Open the printer's control panel, go to Menu → Network → WLAN → Setup Wizard, and select your network — that's the core of it for most Brother laser and inkjet models. Here's the full walkthrough, plus the WPS shortcut and what to do if it won't connect.
On the printer's display, press Menu (or the settings icon), then navigate to Network → WLAN → Setup Wizard. The printer scans and lists nearby Wi-Fi networks — select yours, enter the password on the on-screen keyboard, and confirm. Once connected, the display shows a signal-strength indicator and the printer's assigned IP address. This is the most consistent method across Brother's HL, DCP, and MFC lines regardless of model age.
If your router has a WPS button, this is faster and skips typing the password entirely. On the printer, go to Network → WLAN → WPS, then press the WPS button on your router within about two minutes. The devices pair automatically.
For a phone-first setup, install Brother Mobile Connect (App Store or Google Play), open it, and follow the "Add Printer" flow. This is particularly useful for models with no display, since the app can guide the printer through a temporary access-point mode to receive your network credentials.
Wrong Wi-Fi band. Most Brother models only support 2.4GHz. If your router's app or settings show one combined network name, the printer may be attempting the 5GHz side and failing without a clear error. Temporarily separate the bands in your router settings if this is the case.
Printer too far from the router. Signal strength during initial setup needs to be stronger than what's required for normal day-to-day printing. Move the printer near the router for setup, then relocate it once it's connected.
MAC address filtering enabled. Some routers restrict which devices can join by their MAC address as a security measure. If setup completes on the printer but it still can't reach the internet or your computer, check your router's connected-devices list and allow the printer explicitly.
Print a Network Configuration report from the same WLAN menu — it lists the printer's IP address, signal strength, and connection status in one place. If it shows "Connected" with a valid IP address, install the driver from Brother's official support site by searching your exact model number.
Search our driver library for your exact Brother model to get the official download link and a step-by-step setup video.
Find your Brother driverThe complete guide, including when to also replace the drum unit.
Read the article →Three ways to get any printer onto your network.
Read the article →The most common reasons, in order of likelihood.
Read the article →