Why Your Brother Printer Won’t Connect to Your Computer

Brother Printer Not Connecting to Computer? [Complete Troubleshooting Guide]

Is your Brother printer not connecting to your computer? Whether you’re setting it up for the first time or it suddenly stopped working, this comprehensive guide will help you fix the issue — step by step. We’ll cover common causes, troubleshooting tips for both Windows and Mac, and when to contact Brother Printer Support at +1–855–446–1089 for expert help.

Why Is My Brother Printer Not Connecting to My Computer?

Several factors could prevent your Brother printer from connecting to your PC or Mac:

• Loose or damaged USB cables
• Printer is set to Offline mode
• Missing or outdated printer drivers
• Incorrect network configuration (Wi-Fi models)
• Outdated printer firmware
• Firewall or antivirus blocking the connection
• Stuck print jobs or queue issues
• Incorrect default printer settings

Basic Checks Before Troubleshooting

Before diving into detailed solutions, perform these quick checks:

• Ensure the printer is powered on
• Verify USB or Wi-Fi connections
• Make sure both printer and computer are on the same Wi-Fi network (for wireless models)
• Restart both the printer and the computer

If the issue persists, follow the step-by-step troubleshooting guide below.

How to Fix Brother Printer Not Connecting to Computer

1. Identify Your Connection Type (USB or Wi-Fi)

For USB Printers:

• Disconnect and reconnect the USB cable
• Use a different USB port
• Test the cable with another device

For Wireless (Wi-Fi) Printers:

• Ensure your printer is connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your computer
• Reconnect to Wi-Fi using the printer’s Network Setup Wizard
• Check for weak Wi-Fi signals near the printer

2. Set Your 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
• Select your Brother printer and set it as default

3. Check if the Printer Is Offline

On Windows:

• Open Control Panel> Devices and Printers
• Right-click your printer> See what’s printing
• Click Printer from the top menu and uncheck Use Printer Offline

On Mac:

• Go to Printers & Scanners
• Select your Brother printer and verify it’s online

4. Update or Reinstall Brother Printer Drivers

Driver issues are one of the most common reasons for connectivity problems.

To Update Drivers:

• Visit the official Brother support site
• Enter your printer model
• Download the latest driver for your OS

To Reinstall Drivers:

• Uninstall existing Brother printer drivers
• Download and install the latest version from Brother’s website
• Restart your computer

5. Clear the Print Queue

A stuck print job can block new print requests.

On Windows:

• Go to Control Panel> Devices and Printers
• Right-click your Brother printer> See what’s printing
• Cancel all print jobs

On Mac:

• Go to Printers & Scanners> Open Print Queue
• Clear all pending print jobs

6. Temporarily Disable Firewall or Antivirus

Firewalls or security software may block printer communication.

• Disable your firewall or antivirus temporarily
• Try reconnecting the printer

If it works: Add your printer as an exception in your firewall or antivirus settings

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

• Navigate to Network Settings> Network Reset on your printer
• Confirm the reset
• Reconnect to Wi-Fi using the Setup Wizard
• Reinstall drivers if necessary

8. Update Printer Firmware

Outdated firmware can cause printer malfunctions and connectivity issues.

• Visit Brother’s support page
• Download the firmware update tool for your model
• Follow the on-screen instructions to update

When to Call Brother Printer Support

If none of the steps above solve the issue, it could be a hardware fault or deeper configuration issue.

I'm an IT Consultant, here to help with Brother Printer issues—setup, connectivity, and performance. Call +1-855-446-1089 for support.