Wireless connectivity issues – part of our printer problem-solving series:
Most of the time connection woes come down to your computer and your printer not being on the same page (pun intended). Get the basics out of the way first: restart both your printer and computer, and update your drivers. The best way to do this is:
On a Mac, click the apple logo in the upper left hand corner and click “System Preferences.” Choose the “Printers and Scanners” icon.
Make sure your printer appears on the list and has a little green dot next to it. If it doesn’t appear at all, check to see that your WiFi is on, and that your computer and your printer are using the same WiFi address. If it’s there but you get an error message, click it to see what’s wrong. If a button appears labeled “Show Printer Webpage” you can click that to bring up more options, including software updates and troubleshooting help.
What’s worked best for me lately is to delete the printer from the list (by pressing the minus button) and then add it again, which reintroduces your printer and Mac to each other, getting them back on the right track.
On Windows 10, open the start menu and type “Printers” and then click the “Printers & Scanners” option when it pops up. If your printer’s name shows up on the list, that’s good, but if not simply click the “Add a printer” button and Windows will scan and locate it. Then, to verify it has the right driver, click the printer on the list and click “Manage.” Now click “Printer Properties” and select the “Advanced” tab. Click “New Driver” and pick your printer brand and model from the list.
If that doesn’t work, your router might be the problem. Routers sometimes mistakenly stand in the way of your connection because they’re trying to keep you safe from rogue wireless connections. If you have a “WPS”, which stands for “Wi-Fi Protected Setup,” button on your router (or in the router app on your computer or smartphone) pressing it can help the two gadgets clear things up by telling your router to chill out for a moment and let your computer and printer communicate.