Brother's wireless setup uses WPS or the setup wizard. With WPS, press the WPS button on your access point and hold the Wi-Fi button on the machine for about five seconds; when the connection is established the Wi-Fi indicator lights blue. Otherwise use the machine's Wi-Fi setup wizard from the Settings menu, choose your network name and enter the password, or set it up from the Brother iPrint&Scan app. For certain models the wireless connection needs an optional wireless module.
The checks in more detail
If you have moved house, changed provider, replaced the router or changed its settings, Brother says to uninstall the printer driver and set up the wireless connection again, then reinstall the full driver package. If a machine that was working cannot print or scan on the network anymore, restart the Wi-Fi module: press Wireless Status, then Recover WLAN, then OK. Print the network configuration page to read the IP address and check it matches the router's range.
Keep the machine near the router for setup, and check that the router supports the band the machine uses, since some Brother models are 2.4 GHz only and others are dual band. Avoid special characters in the wifi password, update the machine and router firmware, and make sure no duplicate icons remain in the printer list. On macOS 15 allow local network access for iPrint&Scan. Note the network name and password before starting, and put the machine near the router for the first setup.
Once it works, move it and print the network page again to confirm the address is still valid. If the router has separate names for its two bands, join the machine to the one it supports, and avoid a name with special characters. Reserve the machine's address in the router once it is connected, so a router restart cannot hand it a new address and break the print queue on every computer in the house.
Differential
Likely causes of “Brother printers will not connect to Wi-Fi”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
A changed router
What separates it Printing stopped because the router was changed and the machine cannot join it
How to confirm Uninstall the driver, and then set up the machine again on the new router
- 2
The wrong band
What separates it The machine cannot join because it is trying the wrong band
How to confirm Use a band that the machine supports, which is usually 2.4 GHz
- 3
A lost Wi-Fi module link
What separates it The machine cannot print or scan because its wifi module has lost the link
How to confirm Use Recover WLAN, to restart the wifi module
- 4
A missing wireless module
What separates it There is no wifi option because the model needs a wireless module
How to confirm Fit the wireless module if the model requires one
- 5
Local network access denied
What separates it Scanning cannot find the machine because local network access is denied
How to confirm Allow local network access on macOS 15, for the Brother app
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- The model and the Wi-Fi indicator
- The name and the band of the wifi network
- The IP address on the network page
- Whether the router has been changed recently
Try in this order
0 of 6 completedUse WPS or the wizard
ReversibleUse WPS or the wizard, holding the Wi-Fi button for five seconds for WPS, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Check the indicator
ReversibleCheck the indicator, since a blue Wi-Fi light means that the machine is connected, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Print the network page
ReversiblePrint the network page, and read the IP address that the machine has, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Use Recover WLAN, to restart the wifi module
ReversibleUse Recover WLAN if a working machine drops off the network, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Uninstall and reinstall the driver
ReversibleUninstall and reinstall the driver, after any change to the router, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Move closer
ReversibleMove closer to the router, if the signal is weak at the machine's position, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Bands
- Some Brother models are 2.4 GHz only and newer ones are dual band.
- Labels
- The QL-820NWB label printer has Wi-Fi and Bluetooth setup through its own app.
- Other models this page answers
- These steps also fit models L5915DW, L8905CDW, L3295CDW, L2460DW, L2640DW, J1010DW, J4535DW, J5855DW, QL-820NWB label printer.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If setup fails after repeating it near the router, print a network configuration page and check the IP
- !If the model needs a wireless module, fit it
- !If nothing connects, contact Brother, and give them the model
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Ten checks for wireless printing.
Power, connection, Recover WLAN and Windows checks.
Wireless setup steps.
Network, iPrint&Scan, firewall and Bonjour.
The company and its products.
Exact questions
Common questions
How do I use WPS?+
Press WPS on the router and hold the machine's Wi-Fi button about five seconds.
What does the blue Wi-Fi light mean?+
The blue Wi-Fi light means that the wireless connection is established.
Do all models have wifi?+
Not all models have wifi built in, since some need a wireless module.
Does band matter?+
Yes, the band matters, since some machines support only 2.4 GHz.
Can special characters break setup?+
Avoid special characters in the network name and password, since they can break setup.
Does macOS need permission?+
Local network access on macOS 15.