Why Isn’t My Brother Printer Connecting to My Computer?

If your Brother Printer is not connecting to your computer, call +1-855-446-1089 for support. Meanwhile, here is the proper guide to fix your issue. Whether you’re setting up your printer for the first time or it suddenly stopped communicating with your PC or Mac, this guide will explain the possible causes and solutions.

Why Is My Brother Printer Not Connecting to My Computer?

There could be several reasons why your Brother printer isn’t connecting to your computer. Some of the most common causes include:

Loose or faulty cables (USB connection)

Printer offline status

Driver issues or missing drivers

Network configuration errors (for wireless models)

Outdated firmware or software

Firewall or antivirus blocking the connection

Printer queue errors

Incorrect printer settings

Understanding these potential issues will help you troubleshoot effectively.

Basic Checks Before Troubleshooting

Before diving into advanced fixes, make sure you’ve completed these basic checks:

Ensure your printer is powered on

Check all cables and connections (if using a USB connection)

Ensure both your printer and computer are connected to the same Wi-Fi network (for wireless models)

Restart both your printer and computer to clear temporary glitches

If the problem persists, proceed with the solutions below.

Solutions for Brother Printer Not Connecting to Computer

1. Check the Connection Type

Is your printer connected via USB cable or Wi-Fi? Confirm which connection method you’re using and check accordingly.

For USB Printers:

Disconnect and reconnect the USB cable.

Try a different USB port on your computer.

Test the cable with another device to ensure it works.

For Wi-Fi Printers:

Make sure the printer is connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your computer.

Check for Wi-Fi signal issues near the printer.

2. Set Your Brother Printer as the Default Printer

If your computer isn’t sending print jobs to your Brother printer, it might be because another printer is set as default.

On Windows:

Go to Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners

Find your Brother printer, click on it, and select Set as default

On Mac:

Go to System Settings > Printers & Scanners

Choose your Brother printer and set it as the default.

3. Check Printer Status (Is It Offline?)

Sometimes, printers are accidentally set to offline mode.

On Windows:

Go to Control Panel > Devices and Printers

Right-click on your Brother printer and select See what’s printing

Click Printer on the top menu and ensure Use Printer Offline is unchecked.

On Mac:

Go to Printers & Scanners

Select your Brother printer and check its status.

4. Update or Reinstall Printer Drivers

Outdated or corrupt printer drivers can prevent your computer from communicating with the printer.

How to update drivers:

Visit https://support.brother.com

Enter your printer model and download the latest drivers for your operating system.

Install the driver and restart your computer.

If updating doesn’t help:

Uninstall the existing printer driver

Reinstall the latest version from Brother’s website

5. Clear Print Queue

A stuck print job might block new print requests, causing connection issues.

On Windows:

Go to Control Panel > Devices and Printers

Right-click on your Brother printer and choose See what’s printing

Cancel all print jobs in the queue

On Mac:

Go to Printers & Scanners

Select your printer, then click Open Print Queue

Clear all pending print jobs

6. Disable Firewall or Antivirus Temporarily

At times, your computer’s firewall or antivirus software might block the printer’s connection. Temporarily disable them to see if the printer connects successfully.

If it works after disabling:

Add your printer as an exception in your firewall or antivirus settings.

7. Reset Network Settings on Brother Printer (For Wi-Fi Models)

If your wireless connection isn’t working:

Go to your printer’s Network Settings > Network Reset

Confirm the reset

Reconnect the printer to your Wi-Fi using the Setup Wizard

Then, reinstall the printer drivers on your computer.

8. Update Printer Firmware

Outdated firmware can cause compatibility issues.

Visit the official Brother website

Download the firmware update tool for your printer model

Follow the on-screen instructions to update your printer’s firmware

When to Contact Brother Support

If none of the solutions above work, there might be a hardware issue with your printer or computer. In that case:

Contact Brother Support at +1-855-446-1089

Provide your printer’s model number and a description of the issue

They can guide you through advanced troubleshooting or arrange a repair

Conclusion

When your Brother Printer is not connecting to your computer, it’s often due to simple issues like outdated drivers, network problems, or offline settings. By carefully checking your connection type, updating drivers, and adjusting settings, you can usually resolve the issue quickly.

Wireless and USB connections require different troubleshooting steps, so identify your setup first. If you continue to face issues, Brother’s customer support team is always ready to help.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Why is my Brother printer not connecting to my computer?

This could be due to loose cables, incorrect printer settings, outdated drivers, or network issues. Try checking your connections and updating your drivers first. For further assistance, call our helpline at +1-855-446-1089.

2. How do I set my Brother printer as the default printer?

On Windows, go to Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners, select your Brother printer, and click "Set as default." On Mac, go to System Settings > Printers & Scanners and set your Brother printer as default. Need help? Contact +1-855-446-1089.

3. What should I do if my Brother printer shows offline?

Check your printer status on your computer and make sure "Use Printer Offline" is unchecked. Restart both the printer and computer. If problems persist, call the helpline at +1-855-446-1089.

4. How do I update or reinstall Brother printer drivers?

Visit https://support.brother.com, enter your printer model, download the latest drivers, and install them. If you need step-by-step guidance, dial +1-855-446-1089.

5. What if my Brother printer is still not connecting after troubleshooting?

If none of the fixes work, there might be a hardware issue. Contact Brother Support at +1-855-446-1089 for expert help or to arrange a repair.