Why Your Printer Won't Connect to WiFi (and How to Fix It)

There's nothing quite as frustrating as needing to print something urgently, only to find your printer has decided it no longer knows your WiFi exists. You've got the password right, your phone connects fine, but your printer is having none of it.

The good news is that most printer WiFi problems are fixable without calling anyone or buying new equipment. In this post, I'll walk you through the common reasons your printer keeps dropping off the network and show you exactly how to troubleshoot it.

Check Your WiFi Signal Where the Printer Is

Printers are surprisingly picky about WiFi signal strength. Unlike your phone or laptop, which can work in weak signal areas, many printers need a decent signal to stay connected. If your printer is tucked away in a corner of your Morningside flat or stuck in a garage, it might simply not be getting enough signal.

Walk over to where your printer sits with your phone and check the WiFi signal bars. If you're seeing only one or two bars, that's likely your problem. You've got a few options here: move the printer closer to your router, move the router closer to the printer, or consider a mesh WiFi system if you've got dead zones throughout your home. I often help Edinburgh customers with mesh network setup, which solves these signal problems for good.

Practical tip: try moving your printer next to the router temporarily and see if it connects. If it does, you know signal strength is the issue.

Restart Your Printer and Router Together

This sounds almost too simple, but it genuinely works more often than you'd think. Printers can get confused about their connection status, and a fresh start often clears things up. The trick is doing it in the right order.

Switch off your printer completely and unplug it from the wall. Then unplug your router and wait ten seconds. Plug the router back in first and let it fully boot up (usually takes about a minute, you'll see the lights settle). Then plug the printer back in. Let both devices sit for another minute before trying to print.

Practical tip: if your printer has a display screen, watch it as it boots. You'll often see a message about connecting to WiFi. If it says 'connected' after this process, you're done. If it's still struggling, move to the next step.

Forget the Network and Reconnect from Scratch

Sometimes your printer remembers an old WiFi password or gets confused if you've changed your network settings recently. The fix is to make it forget the network entirely and reconnect as if it's new.

On your printer, look for a menu option called WiFi, Network, or Settings. You're looking for an option that says 'Forget Network' or 'Clear WiFi Settings'. This varies depending on whether you've got an HP, Canon, Brother, Epson or another brand, so check the manual if you're stuck. After you've forgotten the network, go through the WiFi setup process again from scratch, entering your password carefully.

Practical tip: write down your WiFi password before you start so you don't have to go hunting for it. Check the label on the back of your router or look in your router's settings if you've forgotten it.

Update Your Printer's Firmware

If your printer is a few years old, it might be running outdated firmware that doesn't play nicely with newer WiFi security standards. Manufacturers release updates to fix WiFi connection problems, and it's worth checking whether there's a newer version available.

Visit the support page for your printer brand's website and search for your exact model number. You'll usually find a firmware update option there. Download it to a USB stick and follow the printer manufacturer's instructions to install it. This process varies by brand, but most printers have a menu option for this under Settings or Tools.

Practical tip: this is one of those tasks that looks more complicated than it is. If you get stuck, the printer manufacturer's support website usually has a video walkthrough for your specific model.

Check Your Router's WiFi Band Settings

Modern routers often broadcast on two different WiFi bands: 2.4GHz and 5GHz. Your phone might prefer 5GHz because it's faster, but many printers (especially older ones) only work on 2.4GHz. If you've disabled the 2.4GHz band on your router, your printer won't be able to connect at all.

Log into your router settings using a web browser or the manufacturer's app. Look for WiFi settings and check whether both 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands are turned on. If only 5GHz is active, enable 2.4GHz as well. Your printer should then be able to find and connect to it. You can keep both bands on at the same time without any issues.

Practical tip: if you're not sure how to access your router settings, check the label on the back of the device for the IP address or admin URL. It's usually something like 192.168.1.1 or a web address.

Make Sure Your Printer Password Is Correct

This one catches people out more than you'd expect. WiFi passwords are case-sensitive, which means uppercase and lowercase letters matter. If you've typed your password in and the printer still won't connect, there's a fair chance you've got a capital letter wrong somewhere.

Try typing your password on your phone first to make sure it actually works. Then, when you enter it on the printer, do it very carefully or write it down to avoid mistakes. Some printers also have a way to show the password as you type it so you can see what you're entering.

Practical tip: if you're changing your WiFi password for security reasons and want something easy to remember but hard to guess, use a mix of words and numbers rather than special characters. Special characters can sometimes cause connection problems with older printers.

When It's Time to Get Help

If you've worked through all of these steps and your printer still won't connect, there could be a hardware issue or something more complex going on with your network setup. Some printers also have finicky Ethernet options or need specific network drivers to work properly.

Whether you're in Leith, Corstorphine, or anywhere else across Edinburgh, I can help troubleshoot your printer connection and get it talking to your WiFi again. I also work remotely across the whole UK if that's easier for you. Give me a call on 07352 385477 or drop an email to rob@curly-it.co.uk and we can sort it out. There's no call-out fee if I can't fix it, so you've got nothing to lose by asking.

If you're still stuck with a printer that won't stay connected, or if you'd like help setting up a new one properly, get in touch with Rob at Curly IT. Call 07352 385477 or email rob@curly-it.co.uk. Rob covers all of Edinburgh and provides remote support across the UK, so whether you need hands-on help or guidance over the phone, he's got you sorted.