Due to their reliability in the digital age, Brother printers have been widely used and adored by users worldwide. It’s common to experience problems like a printer going offline on Mac and Windows, but there are ways to quickly troubleshoot this issue with simple steps.
What’s the Issue
A broken computer may mean that your Brother printer is not operating properly. It may be due to connectivity issues, outdated drivers, or incorrect printer configuration – it’s important to pinpoint the root cause.
Troubleshooting on Mac:
The solution to Brother printer offline issues on a Mac computer requires an organized approach to diagnosing connectivity problems.
Check Connectivity:
The solution to offline printing problems on Brother printers requires a good mix of your Mac and a compatible machine. To ensure a safe and accurate connection to your Brother printer on Mac, perform a ‘Physical Connection Check’. Connecting models to their printer and an available port on your Mac requires a USB connection for stability. Before connecting wirelessly, ensure that your computer’s Wi-Fi network is compatible with its hardware or software.
In Brother printers, it is either wireless or Ethernet-based. Check your Mac’s network settings. Ensure the network name and password match the one on your printer.
Network Utility and Terminal commands such as ping can be used to further diagnose network connectivity problems on MacOS diagnostic tools. These tools can be utilized to detect network-related issues that may pose a challenge for printers.
Restart:
Rebooting your Mac and Brother printer can often resolve temporary issues that cause offline connectivity. To perform a complete device reboot, simply click on the Apple menu in the top-left corner and choose “Restart” to start your Mac. Restarting your computer completely can resolve software issues.
Switching off and rebooting your Brother printer before turning it back on for a few seconds is advisable. It resets all of its internal components, which can potentially resolve any temporary issues or bugs that emerge from time to again.
Update Drivers of your Printer
Connectivity issues can arise when a printer driver is outdated or incompatible. To check for the latest drivers, head over to the Brother website and scroll down to their driver overview.
Download Drivers: Find and download the right version of printer drivers for your Mac.
Carefully follow the steps provided to install updated drivers on your Mac using an installer package and on-screen prompts.
Reset the Printing System
The printing system on your Mac can be reset to its default settings if printer issues persist. To do so, go to System Preferences and click on “Printers & Scanners.” If you need to reset your printer, simply right-click on a list item, choose “Reset printing system,” and confirm when asked. Disable all printers on your Mac and reset the printing settings to their default settings. After resetting the printing system, you can add your Brother printer by selecting “+” and choosing it from the list. The setup process is outlined on the screen, step by step.
Get an Update on Printer Status:
Setting up your Brother printer as the Default Printer in System Preferences is crucial to ensure that all print jobs are automatically sent to it, just like all other printer setup steps. Check the print queue: If the printer is not in use, look for any pending jobs or error messages that could impact its operation. Clearing print jobs may resolve the issue and bring back normal printing operations.
Troubleshooting on Windows
To address Brother printer offline issues on a Windows OS computer, it is essential to carefully examine every detail and perform systematic troubleshooting.
Check Connection:
For offline printing problems, it is important to establish a solid connection between your Brother printer and Windows PC. To verify it, examine its physical connections before connecting it and turning on your machine. To ensure long-lasting Wi-Fi signals, check for damage or loose connections in the USB cable of printers connected via USB; if you have printer computers connected to Ethernet/Wi-FI technology, make sure your network cables are securely attached.
If your Brother printer connects wirelessly, make sure it’s connected to the correct Wi-Fi network and has the same settings as your Windows PC.
The use of Windows diagnostic tools is beneficial in identifying and resolving network-related issues that may affect printer connectivity, such as Network troubleshooting.
Restart Devices:
Rebooting devices as necessary can help resolve connection issues and restore stability.
Restarting your Windows PC and Brother printer can help you fix temporary issues by refreshing their connections and rebooting.
Reboot:
To resolve connectivity issues and reset internal hardware and software components, you may need to turn off your Brother printer for a few seconds and restart it.
Brother’s drivers can be found in its drivers section if you visit their website, which will help you to ensure that the latest drivers are installed as printer driver issues may occur.
Locate and install the latest printer drivers for your device on your Windows PC, based on the model and version of your printer.
Following the download, open and install your drivers as directed by the screen. Remember to restart your PC after finishing installation to implement any modifications.
Set Printer Online:
To connect an online printer, you must first download the necessary drivers for your PC’s operating system (Windows).
By using the Windows Key + R shortcut, you can quickly access the Devices and Printer(s) window from Device Manager and fix offline issues by checking printer settings and adjusting their settings.
To check the status of your Brother printer, you need to right-click it and choose “See What’s Printing” by unchecking the “Use Printer Offline” option; once this is done, click on it again to restart it.
Know your Printer Status:
By examining the status of your printer in Windows, you can gain insight into potential issues by accessing its properties through the Control Panel and selecting “Devices and Printers” to view their properties.
To access the “Ports” tab in Printer Properties, right-click on your Brother printer and select “Printer Properties.” Confirm that the port is set up for your printer.
Conclusion:
When faced with Brother printers that are offline and operate on Mac or Windows, troubleshooting steps can help you quickly resolve the issue. Checking connectivity, updating drivers, and making necessary adjustments can restore printing functionality in no time. In case of a failed attempt, seek help from Brother’s customer support team for assistance. By being patient and persistent, you can pinpoint the root cause of all Brother printer issues in offline mode and ensure uninterrupted printing performance for years to come!
