Why Is My Brother DCP-L2550DW Printer Not Connecting to WiFi? (Easy Steps)

Learn "How to Fix Brother Printer Won’t Connect to WiFi". You may be ready to print important documents, but the printer refuses to connect. This problem often occurs when the internet connection is weak or outside the required range. I have also dealt with this issue a couple of times.

But with time, I learnt how to fix it. As a student living in a hostel, I often faced WiFi printer issues, which pushed me to find solutions. That’s why I started writing simple tech guides to help others.

I also have good experience working with Brother printers, which is why I know how to fix their connection problems. In this blog, I’ll be focusing on the Brother DCP-L2550DW printer.

Main Reasons Behind Brother Printer WiFi Connection Issues

As I mentioned, this issue occurs when the WiFi network is not within range, which interrupts the connection. However, there are also several other factors that can stop a Brother printer from connecting to WiFi. Some of the most common reasons include outdated or missing printer drivers, the printer being accidentally set to offline mode, or the device not being selected as the default printer. Altogether, these issues contribute to the printer’s inability to connect properly to a wireless network.

How to Fix a Brother DCP-L2550DW Not Connecting to WiFi?

It becomes easy to fix the problem when you know the reasons behind it. And when you’re aware of the problems, let’s explore both basic and 'advanced troubleshooting methods' to resolve this issue.

Method 1: Restart Your Devices

Power cycling means turning the device off and back on again. If the printer wasn’t connecting to WiFi due to power-related issues or a minor technical glitch, a power cycle will resolve the error. Here is how to do it:

Step 1: Power Cycle Your Brother Printer 

1. Press and hold the power button on the printer until the light turns off.

2. Disconnect the printer’s power cord from the main power switch on the wall outlet.

3. Reconnect the power cable to the power switch, and press and hold the power button until the light turns solid green.

Step 2: Power Cycle Your WiFi Router 

The WiFi router creates the wireless network your printer connects to. If there is a fault in this device, the whole connection will be compromised, and the printer won’t connect to WiFi. Hence, restarting the router helps re-establish a network connection. 

1. Disconnect the wireless router from the power switch on the wall.

2. Wait for 30 seconds, then connect the router to the wall outlet.

Now, check if your printer connects to a wireless network. If not, try out the next troubleshooting method.

Method 2: Set Your Brother Printer Online

If your Brother DCP-L2550DW printer is set to offline mode, it won’t connect to WiFi even if your network is working properly. In this situation, you need to set up this printer online on your PC using the following steps. 

1. Click the Start icon on the computer’s taskbar at the bottom.

2. Look for “Settings” using the search bar, and then select the “Bluetooth & Devices” option.

3. Then, select the Printers & Scanners option and turn off the “Let Windows manage my default printer” option.

4. Select the printer you want to set as the default, and then select the “Set as default” option.

Finally, your Brother printer is now set as the default printer, and it’s ready to connect to a wireless network.

Method 3: Turn Off the “Use Printer Offline” Option

Sometimes, when the “Use Printer Offline” option is enabled on the computer, it stops the printer from connecting to a network. You can troubleshoot the issue by turning off this option on your computer using the following steps. 

1. Hold down the Windows icon and the I keys at the same time to open the Settings app.

2. Select the Bluetooth & Devices option and then select Printers & Scanners from the left sidebar.

3. Click on your printer’s name, then choose the Print Queue option on its page.

4. Click the Printer option at the top, and uncheck the “Use Printer Offline” option.

Finally, your printer will switch to online mode and connect to WiFi successfully. If this method doesn’t solve your problem, check out my last method.

Method 4: Update Brother Printer Drivers

Printer drivers are necessary to set up a printer on a network connection or to connect it to a device, such as a computer. They are software that allows your printer to communicate with your device and perform printing tasks properly. Here are the steps to update them. 

1. Visit support.brother.com on an internet browser, and enter your printer’s name in the search bar.

2. Select your correct printer name, then choose your operating system, and click OK.

3. You will see a list of compatible printer drivers on the screen.

4. Select a driver package and let it download on your computer.

5. Let the driver’s file be saved in the Downloads folder.

6. Locate the Downloads folder and double-click on the driver file.

7. Allow the driver file to run on the computer, and let the installation proceed.

After the successful installation of printer drivers, the printer will communicate effectively with the network connections and other devices.

   Frequently Asked Questions

Question

Why Is My Brother DCP-L2550DW Not Connecting to a Wireless Network?

If your printer isn’t connecting to a WiFi network, there could be several reasons behind this. For instance, a poor internet connection, inappropriate printer settings, and outdated printer drivers. Minor technical glitches can also prevent the printer from connecting to WiFi.

Question

What to Do if Brother Printer Doesn’t Connect to WiFi?

If your printer doesn’t connect to a wireless network, you can follow these troubleshooting steps:

• Check the internet connection.

• Power cycle the printer and the Wi-Fi router.

• Set the printer as the default printer on the computer.

• Disable the “Use Printer Offline” option on the PC.

• Update the Brother printer drivers. 

Question

Why Update Brother Printer Drivers?

Printer drivers are essential software that allow a Brother printer to communicate with a network and other devices. When they are out of date, the printer struggles to connect to a network or device. Without this software, a printer won’t be able to function properly. 

Source: Why Is My Brother Printer Not Connecting to WiFi