How to Connect Any Printer to Wi-Fi
A universal guide to connecting any wireless printer to a Wi-Fi network — using the printer's touchscreen menu, WPS button, manufacturer app, or a USB setup assistant — with troubleshooting for the most common connection failures.
Applies to: Home routers, Wireless home networks, 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi
Quick summary
- The problem
- Your printer is not connected to Wi-Fi, or it lost its wireless connection and needs to be reconnected.
- The fix
- Use the printer's network or wireless settings menu to select your 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network and enter the password. If the printer has no touchscreen, use the WPS button on the router, the manufacturer's setup app, or a temporary USB connection to a computer to complete wireless setup.
- Applies to
- Any wireless printer — inkjet or laser — being connected to a home Wi-Fi network for the first time, or being reconnected after a router change or network password update.
On this page Show
Understanding the problem
Connecting a printer to Wi-Fi should take 5–10 minutes, but it trips up many people because printers offer several different connection methods and the right one depends on whether the printer has a touchscreen, whether the router supports WPS, and which operating system the computer runs. Choosing the wrong method leads to failure; choosing the right one for your hardware leads to success on the first try.
The four main methods are: the printer's own touchscreen wireless setup menu (most reliable for printers with a colour screen); WPS button pairing (fastest, but requires a WPS-capable router and a printer with a WPS button); the manufacturer's setup app on a phone or tablet (easiest for app-friendly printers); and a temporary USB connection that lets the computer's setup wizard configure the printer's wireless settings for you.
Before starting any method, one preparation step prevents the majority of failures: make sure you know the exact name (SSID) of your 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network and its password. Most printers only support 2.4 GHz, so you need to select that specific band. If your router broadcasts both bands under one name with band steering, you may need to separate them (or at least know the 2.4 GHz frequency) to ensure the printer joins the right one.
After connecting, the printer needs to be added to each computer or device that will print to it. On Windows and macOS this happens through the Add Printer wizard, which can discover the printer automatically by name or by IP address. The printer's IP address — visible on the network configuration page you print from the printer menu — is the most reliable way to add it when automatic discovery does not work.
Quick fact
Duplex means double-sided
Duplex printing prints on both sides of the paper automatically. If your printer lacks it, you can print odd pages, flip the stack, and print the even ones.
Signs you're in the right place
If you're seeing any of these, this guide is for you.
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Printer does not appear in the available networks list during Wi-Fi setup
The printer may only support 2.4 GHz but is searching for a network that is not visible, or the printer is too far from the router during setup.
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Printer shows "Connection failed" or "Incorrect password" during setup
The most common cause is a password typo, including incorrect capitalisation. The 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz networks may also have different passwords on some routers.
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Printer connects to Wi-Fi but computers cannot find it
The printer has a Wi-Fi connection but computers are not on the same network or band, or the printer's IP address changed after the connection.
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WPS pairing times out without connecting
The printer's WPS button was pressed too long after the router's WPS button, or one device does not support WPS.
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Printer keeps dropping off Wi-Fi after a day or two
The printer's IP address may be changing between reboots, or the Wi-Fi signal at the printer's location is too weak for a reliable connection.
What's usually behind it
The most common reasons this happens, so the fix makes sense.
Printer only supports 2.4 GHz but attempting to connect to 5 GHz
Many printers, especially models more than a few years old, cannot connect to a 5 GHz network. If the router's 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz networks share a name, the printer may attempt 5 GHz and fail.
Incorrect Wi-Fi password
Wi-Fi passwords are case-sensitive. A single wrong character — a capital instead of lowercase, a zero instead of an O — causes "Incorrect password" even if the rest is correct.
Router changed or Wi-Fi password updated
The printer remembers its last Wi-Fi connection. After a new router is installed or the password changes, the printer's saved credentials no longer work and it needs to be reconnected.
Printer too far from the router during setup
Some printers need a stronger signal during the initial handshake than during normal operation. Temporarily moving the printer closer to the router during setup can resolve connection failures.
No DHCP reservation for the printer
Without a fixed IP address, the printer may receive a different address each time it restarts, breaking saved printer connections on computers.
What you'll need
Have these on hand before you start for a smooth fix.
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Your Wi-Fi network name (SSID) for the 2.4 GHz band
If your router uses band steering with one shared name, this is still that same name — but ensure the printer ends up on 2.4 GHz.
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Your Wi-Fi password
Case-sensitive. Double-check it before starting — a wrong password is the most common cause of connection failure.
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The printer's power cable and a clear surface near the router during setup
Keep the printer within 2 metres of the router during initial setup for the best signal.
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The manufacturer's app (optional but recommended)
HP Smart, Canon PRINT, Epson iPrint, Brother iPrint&Scan — these apps often provide the easiest guided setup experience.
How to fix it
Work through these in order — they run from the quickest checks to the more advanced fixes.
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Step 1: Prepare before you start: know your network details
Before touching the printer, confirm two things: your Wi-Fi network name (SSID) for the 2.4 GHz band, and its password. These are on the router label (the default credentials) or in the router admin page under Wireless settings.
If your router broadcasts 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz under different names (e.g. "HomeNetwork_2G" and "HomeNetwork_5G"), you need the 2.4 GHz name and password. If both bands share one name, use that single name.
Place the printer within clear line of sight of the router — ideally in the same room — during setup. You can move it to its permanent location afterwards. A weak signal during the connection handshake causes more failures than almost any other factor.
Why this works: Most connection failures happen because of a wrong password or incorrect SSID. Confirming these before starting eliminates the most common cause of failure before it can occur.
Expected result: You have the correct 2.4 GHz SSID and password confirmed and written down.
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Step 2: Method 1: Use the printer's touchscreen wireless setup menu
This is the most reliable method for printers with a colour touchscreen. On the printer's control panel, navigate to Settings (or the Setup gear icon) → Network Setup or Wireless Setup → Wireless Setup Wizard.
The printer will scan for available networks and display a list. Select your 2.4 GHz network name from the list. If it does not appear, scroll down (the list may be long) or move the printer closer to the router and try again.
Enter the Wi-Fi password using the on-screen keyboard. Take care with capitalisation and special characters. Confirm and wait about 30 seconds for the printer to connect. A success message and a lit Wi-Fi indicator on the printer confirms the connection.
The wireless setup wizard on the printer touchscreen lists available networks — select your 2.4 GHz network. Why this works: The touchscreen wizard is the most straightforward method and gives direct confirmation of success or failure at each step, making it easy to diagnose exactly where a problem occurs.
Expected result: The printer's Wi-Fi indicator is lit and a success message is shown. Print a network configuration page from the printer menu to confirm and note the IP address.
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Step 3: Method 2: Use the WPS button (fastest method)
WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) connects devices by button press, with no password entry required. Both the router and the printer must have a WPS button. Check your router's front or back for a button labelled "WPS" and your printer's panel for a WPS button or option.
Press the WPS button on the router first. The WPS light on the router will start blinking — you now have about 2 minutes. Immediately press the WPS button on the printer (or navigate to WPS in the printer's wireless menu and confirm).
Both devices will negotiate the connection automatically. After 30–60 seconds the WPS light on the router stops blinking and the printer's Wi-Fi indicator lights up solid, confirming a successful connection.
Why this works: WPS is the fastest connection method — no typing required — and works well when both devices support it. It is ideal when entering a long or complex password on the printer's keyboard is inconvenient.
Expected result: The printer's Wi-Fi indicator is lit solid and the router's WPS light returns to off, both confirming a successful WPS pairing.
WPS has known security vulnerabilities. If your router allows it, disable WPS in the admin settings after use.
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Step 4: Method 3: Use the manufacturer's app
Download the manufacturer's printer app on your phone: HP Smart (HP), Canon PRINT Inkjet/SELPHY (Canon), Epson Smart Panel (Epson), or Brother iPrint&Scan (Brother). These apps include a guided setup wizard that handles Wi-Fi configuration.
Make sure your phone is connected to the 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network — not 5 GHz. Open the app and select "Set Up New Printer" or a similar option. The app will either walk you through the printer's touchscreen steps or use the phone's Bluetooth to push the Wi-Fi credentials directly to the printer.
Follow the on-screen instructions. The app method is particularly good for printers with small or no screens, because the phone's display is much easier to read and interact with than the printer's keypad.
Why this works: Manufacturer apps often support Bluetooth-based setup, which bypasses the printer's limited keyboard entirely and pushes the Wi-Fi credentials from the phone automatically — making it the easiest method for touchscreen-free printers.
Expected result: The app confirms the printer is connected and may automatically add it to your phone as a print destination.
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Step 5: Method 4: USB setup (for computers, when other methods fail)
Connect the printer to a Windows PC or Mac with a USB cable. Install the printer driver from the manufacturer's website (download it for your exact model). During installation, most manufacturer installers will ask whether you want to connect by USB or Wi-Fi — select Wi-Fi.
The installer uses the USB connection to push your Wi-Fi credentials to the printer automatically. After setup completes, the printer will be connected wirelessly and you can remove the USB cable.
On macOS, go to System Settings → Printers & Scanners → Add Printer. Even over USB, the macOS AirPrint driver often provides an option to configure the wireless connection.
Why this works: USB setup is the fallback for printers with no touchscreen, no WPS, and incompatible app support. It is more steps but reliable because the computer handles the credential transfer.
Expected result: The printer is connected to Wi-Fi and the USB cable can be removed. The printer appears as a wireless printer in the computer's printer list.
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Step 6: Add the printer to your computer(s)
On Windows: go to Settings → Bluetooth & devices → Printers & scanners → Add device. Windows will search for the printer on the network. If it finds it automatically, click it and follow the prompts. If automatic discovery fails, click "Add manually" and select "Add a printer using a TCP/IP address" — enter the IP address from the printer's network configuration page.
On macOS: go to System Settings → Printers & Scanners → + → Add Printer or Scanner. macOS uses Bonjour to discover AirPrint-compatible printers automatically. Select your printer from the list and click Add.
Print a test page immediately after adding the printer to confirm the wireless connection end-to-end. Keep the printer's IP address noted — you may need it if the printer ever needs to be re-added.
Why this works: Connecting the printer to Wi-Fi and adding it to a computer are two separate steps. The printer may be connected to the network but still not appear as a print destination until you complete the Add Printer process.
Expected result: The printer appears in the computer's printer list and a test page prints successfully over Wi-Fi.
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Step 7: Reserve the printer's IP address to prevent future drops
Log into your router's admin interface and find the DHCP Reservations or Address Reservation section. Add a reservation for the printer using the MAC address shown on its network configuration page, and assign the same IP address it currently has.
With a reservation in place, the printer will always receive the same IP address, even after the router reboots or the printer is off for days. This prevents the "printer disappeared" problem that affects so many homes without it.
As a final check: reboot the printer, wait for it to reconnect, and print another test page. If it prints without re-adding, the reservation is working correctly.
Why this works: A DHCP reservation is the single most effective step for preventing recurring printer connectivity problems. Without it, the printer's address can change on any reboot, breaking every saved printer connection on every computer in the house.
Expected result: The printer always receives the same IP address and can be found by all computers without re-adding after any reboot.
Tip
Printer Tip
Always note the printer's IP address after connecting — keep it on a sticky note on the printer itself.
Confirm it's working
Tick these off to be sure the problem is fully resolved.
Keep it from happening again
A few habits that stop this problem coming back.
- Always note the printer's IP address after connecting — keep it on a sticky note on the printer itself.
- Reserve the printer's IP address in the router to prevent connection loss after reboots.
- Keep the printer on 2.4 GHz for maximum range and compatibility.
- After changing the router or Wi-Fi password, reconnect the printer before trying to print — do not wait for a failed print job to discover it is offline.
- Update the printer firmware through the manufacturer's app or the printer's web interface to keep the wireless stack current.
Frequently asked questions
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Written by
The Guts Guide Editorial Team · Educational Content
Last updated
Jul 2026
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