problems.
Reinstall the Brother Printer
If the printer remains connected to Wi-Fi but still refuses to print, reinstalling it can rebuild the connection between Windows and the printer.
Remove the existing Brother printer from your computer, then add it again using the correct Brother driver and network configuration.
Brother's troubleshooting instructions and official support video both include removing and reinstalling the printer when other solutions do not resolve the printing problem.
Print a Test Page
After completing the troubleshooting steps, print a test page.
A successful test confirms that the computer can communicate with the printer and that the printer is ready to process print jobs.
If the test page works but a particular application still cannot print, check whether that application has selected the correct Brother printer.
Brother's official support video recommends testing from a standard application after reinstalling the printer and verifying that the correct printer is selected in the original application.
Common Signs of This Problem
A Brother printer connected to Wi-Fi but not printing may show symptoms such as:
Printer appears connected but does not respond.
Documents remain stuck in the queue.
Printer appears Offline.
Computer cannot communicate with the printer.
Print jobs disappear without printing.
Printer works from one device but not another.
Duplicate Brother printer entries appear.
Printing stopped after a router or network change.
Wireless printing fails while USB printing works.
These symptoms can help determine whether the problem is related to the printer, computer, driver, or network.
Tips for Reliable Brother Wireless Printing
Follow these practices to reduce future printing problems:
Keep the printer within good Wi-Fi range.
Keep the printer and computer on the same network.
Update Brother drivers when necessary.
Keep printer firmware updated.
Remove unnecessary duplicate printer installations.
Clear failed print jobs promptly.
Restart the router if the network becomes unstable.
Check network settings after replacing your router.
Print a test page after making major configuration changes.
These simple steps can help maintain reliable wireless communication.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my Brother printer connected to Wi-Fi but not printing?
The printer may have a communication problem with the computer, a stuck print queue, incorrect printer installation, outdated driver, or network configuration issue.
How do I get my Brother printer to print again?
Check the printer status, verify the Wi-Fi connection, clear the print queue, disable Offline mode, update the driver, and reinstall the printer if necessary.
Why does my Brother printer say Offline when it is connected to Wi-Fi?
Windows may have placed the printer in Offline mode, or the computer may be communicating with an incorrect printer installation or outdated network address.
Should I restart my router?
Yes. Restarting the router can resolve temporary wireless communication problems between the printer and other devices.
Do I need to reinstall the Brother printer driver?
If the existing driver is outdated, corrupted, or incorrectly configured, updating or reinstalling the correct Brother driver can restore communication.
What if my Brother printer works with USB but not Wi-Fi?
This usually points toward a wireless network, printer configuration, driver, or IP-address issue rather than a basic printing problem. Check the printer's network configuration and reconnect it to the correct Wi-Fi network.
Conclusion
A Brother printer can remain connected to Wi-Fi yet fail to print when communication between the printer, computer, and network is not working correctly. The most common causes include stuck print jobs, Offline mode, incorrect printer selection, duplicate installations, outdated drivers, network configuration problems, and router communication issues.
Start by checking the printer's status and wireless connection. Then restart the printer and router, clear the print queue, verify that the correct printer is selected, and make sure Offline mode is disabled. If the problem continues, update or reinstall the Brother printer driver, check the printer's network information, update firmware, or reinstall the printer.
Following these steps systematically can help restore wireless printing without unnecessarily replacing the printer. Brother's own troubleshooting resources recommend checking the printer status, print queue, wireless connection, router, drivers, firmware, and printer installation when wireless printing fails.
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