Setup & mobile
Printer won’t join your Wi-Fi network
Get a printer onto Wi-Fi from its panel, the WPS button or the maker’s app, and clear the usual blockers: 5 GHz-only networks, password typos and guest Wi-Fi.
You’ll need: Your Wi-Fi network name and password · Access to your router, for the WPS button · The manufacturer’s app, for printers without a screen
Try this first
Move the printer within a few metres of the router, open its wireless or network settings and run the wireless setup wizard. Pick your network name from the list and type the password slowly, checking capitals and symbols. If your network isn’t listed at all, the printer probably can’t use a 5 GHz-only signal; many printers need 2.4 GHz.
Didn’t work? Go to the full stepsWhat you’ll notice
- Your network name doesn’t appear in the printer’s list
- The printer rejects a password you’re sure is right
- WPS setup times out without connecting
- The wireless light keeps blinking and never turns steady
- It stopped working after a new router or internet provider
Usually caused by
- Most commonWrong password, or the network name has changed
- Most commonThe router only offers 5 GHz, or its 2.4 GHz band is off
- SometimesThe printer is too far from the router or mesh point
- SometimesThe printer is joining a guest or isolated network
- Less commonThe router uses a security mode the printer can’t handle
- Less commonThe network needs a sign-in page, as in hotels and dorms
Step by step
Work down the list in order. Tick off each step as you go: your progress is saved on this device.
On the printer itself
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Print a network configuration page
From the printer’s settings, tools or reports menu, print the network configuration or wireless test report. It shows which network the printer last tried, its signal strength and whether it has an IP address.
You should see: You have a page listing a network name, a connection status and an IP address, or none.
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Run the wireless setup wizard
Open the printer’s wireless or network settings and choose the setup wizard. Select your network name, then enter the password exactly; Wi-Fi passwords are case-sensitive, and every space and symbol counts.
You should see: The panel confirms the connection and the wireless light stays on.
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Use WPS if your router supports it
Start push-button WPS on the printer from its wireless menu, or by holding its wireless button (the manual gives the timing), then press the WPS button on the router within two minutes. Some newer routers have WPS turned off or removed; if so, use the wizard or the app instead.
You should see: The printer’s wireless light stops blinking and stays lit.
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Clear old network settings and start again
If the printer keeps reaching for an old router, use its restore network settings option. This wipes only the Wi-Fi details and leaves your other settings alone. Then run the wizard again.
You should see: The panel shows the printer as disconnected and ready for fresh setup.
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Confirm it on a fresh report
Print the network report again. A connected printer lists your network name and a local address such as
192.168.1.42; an address starting169.254, or all zeros, means it never got an address from the router.You should see: The report shows your network name, a usable signal and a normal local address.
iPhone, iPad and Android
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Install the manufacturer’s app
Printers with no screen are put on Wi-Fi through the manufacturer’s own app. Install it from the App Store or Google Play, open it and allow Bluetooth and local network access when it asks.
You should see: The app offers to add or set up a new printer.
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Put the printer into setup mode
New printers stay in Wi-Fi setup mode for a limited time after their first power-on. If yours has timed out, restore its network settings to re-enter setup mode; the button combination differs between models, so check the manual.
You should see: The wireless light blinks in the pattern the manual describes for setup mode.
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Send your Wi-Fi details from the app
Select your printer in the app and choose your home network. The app hands the network name and password to the printer over Bluetooth or a temporary direct link, and your phone may drop off your Wi-Fi for a moment while it does.
You should see: The app reports the printer is connected and offers a test print.
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Allow local network access on iPhone
If an iPhone app can’t find the printer, open Settings > Privacy & Security > Local Network and turn the app on, then try again.
You should see: The app starts listing nearby printers.
Windows 11 and 10
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Let the maker’s installer set up Wi-Fi
Download the full software for your model from the manufacturer’s support website. Many installers include a wireless setup option that reaches the printer over a temporary USB cable or its own setup network and sends it your Wi-Fi details.
You should see: The installer reports that the printer has joined your network.
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Add the printer once it’s online
Open Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners (Windows 10: Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners) and add it. Check first that the PC is on the same network as the printer, not a guest network.
You should see: The printer appears in the list and a test page prints.
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Unplug the setup cable and tidy up
If you used USB during setup, unplug it once wireless printing works. Remove any leftover USB copy of the printer from the list so jobs don’t queue for a cable that’s no longer there.
You should see: Only the wireless printer is left in Printers & scanners.
Did this fix it?
Good to hear. If the problem comes back, the steps will still be here, and your ticked steps are saved on this device.
Try these next:
- Restart the router and wait until it’s fully back up before running the wizard again; it clears the router’s address list and gives the printer a fresh start.
- If your router allows it, give the 2.4 GHz band its own network name and connect the printer to that.
- If the printer has a network port, plug it into the router with an Ethernet cable; a wired connection avoids every Wi-Fi problem on this page.
- Use Wi-Fi Direct to print from one device without the router while you sort out the network.
Still stuck? Run the diagnose questions, or check your printer’s manual and the manufacturer’s official support site.
Common questions
Why can’t my printer see my 5 GHz network?
Many printers, especially lower-priced models, have a 2.4 GHz radio only. Check the specifications on the manufacturer’s product page, and make sure the 2.4 GHz band is switched on in your router.
Do I need to set up Wi-Fi again after changing internet provider?
Yes, if the new router has a different network name or password, so run the wireless setup wizard again. Giving the new router the same name and password as the old one lets every device, printer included, reconnect without setup.
My router is set to WPA3. Is that a problem?
It can be for older printers that only support WPA2. Check the manufacturer’s support site for a firmware update first, or connect by Ethernet or USB. Many routers offer a WPA2/WPA3 mixed mode that lets older devices join while newer ones keep using WPA3; it changes security for the whole network, so read your router’s documentation before switching, and never drop to WEP or an open network.