Brother Printer Not Connecting to My Computer

When a Brother printer won’t connect to your computer, the problem is usually not the printer itself—it’s the link between the two. That link could be a USB cable, your Wi‑Fi network, or a driver/port setting on the computer. The fastest way to fix it is to identify the connection type and then work through a short checklist. This guide covers both USB and wireless Brother printers and explains how to restore communication on Windows or macOS without guessing.

Step 1: Confirm How You’re Connecting

• USB: printer plugs into one computer with a cable.
• Wi‑Fi/Ethernet: printer is on your home/office network.
• Wi‑Fi Direct: computer connects to the printer’s own hotspot.

Mixing these up (for example, trying to print to a Wi‑Fi printer that’s only connected by USB) leads to “not found” errors.

Step 2: Restart Everything

Power‑cycle the printer, restart your computer, and reboot the router if you’re on Wi‑Fi. Simple resets clear stuck jobs and refresh network leases.

USB Connection Fixes

• Try a different USB port and a different USB cable.
• Plug directly into the computer, not through a hub or monitor.
• Check Device Manager (Windows) for a warning icon under Printers or USB devices.
• Reinstall the Brother driver and connect the cable only when the installer asks.

Wi‑Fi Connection Fixes

If your Brother printer is wireless:

1. Print a Network Configuration report from the printer menu.
2. Confirm it shows your SSID and an IP address.
3. Make sure your computer is on the same Wi‑Fi network (not guest Wi‑Fi).
4. Disable VPNs that route traffic away from the local network.

If the report shows “Not connected,” rerun the printer’s Setup Wizard or WPS to join Wi‑Fi again.

Fixing “Offline” or Port Issues on Windows

Windows sometimes creates a WSD port for Brother printers, which breaks if the IP changes. Fix it by:

• Opening Printer properties > Ports.
• Selecting a Standard TCP/IP Port using the printer’s current IP.
• Clearing the print queue and unchecking Use Printer Offline.
• Reserving the IP in your router for stability.

Use Brother’s Connection Tools

Brother provides small utilities that diagnose and repair links. On Windows, open Brother Utilities and run the Network Connection Repair Tool. It can rediscover the printer and re‑map the port automatically. On macOS, Brother’s installer includes a Wireless Device Setup Wizard that can locate the printer and refresh Bonjour discovery if the Mac isn’t seeing it.

Test the IP From Your Computer

If you have an IP address from the printer’s network report, test it. On Windows, open Command Prompt and run ping 192.168.x.x. On a Mac, use Terminal with ping -c 4 192.168.x.x. If the ping fails, the printer is not reachable on the network and you should reconnect Wi‑Fi or check router isolation settings. If ping works but printing fails, the issue is driver or port selection.

Clear Stuck Jobs

A frozen job can make it look like the printer “won’t connect.” Cancel all jobs in the queue, restart the printer, and if needed restart the Windows Print Spooler service. Brother printers recover cleanly once the queue is empty.

macOS Connection Checks

On a Mac, open System Settings > Printers & Scanners. Remove the Brother printer and add it again. If it doesn’t appear automatically, add by IP using the address from the network report. Using Brother’s official driver gives better control than plain AirPrint for many models.

Driver and Software Reinstall

If the printer is connected but still not detected, reinstall the full Brother package:

1. Uninstall Brother Utilities and drivers.
2. Restart the computer.
3. Download the latest driver from Brother’s support site.
4. Install and choose your correct connection type.

Firewall and Router Settings

Firewalls can block discovery. Temporarily disable third‑party security tools to test. On the router, ensure AP/client isolation is off, and prefer WPA2 or mixed WPA2/WPA3 security, since WPA3‑only can block older Brother radios.

Wi‑Fi Direct and Temporary Hotspots

If you can’t get the printer on your main Wi‑Fi right away, try Wi‑Fi Direct (some Brother models call it Direct Print). Enable it from the network menu, then connect your computer to the printer’s Direct SSID and password. If printing works over Direct, the printer hardware and driver are fine and the problem is your router setup, SSID, or security mode. You can also use Direct mode to reconfigure the printer onto the correct home network.

Remove Old Printer Profiles

If you’ve replaced a Brother printer or moved it to a new network, your computer may still be trying to talk to the old profile. Delete any duplicate Brother entries, restart the computer, and add the printer fresh. On Windows, this is especially important if you previously used USB and now want Wi‑Fi—the old USB queue can silently absorb jobs.

Once you match the right driver to the right connection type and stabilize the printer’s IP, most Brother “not connecting” problems disappear for good.