How to Get My Brother MFC-J1010DW Printer Back Online?

Last Monday, I had to finish editing a stack of important documents for a client. But when I hit Print, I received the message "Printer Offline." I checked the cables and updated the printer driver, but the issue persisted. So, I researched it and figured out how to get my Brother printer working again.

If you are not sure why your printer has suddenly stopped working, this guide will help. Here, I'll provide you with the top 10 solutions, from basic troubleshooting to advanced-level solutions, for getting your Brother MFC-J1010DW printer back online.

When you're working with your home printer or running a small business, this kind of glitch can be irritating, especially if you're a beginner. Let's fix that Brother printer and get back to printing again.

Common Reasons Why Brother Printer Shows as Offline

Here are some common reasons that your Brother printer is showing an offline status.

• Connection issues

• Print spooler issues

• The default printer is not set

• Outdated drivers

• Power issues

• Paper jams or low supplies

• Print queue issues

• Firewall or security settings

Basic Troubleshooting to Get Your Brother Printer Back Online

Simply follow these top solutions to get your Brother MFC-J1010DW printer back online:

Solution 1: Check Basic Connections

1. Make sure your printer is turned on.

2. Check all the power cables to ensure they are securely connected to both the printer and the wall outlet.

3. If using a USB cable, try a different one to see if it resolves the issue.

4. Verify that the USB or Ethernet cable is securely connected.

5. Ensure your printer is connected to the same network as your device.

Solution 2: Set Your Printer as Default

• On Windows, press the Start menu button and then enter Devices and Printers in the search bar.

• Locate your Brother printer icon within the list of devices.

• Now, right-click on the printer and choose Set as default printer from the drop-down menu.

• After setting the printer as the default, it's a good idea to check its status.

• If the printer is offline or paused, you can try to resume printing by right-clicking on it again and selecting "Resume" or Use Printer Offline.

Solution 3: Disable the Use Printer Offline Mode

• On Windows, search for "Control Panel" in the taskbar and open it.

• Select Printers and Scanners or Devices and Printers in the Control Panel.

• Locate the icon for your printer model in the list.

• Right-click on the Brother printer icon and select "See what's printing" or a similar option (e.g., Printer Queue).

• Within the print queue, click on the Printer tab.

• Locate the Use Printer Offline option and uncheck it.

After disabling the offline mode, you might need to restart your computer or the printer for the changes to take effect.

Solution 4: Reconnect Printer to Wi-Fi

1. On the printer's control panel, press the Settings icon.

2. Navigate to the Network section and select WLAN.

3. Click the Setup Wizard.

4. The printer will search for available networks.

5. Now, you have to select your Wi-Fi network from the list and enter the password.

Once you're done with connecting, print a network configuration report to confirm it's on the correct network.

Solution 5: Restart Print Spooler Service

• Press the Windows key + R key.

• Write services.msc in the text box and then press Enter.

• Locate the Print Spooler service in the given list.

• Right-click on the Print Spooler service and select Restart.

• You may need to confirm the restart if prompted.

This often resolves an offline error caused by pending or stuck print jobs in the queue.

Advanced Solutions to Get Your Brother Printer Back Online

After trying the above basic solutions, you must try these advanced solutions:

Solution 1: Reinstall or Update Printer Driver

1. Visit Brother's official site, support.brother.com.

2. Find your specific Brother printer model.

3. Navigate to the Downloads section.

4. Search for Brother MFC-J1010DW.

5. Select the Full Driver & Software Package or the appropriate driver for your operating system.

6. Install the driver and restart your computer.

7. Read the license agreement and then select Agree to EULA & Download.

Solution 2: Use Brother Printer Troubleshooter

Brother provides a Diagnostic Tool to detect and fix offline errors automatically.

1. Download the Brother Printer Diagnostic Tool from the official website.

2. Search for your printer using the model number or name.

3. Click on the link to download the diagnostic tool.

4. Run the tool and follow the on-screen prompts.

5. Agree to the License Agreement if prompted.

6. It will scan for issues and attempt to fix them.

Solution 3: Check the IP Address and Reconfigure Port

First, try to print a network configuration report from the printer.

1. Go to Settings and then go to Print Reports.

2. Click Network Configuration.

3. Note down the IP address listed.

4. Go to the Control Panel on your computer.

5. After that, go to Devices and Printers.

6. Right-click on Brother MFC-J1010DW and then go to Printer Properties.

7. Click the Ports tab and then Configure port.

8. Then, update the IP address to match the one from the report.

9. Click Apply and OK.

Solution 4: Temporarily Disable Firewall and Antivirus

1. Temporarily disable the firewall or antivirus software.

2. Try printing a document.

3. If it works, add your printer as an exception in the firewall settings.

Solution 5: Check for Firmware Updates

1. Go to https://support.brother.com/ and search for your printer model.

2. Locate the download section for firmware updates.

3. Download the Firmware Update Tool.

4. The tool will automatically check for available firmware updates for your printer.

5. If an update is available, the tool will guide you through the installation process.

   Frequently Asked Questions

Question

Why is IP address of my Brother printer showing offline?

A Brother printer showing its IP as offline indicates a problem with the network connection or communication between the printer and your computer.

1. Ensure your printer is within range of the router to maintain a stable Wi-Fi connection.

2. Restart the printer and your computer.

3. Make sure every cable is securely connected to both the printer and router.

4. Confirm that you installed the latest drivers for your printer model.

5. Make sure to remove any pending print jobs from the print queue.

6. Ensure the printer is using the correct IP address and that it does not conflict with other devices on your network.

Question

How do I force my Brother MFC-J1010DW printer back online?

If you want to get the Brother printer back online, then follow the steps in the section below:

1. On Windows, click on the Start menu and go to the Settings tab.

2. From there, select the Devices option.

3. After that, click on Devices and Printers.

4. Right-click your printer icon and select "See what's printing."

5. If it shows as Paused or Use Printer Offline is checked, uncheck it to resume printing.

6. Cancel any pending print jobs.

7. Corrupted or outdated printer drivers can sometimes cause connectivity issues. Update or reinstall the printer driver.

Question

Can I print via USB if my Wi-Fi isn't working?

Yes, you can print via USB if your Wi-Fi is not working.

1. Plug the USB cord into your printer and the computer.

2. Go to Printers & Scanners in your computer's settings and add the printer.

3. Your computer will now be able to detect the printer and install the necessary drivers.

4. When printing, select your printer as the output device.

5. You should now be able to print your documents.

Source: How to Get My Brother Printer Back Online