Printers are indispensable devices in offices and homes, facilitating seamless document printing. Among the most popular and reliable printer brands is Brother, known for its durability, functionality, and wireless capabilities. However, like many other electronic devices, Brother printers may sometimes run into issues, the most common being the How to Turn Your Brother Printer Online. If you are experiencing this issue, it can be frustrating when you urgently need to print a document.
This article will guide you through the process of turning your Brother printer online, troubleshooting common problems, and ensuring that your printer stays online in the future. Whether the issue is due to connectivity problems, configuration errors, or software glitches, the solutions provided here will help you resolve it.
Understanding “Printer Offline” Status
Before diving into the solutions, it’s essential to understand what it means when a Brother printer is offline. When a printer displays an offline status, it means your computer or device is unable to communicate with the printer. While the printer might be turned on and fully functional, it is not accessible to your computer or network.
Common reasons for this status include:
- Loss of connection (wired or wireless)
- Printer settings misconfiguration
- Outdated or corrupted drivers
- Network issues (for wireless printers)
Now that we have a basic understanding of the “offline” status, let’s explore the steps you can take to bring your Brother printer back online.
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Turn Your Brother Printer Online
1. Check Physical Connections
For both wired and wireless Brother printers, the first step in troubleshooting the offline issue is to check the physical connections.
Wired Printers:
- Ensure the USB cable is connected securely between your printer and computer. Sometimes, loose or damaged cables can cause communication failures.
- Try connecting the printer to a different USB port on your computer or using another cable to rule out any hardware issues.
- Restart both the printer and the computer to reset the connection.
Wireless Printers:
- Check the Wi-Fi connection on both your printer and your computer. Ensure that both devices are connected to the same network.
- Place the printer closer to the Wi-Fi router to strengthen the signal if the connection is weak or intermittent.
- Reconnect your Brother printer to the wireless network if it was disconnected. This can be done through the printer’s control panel by selecting network settings and entering the Wi-Fi password again.
2. Check Printer Status on Your Computer
Once you’ve confirmed that all physical connections are intact, you can proceed to check the printer’s status on your computer. Sometimes, the printer may be set to work offline, which can be manually reversed.
For Windows Users:
- Open the Control Panel on your computer and navigate to Devices and Printers.
- Locate your Brother printer from the list of devices. If the printer’s status says “Offline,” right-click on the printer icon.
- From the dropdown menu, select See what’s printing.
- In the new window that appears, click on the Printer tab at the top.
- If you see a checkmark next to Use Printer Offline, uncheck this option. This should bring your printer back online.
- If you see Pause Printing enabled, make sure to uncheck it as well.
For Mac Users:
- Click on the Apple Menu and go to System Preferences.
- Select Printers & Scanners.
- Find your Brother printer in the list and highlight it.
- If the printer status shows “Offline,” click on the Resume button to bring it online.
3. Restart the Print Spooler
The print spooler is a service on your computer that manages all print jobs sent to the printer. If the spooler is not functioning properly, it can cause the printer to go offline. Restarting the print spooler can often resolve this issue.
For Windows Users:
- Press the Windows + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
- Type services.msc and press Enter.
- In the list of services, scroll down and find Print Spooler.
- Right-click on Print Spooler and select Restart.
- Once the service has restarted, try printing again to see if the printer is now online.
For Mac Users:
- Resetting the printing system can resolve print spooler issues.
- Go to System Preferences > Printers & Scanners.
- Right-click in the printer list and choose Reset printing system.
- Add your Brother printer again and check if it’s back online.
4. Update Brother Printer Drivers
Another common reason why a printer may go offline is outdated or corrupted printer drivers. Printer drivers facilitate communication between your computer and the printer, and if they are not up-to-date, they may fail to function correctly.
For Windows Users:
- Open the Control Panel and go to Devices and Printers.
- Right-click on your Brother printer and select Update driver.
- You can also visit the Brother Support website to download the latest drivers for your specific printer model.
- After downloading and installing the latest driver, restart your computer and see if the printer is now online.
For Mac Users:
- Go to System Preferences > Printers & Scanners.
- Select your Brother printer and click Options & Supplies.
- Click on Driver and check for updates.
- You can also visit the Brother website to download the latest drivers and install them manually.
5. Check for Printer Queue Issues
A clogged or jammed print queue can also cause your Brother printer to go offline. Clearing the queue can often bring your printer back online.
For Windows Users:
- Open Devices and Printers from the Control Panel.
- Right-click on your Brother printer and select See what’s printing.
- In the queue window, cancel all pending print jobs by right-clicking on each job and selecting Cancel.
- After clearing the queue, try printing a new document to check if the printer is back online.
For Mac Users:
- Go to Printers & Scanners in System Preferences.
- Select your Brother printer and click Open Print Queue.
- Cancel any pending or stuck print jobs and attempt to print again.
6. Disable SNMP Settings
Brother printers use Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) for network communication, but sometimes incorrect SNMP settings can cause your printer to go offline. Disabling SNMP can fix this issue.
For Windows Users:
- Open Devices and Printers in the Control Panel.
- Right-click on your Brother printer and select Printer Properties.
- Go to the Ports tab and click on Configure Port.
- Uncheck the SNMP Status Enabled option and click OK.
- Restart the printer and check if it is now online.
7. Assign a Static IP Address to the Printer
For wireless Brother printers, assigning a static IP address can prevent frequent disconnections and offline issues. A dynamic IP address may change each time the printer or router restarts, causing communication failures. A static IP address ensures that the printer remains consistently connected to your network.
- Access your router’s settings by entering the router’s IP address in your web browser.
- Find the option for IP Reservation or Static IP under the LAN or DHCP settings.
- Locate your Brother printer in the list of connected devices and assign it a permanent IP address.
- Save the settings and restart both your printer and router.
8. Disable Antivirus or Firewall Temporarily
Sometimes, overly aggressive antivirus software or firewall settings may block the communication between your printer and your computer, causing the printer to appear offline.
- Temporarily disable your antivirus or firewall software and check if the printer comes back online.
- If this resolves the issue, you can adjust the firewall or antivirus settings to allow the printer software to communicate with your computer.
9. Check Printer Hardware
In some cases, printer hardware issues like paper jams, low ink, or cartridge issues can cause a printer to display an offline status. Inspect your Brother printer for any hardware issues and resolve them accordingly.
- Open the printer and check for any paper jams or obstructions.
- Replace low ink or toner cartridges if necessary.
- Ensure all covers and trays are properly closed and aligned.
10. Contact Brother Support
If none of the above steps work and your Brother printer continues to show as offline, it might be time to contact Brother’s customer support. They can help you diagnose and resolve more complex issues.
Before contacting support, make sure to have the following information handy:
- Your Brother printer model number.
- Details about your computer’s operating system.
- Any error messages or steps you’ve already taken to resolve the issue.
Preventing Future Offline Issues
Once you have successfully turned your Brother printer online, follow these tips to prevent it from going offline in the future:
- Keep drivers updated: Regularly check for updates to your Brother printer drivers and install them as needed.
- Maintain network stability: Ensure a stable Wi-Fi connection by placing the printer within range of your router.
- Assign a static IP: If your printer frequently disconnects, assign it a static IP address to maintain a consistent network connection.
- Turn off “Use Printer Offline” mode: Periodically check that this option remains disabled in your printer settings.
Conclusion
When your Brother printer shows offline, it can disrupt your printing tasks and cause unnecessary frustration. However, by following the steps outlined in this article, you can quickly troubleshoot the issue and bring your printer back online. Whether the issue is due to connectivity, driver problems, or configuration settings, there’s always a solution at hand.
