Resolving wireless printer connection issues

Wireless printers give you the ease of printing from anywhere in the house as long as you are connected to the home WiFi. If your wireless printer is having connection issues with the router, there might be some settings that you need to check and modify to resolve the issue. 

Before you begin:

 

  • Printer issues usually occur during the initial installation so make sure to read the printer's user manual or documentation to ensure a smooth installation of the printer.


This article lists some tips to make your wireless printer work.
 

 


 

 
 
Security features include the antivirus software and built-in firewall of your computer. Some firewall and antivirus software settings may block printer drivers necessary to detect the printer.
 
What you can do:
 
  • Update the virus scan patterns of your antivirus or internet security software
  • Add exceptions for your printer
     

 

 
 
Check if the settings saved on your printer match the settings of your router and if the printer is within the range of the router. 
 
Check these settings:
 
  • WiFi name (SSID) – This is the name of your WiFi.
  • Password or passphrase – This is the password you need to connect to the WiFi.
  • Security mode – The type of encryption that your WiFi uses. Choose a security mode that is compatible with all the devices in your home.
  • Network mode – The technology that your WiFi uses. Linksys routers operate on the following modes: A, B, G, N, AC and AX technology.
  • SSID Broadcast – This should be enabled by default. If the router's SSID broadcast is disabled, you need to manually enter the router's WiFi settings on your printer. Refer to the printer's user manual for instructions on how to add a WiFi profile manually.
  • MAC Filter – If MAC filtering is enabled on the router, make sure that the printer's MAC address is added to the router for the printer to access the WiFi. 
 
You can personalize your WiFi settings to establish a unique and secure WiFi for your home. Linksys Smart WiFi Routers have default names so you might get confused with other WiFi in your area if you don’t change yours to something else.
 
To learn more, click the links below:
 
 
 

 

 
 
Another way to check if your printer is connected to your WiFi is through the network settings. You can check the printer's user manual for instructions on how to verify the network settings of your printer. The following should be within the range of your router:
 
  • IP address
  • Subnet mask
  • Default gateway
  • DNS servers
 

 

Isolate the problem


If you have performed the troubleshooting tips suggested above but the wireless printer is still not detected by the WiFi, you need to further isolate the problem. Here are some things you can do:
 

  • Check if your other computers can detect the printer
  • Check if you can print directly to the printer (via USB or ethernet cable)


If none of these steps fix your issue, you may have to contact your printer manufacturer to verify if there are other configuration settings you can check or reconfigure to make the printer work with your home WiFi and your Linksys Smart WiFi Router.

Was this support article useful?

Additional Support Questions?
Search Again