Wireless Printer Tips
1. Reboot or Unplug to Start Fresh
Sometimes you just need to turn it off and turn it back on again. Often, that means pressing and holding the power button until it shuts down (though it may ask you to clear the queue first). If this doesn't work you may have to unplug it completely, then plug it back in.
It's nice when this works, but it means there's no permanent solution to this recurring issue, and much like a router that stops broadcasting, you may have to go through this process whenever the printer drops its connection.
2. Remove and Re-Add Your Printer in Windows
If your printer shows "Offline" in the Windows Printer & Scanner settings Settings > Devices > Printers & Scanners, select your printer, and remove it. Then click Add a Printer or Scanner to re-add it to the device list.
3. Update Your Drivers and Firmware
Head to your printer manufacturer's website—whether it's HP, Brother or someone else—and search for your printer's model number in the support section.
Download the latest driver, software package, and/or firmware update to ensure every link in the chain is as up-to-date as possible. If you're having connection issues, it's possible one of those updates fixed it somewhere along the line since you bought the printer.
4. Plug the Printer Into Your Router Directly
If you're flexible about where you store your printer, your best bet is to remove it from the Wi-Fi network entirely and hard-wire it to your router. Connecting it with a wire may not solve all your problems, but it will ensure its connection to the network is much more stable, lessening the number of troubleshooting steps you have to go through every time.