Brother printers are some of the most commonly-purchased machines apart from those by HP. However, printer issues that occur in devices of other brands are encountered by Brother printer users also. One of these is the Brother printer offline issue. This problem indicates that the device isn’t electronically linked to the computer giving it the printing command.
It is important for your Brother printers and other devices, such as a desktop or laptop, to be linked to the same network. This facilitates seamless printing and scanning. But due to various causes, your Brother printer becomes offline. This post will give you resolutions to resolve the offline status.
Fix Brother Printer Offline – Quick Solutions
● Ensure that the printer is on and linked to the computer.
● Set your Brother device as the default machine.
● Delete pending print jobs.
● Turn off the Use Printer Offline option.
Why Is My Brother Printer Offline
Your printer can go offline and fail to print because of several possible factors, such as:
● The printer is turned off.
● Your computer and Brother printer aren’t connected properly.
● The printing machine is not the default.
● There are too many pending print jobs.
● The Use Printer Offline feature is on.
● The firewall program is hindering the printer from utilizing the internet.
● The drivers of your printer are corrupt.
● Your printer has an invalid IP address.
Solutions for the Brother Printer Offline Error in Windows 10
By now, you must have a better understanding of the nature of this error. Follow these resolutions to fix the issue on your Windows system.
1. Confirm that your printer is on
If you see the LCD screen of your Brother machine blank, it is not powered on. You must wake it from its sleep state. If the machine does not wake up, check that it is tightly plugged into an operable socket.
Turn on all the power switches. There should be no error message on the LCD screen about paper jams or ink levels.
2. Connect Brother printer to the computer.
Check that the cable connections are firm. If using a USB cable, see that the USB is linked properly to the Brother printing machine and your computer. Similarly, if using an Ethernet cable, ensure that it links to the printing appliance and the router.
Inspect the IP address by printing out a network configuration page. Brother printer users who use a wireless connection can also print this page to look at the IP address.
3. Set your Brother printer as the default machine.
Configure your Brother machine as the default printer whenever it becomes offline. Use these points in a Windows 10 system.
● In the PC’s Control Panel, click ‘Hardware and Sound.’
● Navigate to ‘Devices and Printers.’
● Your current Brother printer should have a checkmark.
● If not, right-tap it and choose ‘Set as default printer.’
● Now you won’t find your Brother printer offline.’
4. Clear all pending print tasks.
You should not give any print commands while your printer is offline. If there are too many print jobs, canceling them will resolve the status.
● Windows 10 and earlier versions
1. Right-tap on the icon of your Brother appliance.
2. From the drop-down, tap the ‘See what’s printing’ option.
3. Now, choose the ‘Printer’ tab from above.
4. In the menu that opens, choose the ‘Cancel all documents’ option.
● Windows 11 and later versions
1. Tap Start on your system and access ‘Settings.’
2. Here, choose ‘Bluetooth & Devices’ followed by ‘Printers & Scanners.’
3. Choose your Brother printer and tap the ‘Open print queue’ option.
4. Tap the three dots option and choose ‘Cancel all.’
POINT TO NOTE – If you find that the Cancel all documents option is grayed out, tap ‘Open as administrator.’ Input the administrator password and tap ‘Yes.’
5. Change the Use Printer Offline functionality.
It is a straightforward fix for those encountering Brother printer offline in Windows 10.
● Right-tap on your Brother printer.
● Now choose the ‘See what’s printing’ option from the menu that displays.
● Tap ‘Printer’ on the pop-up screen.
● Remove the tick from the option, ‘Use printer offline’.
6. Disable the firewall in your system
A firewall in the Windows system can make Brother printer go offline. So, even when it's turned on, the printer will say offline. Disable this in-built Firewall program as follows.
● Navigate to Windows Defender Firewall using the search box.
● Tap the option to turn it off on the left side.
● Place a tick next to ‘Turn off Windows Defender Firewall (not recommended).’
● Click ‘OK.’
7. Reconfigure your port
Sometimes, the SNMP or the Simple Network Management Protocol causes problems and prevents Brother printer from responding to print commands. Reconfigure the port by disabling SNMP.
● In the Control Panel, modify the ‘View By’ to ‘Category.’
● Next, tap ‘View devices and printers.’
● Right-click your current printer.
● Pick ‘Properties.’
● Head to the ‘Port’ tab.
● Choose the port you are linked to and tap ‘Configure Port.’
● Place a tick beside the ‘SNMP status enabled’ checkbox.
● Save these changes by tapping ‘OK.’
● Now, use your printer and see if it goes offline.
8. Ensure that your IP address is the same as that on the PC
If you still find your Brother Printer offline after configuring the port, use this method. Maybe the IP address for the ports is not the same as that on your system.
● Get to the ‘Port’ tab.
● Choose a static IP that your Brother printer can employ from the available ports.
● Next, tap ‘Configure Port.’
● On the window that shows, examine if the IP address and the port name are the same as that on your system.
● If there’s a discrepancy, type in the right IP address and name.
POINT TO NOTE: Never place a check on the WSD port. It makes Brother printer go offline.
Summing up
The Brother printer offline is a seemingly prevalent issue that confuses an average user. You may have now understood it better after reading this guide. If there are more queries in your mind, connect with a printer expert.
Ref blog: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/get-brother-printer-offline-error-fixed-speedily-steve-smith/