Check the 2.4GHz Band First: How to Connect a Printer to WiFi, and Why It Says Offline
To connect a printer to WiFi, put the printer into its setup mode, then finish in the maker's app or on the printer's own screen. If the printer cannot find your network, check the band first: many home printers only work on 2.4GHz, and your phone or router may be on 5GHz. If a printer that used to work now says offline, your computer has lost contact with it. Restart the printer, the computer and the router, make sure they are on the same network, and if it keeps happening, give the printer a fixed IP address. That last step is easy to miss, and it is the one that stops the problem coming back.
Where are you stuck?
- My printer will not find my WiFiCheck the band before anything else. The 2.4GHz check
- I have an HP printerRestore WiFi setup mode, then use the HP app. HP steps
- I have a Canon, Epson or BrotherEach has its own button or menu. Canon, Epson, Brother
- I changed my router or WiFi passwordThe printer needs setting up again. New network steps
- My printer says offline right nowWork down this list in order. Fix it on Windows 11 or a Mac
- It keeps going offline every few daysGive it an address that never changes. The permanent fix
- I want to print from my phoneiPhone, Android or no router at all. Phone printing
Menus differ a little between models, so if a button name does not match, your printer's own guide has the exact wording.
- Printer not connecting to WiFi? Check the 2.4GHz band first
- How to connect an HP printer to WiFi, or change it to a new network
- How to connect a Canon printer to WiFi
- How to connect an Epson printer to WiFi
- How to connect a Brother printer to WiFi
- Add or connect a printer to a laptop on Windows 11 or a Mac
- Print from a phone: connect a printer to an iPhone, Android or WiFi Direct
- Why is my printer offline? What the message means
- How to fix a printer that says offline on Windows 11 or a Mac
- HP, Canon, Epson and Brother printer offline: each maker's own fix
- How to find your printer's IP address
- Why does my printer keep going offline? Give it a fixed address
- Quick answers
Printer not connecting to WiFi? Check the 2.4GHz band first
If your printer cannot see your network, or the setup app says it cannot find the printer, start here. It can save you a lot of pointless restarting.
Home WiFi usually runs on two bands. The 2.4GHz band reaches further. The 5GHz band is faster but shorter-range. Plenty of printers only have a 2.4GHz radio, and they simply cannot see a 5GHz network. This is what the makers’ own specification pages say about printers people buy for home:
| Printer | WiFi bands, maker’s figure | Where it says so |
|---|---|---|
| HP LaserJet M140w | 2.4GHz only | HP UK product page: “compatible with 2.4 GHz operations only” |
| HP DeskJet 2800, 4200 and 4900 | 2.4GHz only | HP support page for these models |
| Epson Expression Home XP-2200 | 2.4GHz only | Epson XP-2200 user guide, WiFi specifications |
| Epson EcoTank ET-2862 | 2.4GHz only | Epson’s ET-2860 series user guide, which Epson UK supplies on the ET-2862 support page |
| Brother HL-L2865DW, MFC-L2800DW, DCP-L1640W | 2.4GHz and 5GHz | Brother UK product pages |
| Brother DCP-T580DW, HL-L3240CDW | 2.4GHz and 5GHz | Brother UK product pages |
There is a second catch, and it trips people up even when the printer is fine. Some setup apps check the band your phone is on. HP says that during setup of a DeskJet 2800, 4200 or 4900, its app can show this message: “This printer can only connect to a 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network. Your device could be currently connected to a 5 GHz Wi-Fi network.” HP’s fix is to connect your phone or computer to the 2.4GHz network for the setup, and to make sure the 2.4GHz and 5GHz networks have separate names.
That is easy if your router shows two network names. Some broadband hubs use one name for both bands and give you no simple way to split them. On the BT Community forum, the workaround suggested for the BT Smart Hub 2 is to switch the 5GHz band off in the hub settings, set the device up, then switch 5GHz back on.
Before you move on, rule out these other setup blockers.
- A guest or public network. HP says a printer connection cannot be set up over guest networks that ask you to log in or accept terms, like hotel or school WiFi.
- A USB cable still plugged in. HP says a USB connection can block WiFi setup. Unplug it.
- A VPN on your computer. HP and Canon both tell you to disconnect it while you set up or troubleshoot.
- A network name with unusual characters. Epson’s XP-2200 guide says the printer cannot display a network name that uses anything other than plain letters, numbers and symbols, so an emoji in your WiFi name will hide it.
- Distance. For testing, HP suggests moving the printer within 8 metres of the router. If it connects there and not in its usual spot, you have a coverage problem, not a printer problem. Our guide to getting strong WiFi in every room covers the fixes.
How to connect an HP printer to WiFi, or change it to a new network
HP’s current setup tool is the HP app, which replaces HP Smart. HP says the older HP Smart app still works on systems where the new app is not available. You get the right one for your model from 123.hp.com.
The main method: restore WiFi setup mode, then use the HP app.
- Put the printer in WiFi setup mode. On most HP printers with a touchscreen, open the Wireless or Setup menu, choose Network setup or Settings, then Restore Network Settings. On most HP printers without a touchscreen, press and hold the Wireless and Cancel buttons together for five seconds, until the Wireless light blinks.
- Open the HP app and add the printer. HP says setup mode stays open for two hours, so you have time. Follow the steps in the app to put the printer on your WiFi.
- Check the light. On HP printers with a Wireless light, solid blue means connected.
If that does not work, HP lists three other ways in.
- Touchscreen printers: open the Setup, Network or Wireless menu, choose Wireless Setup Wizard, pick your network and type the password. If the wizard is not listed, choose Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS), then Push Button.
- Printers without a screen, using WPS: press and hold the printer’s WiFi button for five seconds until its light flashes. Within two minutes, press and hold the WPS button on your router. On the DeskJet 6000 and 6400, ENVY 6000 and 6400 and Tango, HP says to hold the WiFi and Power buttons on the back for three seconds instead.
- Printers without a screen, from a browser: join the temporary setup network your printer creates, which HP shows with the printer’s name in it (its example is a DeskJet 2700 series). Then open a browser, go to
192.168.223.1, enter the PIN printed on the label inside the cartridge access area, and choose Network, then Wireless, then your WiFi network.
HP printer not connecting to WiFi?
HP’s troubleshooting order is worth following before you try anything clever:
- Restart the printer, the router and the phone or computer you are setting up from.
- Print a Wireless Network Test report. HP says it shows the printer’s connection details, including signal strength.
- Check the 2.4GHz band, unplug any USB cable and disconnect from VPNs.
- Move the printer closer to the router, and away from walls, metal shelves and other electronics that weaken the signal.
- Then restore WiFi setup mode and try the HP app again.
Moving an HP printer to a new router or a new WiFi password
A new router, a new broadband provider or a changed password all mean the same thing to the printer: its saved network has gone. HP’s advice is to set it up again with the same methods above. Place the printer near the router, restore WiFi setup mode, and add it in the HP app, or use the Wireless Setup Wizard on a touchscreen model.
You will need the new network name and password. HP says to look on the label on the bottom or side of the router. The name is usually shown as Wireless Network Name or SSID, and the password as Wireless Security Key, Wi-Fi Password, Network Password or Network Key. If you changed them yourself, the label will not match, and you need the router’s settings page instead.
One more thing to know if your printer is an HP+ model. HP lists an HP account and an internet connection as requirements for HP+ printers, so make sure your broadband is working before you start.
How to connect a Canon printer to WiFi
Canon’s button-led method is Easy Wireless Connect, shown as Easy WL connect in some of its manuals. In the user guide for its G600 series, the steps are short:
- Make sure the printer is on.
- Press and hold the Wireless connect button for three seconds.
- Follow the instructions on your computer or phone to send your WiFi details to the printer.
On a phone, that means Canon’s app, which Canon names as Canon PRINT, for iPhone, iPad, Android and Chrome. On a Windows computer, Canon’s guide uses its IJ Network Device Setup Utility when you change how the printer connects.
Before you start, Canon UK asks you to check two things: that your router is working and online, and that the computer or phone you are using can open a website. If it cannot, fix the internet first. Canon UK also keeps a list of wireless setup guides on its support site, one per PIXMA model, with the exact steps for yours.
Can every Canon printer connect to WiFi? Only the wireless models. If your printer’s specification lists Wi-Fi or wireless LAN, it can join your network.
A useful clue if a Canon printer stopped working after a router change. Canon’s US support page says to print the printer’s network settings. If the printout shows the connection as inactive with the old network name, the printer needs reconnecting. If it shows the network name BJNPSETUP, the printer’s network settings have been reset to factory defaults, and you need to set up WiFi again from scratch.
How to connect an Epson printer to WiFi
Epson gives you two routes. For a computer, Epson’s setup site at epson.sn, under Setup, downloads the installer that connects the printer. For a phone, Epson’s app is Epson Smart Panel, which Epson lists on its EcoTank pages for setting up, printing and scanning.
Printers without a screen, like the XP-2200, can use WPS. This works if your router has a WPS button. The steps from Epson’s XP-2200 user guide:
- Hold down the WPS button on your router until its security light flashes.
- Hold down the WiFi button on the printer for at least five seconds, until two of the printer’s lights flash alternately.
- Wait. Epson says a light on the printer turns on when the connection is made.
If the two lights flash at the same time instead, the printer has hit an error. Epson says to clear it with the printer’s button, restart the router, move it closer to the printer and try again, then print a network connection report if it still fails. On the XP-2200, one button press prints that report with a load of paper in the tray, and it tells you what went wrong in plain words. The error codes are decoded in the offline section.
Printers with a screen use a menu. In the user guide for Epson’s ET-2820 series, you choose Wi-Fi Setup on the home screen, then Wi-Fi (Recommended), then Push Button Setup (WPS), press the router’s WPS button, and press OK on the printer.
New router? Epson’s XP-2200 guide has a section on replacing the wireless router, and its troubleshooting pages add that if the WiFi connection suddenly drops after another device joined the network with WPS, you should reset the printer’s network settings by running the software from epson.sn again.
How to connect a Brother printer to WiFi
These steps come from the Brother online guide for the HL-L2865DW and the related models it lists. Other Brother printers with a small display use similar menus, so check your own model’s guide if a name differs.
With the setup wizard (you type the password on the printer):
- Write down your WiFi name and password first. Brother says it cannot find them for you.
- Press the arrow keys to choose Network, press OK, then choose WLAN (Wi-Fi), then Find Network.
- When the screen asks WLAN Enable?, choose On.
- Pick your network from the list and enter the password.
- Choose Yes to apply. When the screen says Connected, you are done.
With WPS (no password typing): choose Network, then WLAN (Wi-Fi), then WPS/Push Button, and turn WLAN on. When the screen says Press Key on rtr, press the WPS button on your router.
Once the printer is on your network, Brother tells you to install its drivers and software from support.brother.com/downloads, and its phone app is Brother Mobile Connect. The Brother lasers and ink tanks we list in the band table all support 5GHz as well as 2.4GHz, so they are less likely to hit the problem in the first section.
Add or connect a printer to a laptop on Windows 11 or a Mac
Getting the printer onto WiFi is half the job. Your laptop still has to add it.
Windows 11. Make sure the printer and the laptop are on the same WiFi network. Then, following Microsoft’s steps:
- Open Settings, then Bluetooth & devices, then Printers & scanners.
- Next to Add a printer or scanner, select Add device. The list can take a few minutes to fill.
- Select Add device next to your printer.
- If it is not listed, select Add a new device manually and follow the steps. You can add it by its IP address there, which the IP section shows you how to find.
Brother makes a fair point about this route: the printer Windows adds this way usually has the basic print functions, and for full control of the printer’s settings you want the maker’s own driver and software.
What Microsoft is changing about printer drivers
This matters for anyone setting up a printer on Windows 11 this year. Microsoft’s published timeline, last updated in May 2025, says that from 15 January 2026 no new printer drivers would be published to Windows Update for Windows 11, and from 1 July 2026 Windows would prefer its own built-in IPP class driver when it installs a printer. From 1 July 2027, Microsoft says, third-party printer driver updates will no longer be allowed except for security fixes. Microsoft also says you will still be able to install drivers from the printer maker’s own installer.
In practice, if Windows adds your printer and it prints but a scanner or special setting is missing, install the maker’s software for your model as well.
There is also an optional setting called Windows protected print mode. Microsoft puts it under Settings, Bluetooth & devices, Printers & scanners, Printer preferences, and recommends it for security. It is designed for Mopria-certified printers. Microsoft says that when you turn it on, printers that use third-party drivers are uninstalled, and some scanners stop being available. It is not on by default today, although Microsoft says it will be at a future date. If you switch it on and a printer disappears, that is why, and a compatible printer can be added back.
ARM laptops. Microsoft says some ARM PCs, including Copilot+ PCs, fail to add a printer with the maker’s own installer. Its advice is to add the printer through Windows settings instead, unless the printer maker says otherwise.
Mac. Apple’s steps:
- Open System Settings and click Printers & Scanners.
- Click Add Printer, Scanner or Fax, select your printer and click Add.
Apple says macOS uses AirPrint when you add a printer, so you normally do not need to install anything. If the printer does not appear, you can add it by IP address in the same window. Apple lists AirPrint, IPP, LPD and HP Jetdirect (Socket) as the protocols you can choose.
Print from a phone: connect a printer to an iPhone, Android or WiFi Direct
iPhone and iPad. iPhones print through AirPrint, so there is nothing to install if your printer supports it. Apple’s steps: make sure the printer and the iPhone are on the same WiFi network, open the app you want to print from, tap the Share or Actions button, tap Print, then tap No Printer Selected and choose your printer. Apple adds that AirPrint works over WiFi or a wired network only, so a printer connected by Bluetooth cannot use it.
Android. Use the maker’s app: the HP app, Epson Smart Panel, Brother Mobile Connect or Canon PRINT. Many printers also support Mopria, an industry printing standard. Brother lists Mopria and Apple AirPrint for the DCP-L1640W, for example.
No router at all? Use WiFi Direct. Many printers can create their own small network that your phone or laptop joins directly. HP says most of its printers released after 2014 support it, and that it does not need an internet connection. To use it on an HP printer:
- Find the WiFi Direct name and password. On a touchscreen model, tap the WiFi Direct icon. On a model without a screen, HP says pressing the Information button prints a report that includes them. The HP app also shows them under Advanced Settings.
- The printer’s network name starts with
DIRECT-. On Android, HP’s steps use its HP Print Service Plugin to send the job. - On Windows, open Printers & scanners, choose Add a printer or scanner, then Show Wi-Fi Direct printers, select the one starting with DIRECT, and enter the PIN the printer shows within 90 seconds.
Epson printers without a screen print their WiFi Direct name and password on a network status sheet.
One warning from HP that catches people out: for normal printing over your home WiFi, do not connect your computer to the DIRECT- network. It is a separate, direct link, and if you pick it from your WiFi list your computer leaves your home network.
Why is my printer offline? What the message means
A printer that says offline is usually switched on and working fine. The message comes from your computer, not the printer. HP describes it as your device being unable to communicate with your printer, and Canon says the same thing: the printer and computer cannot talk to each other.
So the question is not “what is wrong with the printer” but “why has the conversation stopped”. These are the causes the makers list, with the quickest check for each:
| Cause | How to spot it, and what to do |
|---|---|
| Printer asleep or in error | Blank screen, flashing lights, a jam or an ink warning. Wake it and clear the error. |
| Different networks | Laptop on a guest network, a neighbour’s network or a network whose name starts with DIRECT-. Put both on your home network. |
| IP address changed | It worked, then stopped after a router restart or power cut. Re-add the printer, then fix its address. |
| Offline or paused setting | “Use Printer Offline” or “Pause Printing” is ticked in the print queue. Untick both. |
| Stuck print job | Jobs sitting in the queue. Cancel them all and restart the Print Spooler. |
| Public network profile | Windows shows your network as Public. Switch it to Private, on your own home network only. |
| VPN or firewall | Printing works with the VPN off. Disconnect it, and check your firewall settings. |
| Old driver or firmware | Updates waiting in Windows or the maker’s app. Install them. |
The Public network one is worth a second look, because it is easy to miss. HP says that if your PC is using a Public network profile, Windows applies stricter security and can block traffic from devices such as printers. HP’s advice is to change it to Private, and only on a trusted home or office network, never in a hotel or café.
How to fix a printer that says offline on Windows 11 or a Mac
Work down this list in order and try printing after each step.
- Power-cycle the printer. Turn it off, unplug it, wait 30 seconds, plug it back in and turn it on. Microsoft and Canon both give the 30 seconds.
- Restart the computer and the router. HP includes the router in its first step for network printers.
- Check both are on the same network. Look at the WiFi name on your laptop and on the printer’s network report or screen.
- Run the printer troubleshooter. On Windows 11, Microsoft points you to the automated printer troubleshooter in the Get Help app.
- Untick “Use Printer Offline” and “Pause Printing”. Brother’s steps: open Control Panel, then Devices and Printers, right-click your printer, choose See what’s printing, open the Printer menu, and make sure neither has a tick.
- Clear the queue. In Settings, go to Bluetooth & devices, Printers & scanners, select your printer, choose Open print queue, then the three dots and Cancel all.
- Restart the Print Spooler. Type
servicesin the taskbar search, open Services, right-click Print Spooler and choose Restart. - Set the right default printer. In Printers & scanners, turn off Let Windows manage my default printer, then set yours as default. If your printer appears twice, HP says to pick the one that is idle or online, and Canon says duplicates may need removing.
- Set your home network to Private, as explained above.
- Remove the printer and add it again. Printers & scanners, select it, Remove, then add it back as in the laptop section.
On a Mac, HP’s advice is to open Printers & Scanners, remove the printer, then add it again. For stuck jobs and connection problems, HP also describes resetting the Mac printing system. That clears your printer list, so you add the printer back afterwards.
If the printer comes back and then drops out again a day or two later, the steps above treated the symptom. The last section treats the cause.
HP, Canon, Epson and Brother printer offline: each maker’s own fix
Every big maker has its own tool or report for this. Use it before you start changing router settings.
HP printer offline. HP’s answer is Diagnose & Fix in the HP app. On Windows, HP says you click the wrench icon in the bottom left corner and follow the steps. HP lists it for Windows 10 or later, macOS 10.14 or later, iOS 14 or later and Android 7.0 or later. If that fails, HP suggests removing the printer from the app and adding it again, and updating the printer’s firmware. HP warns you never to turn the printer off during a firmware update.
Brother printer offline. Brother has a Network Connection Repair Tool for Windows. You open Brother Utilities, choose your model, click Tools, then Network Connection Repair Tool. Brother says it assigns the correct IP address and subnet mask, and updates the printer’s address inside your printer driver. You need to be logged in as an administrator. Brother also notes you should not use it if someone deliberately gave the printer a fixed address, because the tool will change it.
Canon printer offline. Canon’s US support page tells you to print the printer’s network settings and read them:
- Connection active but signal strength under 80%: move the printer and router closer, or remove what is between them.
- Signal over 80%: try temporarily turning off the firewall on your computer. If printing then works, the firewall needs the printer’s ports opened.
- Subnet mask different from your computer’s: the two are on different parts of the network, and one needs reconfiguring. Canon points you to its Canon PRINT app for this.
- If problems carry on, Canon suggests setting a static IP address on the printer.
Epson printer offline. Print the network connection report and look for an error code. This is what Epson’s XP-2200 user guide says each one means:
| Code | What Epson says is wrong, and what to do |
|---|---|
E-1 | The network hub is off, or the printer’s WiFi is disabled. Turn the hub on, or set up WiFi on the printer again. |
E-2 E-3 E-7 | The printer cannot find or join the router. Check the router is on, turn it off for about 10 seconds and back on, move the printer closer, check the network name uses plain characters, and check the router supports WPS if you used it. |
E-5 | The router uses a security type the printer does not support. Set the router to one it does, such as WPA2 Personal or WPA3, then set the printer up again. |
E-6 | MAC address filtering is on, or the router has reached its device limit. Allow the printer’s MAC address, or raise the limit. |
E-8 | The printer cannot get an IP address. Turn DHCP on in the router, or correct the manual IP address on the printer. |
E-9 | The printer cannot reach the devices you print from. Check they are on and online, restart the router, and run the epson.sn setup again. |
E-10 to E-13 | The IP address, subnet mask or gateway is wrong, or clashes with another device. Set the printer to get its address automatically, or correct the manual settings. |
The report can also say “The Wi-Fi environment needs to be improved”. Epson’s answer is to move the printer closer to the router, remove obstacles, and restart the router.
How to find your printer’s IP address
Does a printer have its own IP address? Yes. Every device on your home network gets its own address, and Brother’s troubleshooting page puts it plainly: each machine or computer on your network must have a unique IP address. You need it to add a printer manually, to open its settings page, or to fix it permanently.
The easiest way is to print a network report.
- HP: in the HP app, click your printer, then Printer Reports, then Network Configuration Report. On models without a touchscreen, HP says to press and hold the Wireless and Information buttons. The address is listed under 802.11 Wireless.
- Brother: print the Network Configuration Report and look next to IP Settings.
- Epson: print the network connection report or network status sheet.
- Canon: print the network setting information.
Check it matches your computer. Brother’s steps on Windows: open Command Prompt, type ipconfig and press Enter. Your computer’s address and the printer’s should share the same first three numbers and differ only at the end, for example 192.168.1.110 for the printer. Then type ping followed by the printer’s address. If you get replies, your computer can reach it.
Brother also says that if the report shows 0.0.0.0, the printer has not been given an address yet, and you should wait at least five minutes and try again.
Open the printer’s own settings page. Type the IP address into a web browser on the same network. HP calls this page the Embedded Web Server, and Epson calls it Web Config. It is where you set a fixed address, which is the next section.
Your router’s settings page usually lists connected devices as well, which is handy if you cannot print a report at all.
Why does my printer keep going offline? Give it a fixed address
If your printer goes offline every few days, or every time the router restarts, the likely story is simple. The router hands out addresses and can give the printer a different one later. Your computer keeps looking at the old address, finds nothing, and calls the printer offline. Brother’s repair tool is built around this problem: it finds the printer and writes its current address into your driver.
The permanent fix is to make the address stop moving, then point your computer at it.
Step 1: give the printer an address that never changes. You can do it on the printer or on the router.
- On an HP printer: open the Embedded Web Server, choose Manual IP, and use Suggest a Manual IP Address if it is offered. Check the address, subnet mask and default gateway match your network configuration report, then click Apply.
- On an Epson printer: open Web Config, choose Advanced Settings and log in as administrator, then Network Settings, Basic, and set Obtain IP Address to Manual. Enter the address, subnet mask, gateway and DNS for your network.
- On Canon: Canon recommends a static IP address if WiFi problems carry on.
- On the router: most routers let you reserve an address for one device, often called a DHCP reservation. It does the same job without touching the printer.
Pick an address carefully if you type it yourself. Epson’s error codes show what goes wrong otherwise: an address outside your network’s range, or one another device already uses, stops the printer connecting at all.
Step 2: make Windows print to that address. HP documents this as creating a new Standard TCP/IP port:
- In Printers & scanners, select your printer, then Printer properties.
- On the Ports tab, click Add Port.
- Choose Standard TCP/IP Port, then New Port, and enter the printer’s address.
- Select the new port and click OK.
HP’s version of these steps uses the printer’s IPv6 address, the one starting fe80 on the network report, and warns that you might see the printer listed twice afterwards. Do not remove either copy.
What forum users blame, and what helped them
The thread that sits near the top of Google for “printer offline” is a 2017 post on the r/printers forum that people have kept replying to for years. One long reply traces the repeated offline errors to WSD, the discovery system Windows uses to find network printers, and describes turning off WS-Discovery on the printer’s settings page and adding the printer by its IP address instead. Several people replied that this finally fixed it for them. That is user experience, not an HP or Microsoft statement, but it points the same way as HP’s fixed-port steps above.
Sleep settings come up too. In a December 2025 r/printers thread, the owner of a Brother MFC-J995DW on Windows 11 said the printer showed as offline every time it went to sleep, until it was restarted. One reply said changing the printer’s sleep time from one minute to ten solved the same problem for them. If your printer only goes offline after sitting idle, its sleep or deep sleep setting is worth a look.
What we would actually do
Reserve the printer’s address in the router, add it to each computer by that address, and leave WiFi setup alone after that. If the printer sits far from the router, fix the coverage rather than the printer: a mesh system or an access point near it helps, and our WiFi router guide covers the router side.
If your printer is old, 2.4GHz-only and still unreliable after all of this, a replacement is the last resort. Our guide to the best printer for home use compares running costs, and the Brother models in the band table above all support both WiFi bands. Everything we sell is in our printers section.
Quick answers
Set it up again as if it were new. Put the printer into its WiFi setup mode, or use the wireless setup menu on its screen, then choose the new network and enter the new password. On HP printers, restore WiFi setup mode and add the printer in the HP app. On Epson, run the setup from epson.sn again. The network name and password are usually on the router's label.
Check the band first. Some HP printers, including the DeskJet 2800, 4200 and 4900 and the LaserJet M140w, only use 2.4GHz WiFi, and HP's app can refuse to continue if your phone is on 5GHz. Also unplug any USB cable, disconnect from VPNs, avoid guest networks, and move the printer within 8 metres of the router while you test.
Restore WiFi setup mode. On touchscreen models, open the Wireless or Setup menu and choose Restore Network Settings. On models without a screen, hold the Wireless and Cancel buttons for five seconds until the Wireless light blinks. Then add the printer in the HP app within two hours.
Turn the printer off, unplug it for 30 seconds and turn it back on. Restart your computer and router, check both are on the same WiFi network, untick Use Printer Offline in the print queue, clear any stuck jobs and restart the Print Spooler service. If it still shows offline, remove the printer and add it again.
Usually because your computer has lost track of it, often after the router gives the printer a new IP address. Give the printer a fixed address, either on the printer or as a reservation in the router, and add it to your computer using that address. Sleep settings, VPNs and a Public network profile in Windows can also cause it.
Run Diagnose and Fix in the HP app first. On Windows, click the wrench icon in the bottom left corner. If that does not help, restart the printer, computer and router, set the printer as default with Let Windows manage my default printer turned off, and remove and re-add the printer.
Being connected to WiFi does not mean your computer can reach it. Check the computer is on the same network and not on a guest or DIRECT network, that the Windows network profile is Private, that no VPN is running, and that the print queue is not paused. Printing a network report shows the printer's actual network and address.
Canon's wireless models can. Many use Easy Wireless Connect: press and hold the Wireless connect button for three seconds, then finish the setup in the Canon PRINT app or Canon's setup software. Canon UK lists wireless setup guides for each PIXMA model.
Yes. Every device on your network needs its own address. You can find the printer's address on its network configuration report, on its screen on some models, or in your router's list of connected devices.
Print the network connection report and check the error code. Epson's user guides list only 2.4GHz WiFi for the XP-2200 and for the ET-2860 series that Epson UK supports the ET-2862 with, and Epson says the printer cannot display a network name with non-standard characters. Codes E-2, E-3 and E-7 mean it cannot find or join the router, E-5 points to an unsupported security type, and E-6 to MAC filtering or a device limit.
Only if the printer has a 5GHz radio. Brother lists both bands for models such as the HL-L2865DW and DCP-T580DW, while HP's LaserJet M140w and Epson's XP-2200 are 2.4GHz only. Check the WiFi specification on the maker's page before you buy.
Sources
- HP printer setup (Wi-Fi network), HP Support, for WiFi setup mode, the Wireless Setup Wizard, WPS timing, the 192.168.223.1 method and the guest network warning.
- Troubleshoot a Wi-Fi connection to an HP printer, HP Support, for the two-hour setup window, the USB warning, VPNs and the solid blue light.
- HP DeskJet 2800, 4200, 4900: unable to locate a 2.4 GHz network, HP Support, for the quoted 2.4GHz message and the separate network names advice.
- HP printers: Wi-Fi connection lost after router or network settings change, HP Support, for reconnecting after a new router and where the network name and password are printed.
- HP printer is offline or unavailable, HP Support, for the 8 metre test, the Private network profile, Diagnose and Fix, the TCP/IP port and manual IP steps, and the Mac steps.
- HP Printer Offline Issues, HP Support UK, for HP’s definition of offline and the Diagnose and Fix system requirements.
- HP printer setup (Wi-Fi Direct), HP Support, for WiFi Direct support since 2014, the DIRECT name, and the 90 second PIN.
- HP printers: change from a USB to a Wi-Fi connection, HP Support, for the HP app replacing HP Smart and 123.hp.com.
- HP LaserJet M140w, HP Store UK, for the 2.4GHz-only wireless specification.
- HP+ printing, HP UK, for the HP account and internet connection requirement.
- Troubleshooting offline printer problems in Windows, Microsoft Support, for the offline steps, the Get Help troubleshooter and the ARM PC note.
- Add or install a printer in Windows, Microsoft Support, for adding a wireless printer in Windows 11.
- End of servicing plan for third-party printer drivers on Windows, Microsoft Learn, for the 2026 and 2027 driver dates.
- Windows protected print mode, Microsoft Learn, for where the setting lives, Mopria compatibility and Microsoft’s recommendation.
- Windows protected print mode FAQ, Microsoft Learn, for what happens to third-party-driver printers and scanners.
- Add a printer to your printer list on Mac, Apple Support, for the Mac steps and the IP printing protocols.
- Use AirPrint to print from your iPhone or iPad, Apple Support, for the iPhone steps and the Bluetooth limitation.
- Connect an AirPrint printer to a Wi-Fi network, Apple Support, for the general setup methods.
- PIXMA printer wireless connection setup guides, Canon UK, for the checks before setup and the per-model guides.
- Switching the printer’s connection, Canon G600 series manual, for the three-second Wireless connect button and the IJ Network Device Setup Utility.
- Resolve printer is offline or not responding (Windows), Canon USA, for the signal strength, firewall, subnet mask, BJNPSETUP and static IP advice, and the Canon PRINT app.
- Making Wi-Fi settings by push button setup, Epson XP-2200 user guide, for the WPS steps.
- Wi-Fi specifications, Epson XP-2200 user guide, for the 2.4GHz frequency range and supported security.
- ET-2860 series user’s guide, supplied on Epson UK’s ET-2862 support page, Epson Europe (PDF), for the 2.4GHz frequency range on page 175.
- Network connection report codes E-2, E-3 and E-7, Epson XP-2200 user guide, for the network name character limit and the epson.sn reset advice. The other codes are on the neighbouring pages of the same guide.
- Setting a static IP address for the printer, Epson XP-2200 user guide, for the Web Config steps.
- Push button setup (WPS), Epson ET-2820 series user guide, for the menu steps on Epson printers with a screen.
- Wi-Fi Direct: how to set up a printer with no screen, Epson UK, for the WiFi Direct details on the status sheet.
- Epson EcoTank ET-2862, Epson UK, for the Epson Smart Panel app.
- Configure the machine for a wireless network using the setup wizard, Brother online guide (HL-L2865DW and related models), for the menu steps.
- Configure the machine using WPS, Brother online guide (HL-L2865DW and related models), for the WPS steps.
- Use the Network Connection Repair Tool, Brother online guide, for how the tool works and when not to use it.
- I cannot print using my Brother machine on a wireless network, Brother FAQ, for Use Printer Offline, Pause Printing, ipconfig, ping, unique addresses and the 0.0.0.0 wait.
- How to connect your printer to Wi-Fi, Brother UK, for the note that Windows’ own driver gives basic functions.
- Brother DCP-L1640W, Brother UK store, for its WiFi bands and AirPrint and Mopria support. The HL-L2865DW, MFC-L2800DW, DCP-T580DW and HL-L3240CDW bands come from their own Brother UK pages.
- Smart Hub 2 and splitting the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, BT Community, for the switch-off-5GHz workaround.
- Solution to the “Printer Offline” issue, r/printers, 2017, for the WSD and WS-Discovery explanation and replies.
- Have to restart Brother printer to print, r/printers, December 2025, for the sleep-related offline report.
Photographs: HP DeskJet all-in-one by Kskhh, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped by us. Other photographs from Pexels.
