Troubleshooting Brother Printer WiFi Connection Drops – What to Do

Let’s be real — WiFi issues with printers are one of the most annoying tech problems to deal with. You set everything up, your Brother printer connects, everything seems good… and then, outta nowhere, the WiFi drops. Again.

Sound familiar?

If your Brother printer keeps disconnecting from WiFi, you’re definitely not alone. This issue has been frustrating users for years — even when everything looks right. The printer might show as connected for a bit, only to randomly go offline, especially when you need it most.

The good news is: most of the time, it’s fixable. And you don’t need to be some IT wizard to do it.

So Why Does the WiFi Keep Dropping?

Brother printers, especially the wireless ones, can be a bit finicky when it comes to maintaining a stable network connection. Sometimes it’s the printer. Other times, it’s your router or even the environment around them.

But here’s the thing… the root cause is usually something small. Maybe it’s a dynamic IP issue, maybe it’s interference from another device in the house. Sometimes sleep mode kicks in and disconnects the printer. Whatever the case, we’ll walk through what you can do to fix it.

First Step: Eliminate the Basics

Start simple. Ask yourself:

• Is the printer close enough to your router?
• Have you recently changed your WiFi password or router settings?
• Are there too many devices connected to the network?

Brother printers typically perform best on a 2.4GHz network, not 5GHz. Some routers try to bounce between the two, and that messes things up for the printer. Try sticking with 2.4GHz for the setup — it’s slower, sure, but a lot more stable for print tasks.

Assigning a Static IP Works Wonders

One of the most common fixes? Lock the printer to a static IP address. Without it, your router may assign a new IP each time the printer or router restarts. That often breaks the connection between the printer and your computer.

Here’s what you do:

1. Go into your router’s admin dashboard (usually found at 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1).
2. Look for something called DHCP Reservation or Static IP.
3. Find your Brother printer in the list and reserve its IP address.
4. Save the settings and restart everything — router first, then the printer.

It might sound like overkill, but I’ve personally seen this fix work time and time again.

Deep Sleep Mode Could Be the Culprit

Brother printers have a sleep mode — and not gonna lie, sometimes it works too well. The printer goes into sleep, and then doesn’t wake up when your computer tries to send a print job.

To adjust this:

• Go to the printer’s display panel.
• Navigate to General Setup or Ecology Settings.
• Set the Sleep Time to a longer interval (or turn it off just for testing).
• Disable any “Auto Power Off” options if available.

This tweak keeps the printer awake longer, and you’ll likely see fewer connection drops after that.

Watch Out for Signal Interference

We often overlook the little things — like that microwave near your router. Devices like cordless phones, baby monitors, microwaves, and even smart fridges can interfere with WiFi signals.

Tips to reduce interference:

• Move the printer and router away from large metal appliances or walls.
• Don’t place either device on the floor or behind furniture.
• Try switching the WiFi channel on your router (channels 1, 6, and 11 are usually best for 2.4GHz).

Even just shifting the printer a few feet can sometimes boost signal stability. Go figure, right?

Update Your Printer’s Firmware (and Your Router Too)

If you’re still running on the same firmware your Brother printer came with, it’s time to update. Firmware patches often address known bugs — including network-related ones.

Same goes for your router. Newer updates can improve performance, compatibility, and security.

Steps to follow:

1. Go to Brother’s support site, search your printer model, and download the latest firmware.
2. Connect the printer via USB if needed to complete the update.
3. Check your router’s admin page or manufacturer’s site for available firmware updates.

Updates are often overlooked, but they can make a real difference.

Revisit Your Setup Process

Sometimes a rushed setup leads to ongoing problems. If you used the quick WPS button method, for example, it might not have fully configured all the network settings properly.

If you’re unsure whether your initial install was done correctly, our troubleshooting + Brother printer setup guide walks you through the proper steps — from manual setup to fixing common network conflicts.

It’s worth double-checking the setup if nothing else has worked so far.

Final Resort? Reset and Reconnect from Scratch

If you’ve tried all of the above and your Brother printer still keeps dropping WiFi, a network reset is your clean slate.

Here’s how to do it:

• On your printer, go to Network Settings > Network Reset.
• Confirm the reset, then restart the printer.
• Reconnect to your WiFi manually using the Wireless Setup Wizard.

Don’t forget to use the same SSID and WiFi password exactly as they appear — even an extra space can mess it up.

Once you’ve done that, head over to our detailed guide on how to fix WiFi drops in Brother printers for some deeper tweaks if needed.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Why does my Brother printer keep disconnecting from Wi‑Fi?

It could be due to dynamic IP assignment, network interference, or sleep settings on the printer. A static IP and updated firmware usually help a lot.

2. How can I stop my Brother printer from dropping offline overnight?

Disable deep sleep mode, extend the sleep timer, and assign a static IP address. These prevent the printer from going offline when idle too long.

3. Should I assign a static IP to prevent network drops on Brother printers?

Absolutely. Static IPs prevent the printer’s address from changing, which keeps your computer and router in sync with it at all times.

4. Does disabling sleep mode help a Brother printer stay connected?

Yes, in most cases. Sleep mode can shut off network activity. Extending the sleep delay or turning it off helps maintain a steady WiFi link.

5. Can signal interference like microwaves cause Brother WiFi drops?

Definitely. Devices on the 2.4GHz band — like microwaves and baby monitors — can cause signal noise. Try moving your printer and router apart.

6. Will updating firmware or router settings fix my Brother printer’s Wi‑Fi issues?

Often, yes. Firmware updates patch bugs that impact connectivity. It’s a good idea to keep both your router and printer firmware up to date.

Wrapping Up

WiFi connection drops with Brother printers aren’t rare, but they’re not unbeatable either. A little tweaking — whether it’s assigning a static IP or turning off that overly aggressive sleep mode — can bring your printer back in line.

Take your time with these fixes. Go step-by-step, and don’t hesitate to restart both printer and router when making changes. You’ll often find that one small adjustment is all it takes to restore a rock-solid wireless connection.

And if all else fails? Don’t toss the printer just yet. Give the full reset a try, follow our setup guide again, and double-check for firmware updates. It’s usually one of those three.

Hope this helped. If it did — pass it along to someone else wrestling with their printer too.