How To Connect Brother Printer To A Laptop Wirelessly

With the introduction of wireless printers, connecting a printer to a laptop has become relatively easier. However, a lot of people are confused about how to connect Brother printer to a laptop wirelessly. 

Key Takeaways

• You can wirelessly connect a Brother printer to your laptop using a shared wireless network like Wi-Fi.
• You have to connect both devices to the same wireless network before adding the printer to your laptop as a new device for wireless connection.
• You can also connect a Brother printer to your laptop without a Wi-Fi router using the Wi-Fi Direct functionality.

Make Sure To Check Compatibility First 

If you are wondering how to connect Brother printer to a laptop wirelessly, a few noteworthy things should be considered. The first essential requirement is to check the compatibility of the Brother wireless printer with your laptop’s operating system.

You can check the compatibility by referring to the user manual of that specific model or by going to the official Brother support page and checking compatibility against your operating system.

The next step is to ensure your printer is within range of your Wi-Fi network. You obviously won’t be able to connect it to your computer and print anything if it isn’t within the range. Also, make sure to read about how to fix the issue of computer restarting while trying to print. 

How To Connect Brother Printer To Laptop Wirelessly

Once all the considerations have been met, you can connect your Brother wireless printer to your laptop. Turn on the Brother wireless printer and your laptop. Once both devices are completely booted, they can be connected using USB, Wi-Fi, and Wi-Fi Direct. 

Configure The Printer MFC-J1012DW And Similar Models

Most Brother printers, such as MFC-J1012DW, come with an LCD screen and a control panel with buttons for various controls. To connect the Brother printer to your laptop, you must first configure your printer for a wireless connection. Here’s how to do that:

1. Press the Settings button on the control panel of your Brother printer.

   

2. Press the down arrow to search for Network on display.

   

3. Select the option of Wi-Fi by pressing the OK button.
4. In some models, you must go through another step of selecting Setup Wizard after the previous step.
5. Now, select the option of Find Wi-Fi Network.
6. The system will take some time to search for the available networks.
7. Select the desired Wi-Fi network you want to connect to and press OK.
8. Enter the password to connect to the network.

   

9. The Wi-Fi icon on the display shows that your printer is connected to the Wi-Fi network.

Configure The Laptop

Once the printer has been configured for wireless connection, you must set up your laptop to connect with the printer. To do that:

1. Connect your laptop to the Wi-Fi network you connected your Brother printer to.
2. Search for Settings in the Windows search bar and enter the Settings menu.
3. Open the Devices menu by clicking the option of Devices.
4. Scroll down to the option of Printers and Scanners and select it.
5. Click the option of Add a printer or scanner.

   

6. Your printer will be displayed amongst the list of printers if it is connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
7. Click the Add Device button in front of your printer’s name.
8. The printer will start installing the required software on your laptop.
9. Once the printer has been installed, the Ready icon will be displayed below it. 

Also Read: Intel WiFi 6 AX201 Not Working

Touch Screen Brother Printer MFC-J6930DW And Similar Models

Newer models of Brother printers, like the MFC-J6930DW, are equipped with a touch screen that enables you to operate the printer. To configure such a printer for a wireless connection, you have to follow these steps:

1. Press the Wi-Fi icon on the touch screen of your Brother printer.

   

2. Select the option of Setup Wizard.

   

3. Select Yes when the device asks you whether to enable Wi-Fi.
4. The device will now look for available Wi-Fi networks.
5. Select the desired network name and press OK.
6. Enter the network password to connect to the network.

   

7. The Wi-Fi icon on the screen will show that the printer has been connected to the Wi-Fi network.

Configuring Brother Printer HL-L5200DW And Similar Models

Some earlier models, like the HL-L5200DW, have slightly different controls than the other commonly known models. To configure such models for wireless connection, do the following steps:

1. Press the Up or Down button to find the option of Network displayed on the LED.
2. Press OK to select the option of Network.

   

3. Press the Up or Down button to find the option of WLAN and press OK.
4. Press the Up or Down button to find the option of Setup Wizard, and press OK.

   

5. The printer will display the option of Searching SSID.
6. Press the Up or Down button to select the desired Wi-Fi network and press OK.
7. OKess the Up or Down button and then OK to toggle between the characters of the Network Key.

   

8. Press the Up button for Yes to connect the printer to the network.
9. The device will now be connected to the Wi-Fi network.

Also Read: Windows Wireless Service Is Not Running On Computer

Configure The Laptop Manually

If you cannot connect the printer to your laptop even after it has been connected to the same Wi-Fi network or are having trouble installing its software automatically, you can do it manually. To do that:

1. Open the official Brother support page in your browser.
2. Click the Product Search button.

   

3. Enter the model number of your printer in the search bar and press enter.
4. Now, click the Downloads button.

   

5. Select your laptop’s Operating System and click OK.
6. Download and Install the Full Driver and Software Package to your laptop.
7. Now, try connecting your Brother printer to your laptop.

Installing Drivers Using The CD

Some models of Brother printers come with a CD that contains all the drivers required to operate the printer.

1. Insert the CD into your computer.
2. Log in to your computer using the administrator account.
3. Open the CD drive and select the model of your printer.

   

4. Now, select the language.
5. Click the Install MFL-Pro Suite button and then click Yes on the license agreement screen.

   

6. Click Yes on the Brother license screen as well.
7. Choose the option of Wireless Network Connection on the Connection Type page and click Next.
8. Leave the option of Firewall port settings as it is and click Next.
9. A list of all the Brother machines will be displayed.
10. Click the Refresh button if your device’s name isn’t visible.

    

11. If it is still not visible, check your network connection.
12. Select your machine and click Next.
13. Once the Registration page appears, you can register online and click Next.
14. Click Next on the next screen as well.
15. Restart your computer once prompted to do so.

Configuring Brother Printer MFC-J1205W And Similar Models

In order to connect specific Brother printers to your laptop wirelessly, you will need to download and install the Brother Mobile Connect app on your phone first. Once you have installed the app on your phone, enter the printer in the Setup Mode. Here’s how to do that:

1. Locate the Wi-Fi button on the Control Panel just above the power button.
2. Press and hold the button for about 2 seconds, then release it.
3. The Power and Wi-Fi LEDs will start blinking, meaning the printer has entered the Setup Mode.
4. Now open the Brother Mobile Connect App and select the Add Machine option on the homepage.

   

5. The app will ask whether your printer is connected to the same network, so tap on Not Connected.
6. Now, enter your Brother printer’s model number and press Confirmed.

   

7. Next, go to the Wi-Fi setup, look for the Brother Setup network, and connect.
8. Return to the app and select Connected to the “SETUP Wi-Fi” network.
9. Follow the instructions on the screen for the Login procedure.
10. Once the setup is complete, you must connect the printer to the laptop.
11. Go to the Settings menu on your laptop by searching for it in the search bar and click the Devices option in the Settings menu.
12. Select the Printers and Scanners option and click Add a printer or scanner.

    

13. Find your printer’s name and click Add device.
14. You will see the Ready icon once the printer has successfully been connected to the laptop.
15. You can select your printer’s name from the list of devices and click Manage to see all the details and additional options related to your printer.

Connecting Via Wi-Fi Direct (J4540DW And Similar Models)

Some Brother printers come with a built-in Wi-Fi Direct functionality. Wi-Fi Direct is a convenient option to connect your Brother printer wirelessly to your phone, tablet, or PC. This feature is handy if you lack a wireless network.

1. Turn on the printer and open the Settings menu of your printer.
2. Press the All Settings option and select Network.

   

3. Select the Wi-Fi Direct option to open the Wi-Fi Direct menu.

   

4. Select the Group Owner option and turn it On.
5. Scroll down to locate the option of I/F Enable and turn it On as well.

   

6. Your Brother printer has now created a Wi-Fi Direct network.
7. Now, select the Manual option in the Wi-Fi Direct menu.
8. Note down the SSID and the password needed to connect to the Wi-Fi Direct network that your printer has just created.

Also Check: Intel WiFi 6 AX200 Not Working

Connecting The Laptop To The Wi-Fi Direct Network

Now you need to connect your laptop to the Wi-Fi Direct network created by your printer.

1. Open the Wi-Fi settings on your laptop and look for the network Direct, followed by your printer’s model number.

   

2. Connect to this network using the login credentials you have previously noted.
3. Once the laptop is connected to the Wi-Fi Direct network, open the Control Panel on your computer by searching for it in the search bar.
4. Select View devices and printers under the Hardware and Sound option.

   

5. Select the Add a Printer option and wait for your printer’s name to appear on the list.

   

6. Select your printer and click Next.
7. If prompted, enter the WPS Pin displayed on your printer’s screen and click Next.
8. Your printer will now be visible in the list named Direct, followed by the model number of your printer.
9. Repeat this process by clicking the Add a printer to install the required drivers on your laptop.
10. Your printer’s name will appear on the list once all the required drivers have been installed on your laptop.
11. Click Finish to complete the process.

Final Words

This guide is aimed to provide you with the know-how required to connect your Brother printer to your laptop wirelessly. Not all the models have been discussed in this guide; however, all the major categories have been covered. The connection procedures for the rest of the models are almost similar to the ones discussed in this guide.