How to Fix WiFi Not Working on a Brother MFC Printer: WPS, Brother iPrint&Scan Setup, Static IP, and Network Reset Fixes

Brother MFC all-in-one printers are workhorses, but their WiFi setup trips up more users than almost any other home device. The root cause is almost always one of three things: a 5 GHz or WPA3-only network the printer cannot join, a DHCP lease that keeps changing the printer’s IP address, or stale credentials left over after a router swap. This guide walks through every fix in order from quickest to most thorough.

Understand the Hardware Limits First

Before troubleshooting, it helps to know what Brother MFC printers can and cannot do on a wireless network:

• 2.4 GHz only. Every current Brother MFC wireless printer—including the MFC-J4335DW, MFC-J5855DW, MFC-L2750DW, and MFC-L3770CDW—connects exclusively to the 2.4 GHz band. They cannot see or join 5 GHz or 6 GHz networks.
• WPA2-PSK (AES) maximum. Most Brother MFC models support WPA and WPA2 but not WPA3. Routers set to WPA3-only or SAE-only will refuse the printer’s connection.
• 802.11 b/g/n required. Your 2.4 GHz radio must advertise at least one of these legacy modes. Routers locked to 802.11n-only occasionally cause WPS failures on older Brother models.

Confirming these three points eliminates the majority of “won’t connect” reports before you change a single printer setting.

Fix 1: Switch Your Router From WPA3 to WPA2

If you recently replaced your router or your ISP swapped your gateway, WPA3 is likely the culprit. Many modern routers default to WPA3-only or WPA3 Transition Mode, and while Transition Mode is theoretically backwards-compatible, Brother printers often fail to negotiate it correctly.

1. Log into your router’s admin panel—typically at 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1.
2. Navigate to Wireless > Security (exact path varies by brand).
3. Change the 2.4 GHz security mode from WPA3 or WPA2/WPA3 Mixed to WPA2-PSK (AES).
4. Save and reboot the router.
5. On the Brother printer, retry the wireless setup wizard.

If you share the network with devices that require WPA3 (some enterprise laptops enforce it), consider creating a dedicated 2.4 GHz SSID on WPA2 for printers and IoT devices while keeping WPA3 on your main SSID.

Fix 2: Connect via WPS One-Push

WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) is the fastest way to connect a Brother MFC printer without entering a password manually. The printer broadcasts a pairing request; the router accepts it.

1. On the Brother printer, press Menu and navigate to Network > WLAN > WPS w/ PBC. On touchscreen models, go to Settings > All Settings > Network > WLAN(Wi-Fi) > WPS/Push Button Method.
2. Press OK or Yes—the printer starts a two-minute WPS window.
3. Within those two minutes, press the WPS button on your router (usually labeled WPS or has a wireless symbol).
4. The printer’s WiFi LED will flash, then turn solid when connected. Print a Network Configuration Report (Menu > Print Reports > Network Config) to confirm the connection and note the assigned IP address.

WPS not working? Verify that WPS is enabled in your router’s wireless settings—many routers have WPS disabled by default for security reasons. Also confirm your router’s 2.4 GHz radio is in b/g/n mixed mode, not n-only.

Fix 3: Manual Wireless Setup via the Control Panel

If WPS is unavailable or keeps failing, entering your credentials manually is the most reliable method.

On Button-and-LCD Models (MFC-L2750DW, MFC-J4335DW, etc.)

1. Press Menu, then navigate to Network > WLAN > Setup Wizard.
2. Select Yes when prompted to enable WLAN.
3. The printer scans for nearby networks. Select your 2.4 GHz SSID from the list.
4. Enter your WiFi password using the keypad. Use the # key to toggle between character types.
5. Press OK and wait for the connection confirmation.

On Touchscreen Models (MFC-J5855DW, MFC-L3770CDW, etc.)

1. Tap Settings (the gear icon).
2. Go to All Settings > Network > WLAN(Wi-Fi) > Find Wi-Fi Network.
3. Tap Yes to enable the wireless interface if prompted.
4. Select your 2.4 GHz SSID from the scanned list and enter the password.
5. Tap OK and confirm the connection.

Fix 4: Assign a Static IP to Stop the Printer Going Offline

One of the most common Brother printer complaints is “it works fine for a few days, then disappears from the network.” The cause is nearly always DHCP lease expiry or a router assigning a different IP after a reboot. The fix is a static IP address—either set on the printer itself or as a DHCP reservation on the router.

Method A: DHCP Reservation on the Router (Recommended)

1. Print a Network Configuration Report from the printer to find its MAC address.
2. Log into your router’s admin panel and go to DHCP Reservations (sometimes called Address Reservation or Static Leases).
3. Add a new entry using the printer’s MAC address and assign it a fixed IP outside the router’s dynamic DHCP range (e.g., 192.168.1.150).
4. Save and restart the router.

Method B: Static IP on the Printer

1. On the printer, go to Menu > Network > TCP/IP > IP Method and set it to Static.
2. Enter an IP address outside your router’s DHCP range, the subnet mask (usually 255.255.255.0), and the gateway (your router’s IP, e.g., 192.168.1.1).
3. Set the DNS to 8.8.8.8 (Google) or your router’s IP.
4. Save and restart the printer.

After assigning a static IP, update the printer’s IP address in your computer’s printer settings if it previously connected by IP rather than by mDNS discovery.

Fix 5: Re-Pair via Brother iPrint&Scan on Mobile

If you’re trying to print from an iPhone, iPad, or Android device, the Brother iPrint&Scan app (free on the App Store and Google Play) provides a guided wireless setup that often resolves issues the printer’s own menu cannot. It also supports scanning directly to your phone.

1. Uninstall and reinstall the Brother iPrint&Scan app to ensure you have the latest version.
2. Make sure your phone is connected to the same 2.4 GHz WiFi network the printer should join.
3. Open the app and tap Set Up Printer.
4. Follow the guided steps—the app can push your WiFi credentials directly to the printer over a temporary Bluetooth or USB connection, bypassing manual entry entirely.
5. Once connected, add the printer to your phone’s AirPrint or Mopria print list for one-tap printing.

If the app cannot detect the printer at all, first connect the printer to your router via USB or Ethernet, confirm it appears in the app, then use the app’s wireless migration wizard to switch it to WiFi.

Fix 6: Reset the Printer’s Network Settings

Corrupted wireless credentials—often caused by a router password change or SSID rename—prevent the printer from connecting even when the network looks correct. A network-only reset clears saved SSIDs and IP settings without wiping print jobs or scan-to-email configurations.

1. Press Menu and navigate to Network > Network Reset.
2. Press Yes twice to confirm. The printer will reboot.
3. After it restarts, run the Wireless Setup Wizard (Fix 3 above) to reconnect from scratch.

Do not use Factory Reset or Reset All Settings unless you’re prepared to re-enter fax, scan-to-email, and address book settings—a Network Reset is sufficient for WiFi issues.

Fix 7: Update Brother Printer Firmware

Outdated firmware is a common source of WPA2 handshake failures and intermittent disconnections, particularly on routers running newer security standards. Brother releases firmware updates through its support portal.

1. Visit support.brother.com and enter your exact model number (printed on the sticker on the front or back of the printer).
2. Under Downloads, select Firmware and download the latest version for your operating system.
3. Alternatively, many models can update via the printer’s own menu: Menu > All Settings > Machine Info > Firmware Update. This method requires the printer to already have a working internet connection via Ethernet.
4. After the firmware update completes, retry the wireless setup.

Quick Fix Checklist

1. Confirm your router has a 2.4 GHz band available and the printer is within 30 feet of the router.
2. Set the 2.4 GHz security to WPA2-PSK (AES)—not WPA3 or mixed mode.
3. Try WPS one-push if your router supports it.
4. Run the printer’s Wireless Setup Wizard and select your 2.4 GHz SSID manually.
5. Assign a static IP or DHCP reservation to prevent the printer disappearing after router reboots.
6. Re-pair with Brother iPrint&Scan for a guided mobile setup experience.
7. Run a Network Reset on the printer and set up WiFi from scratch.
8. Download the latest firmware from support.brother.com.

Once your Brother MFC is reliably connected, run a speed test from a nearby device to verify your network is delivering adequate throughput for wireless printing. For households with printers, smart home gear, and streaming devices all on 2.4 GHz, consider reading our guide on every source of WiFi interference in the home to reduce congestion. If the printer is far from the router, a WiFi range extender dedicated to the 2.4 GHz band can dramatically improve reliability.