Solved Printer problems

Guys, my PC (win 11-25H2, Brother DCP-L2540DW) has stopped printing. PC is connected via Ethernet (router), my wife's Laptop is connected via Wi_Fi, does not print either.
Her desktop is connected via USB, prints fine.
The printer Wi-Fi is set up, SSID, router key, green Wi-Fi light is on.
I have tried all kinds of things but no dice.
The PC lists the printer as default, new driver installed, does not print test page. The print queue shows entries, but with an error message.
Can someone please help?

This answer is under the assumption that on the 2 devices that will not print, your printer is set up as direct wireless and NOT
as a shared printer by name.( ie by the computer name/printer name of the device connected to the printer with usb)

Since the PC connected to the printer can print but network computers can't print, it indicates a wireless networking problem in the printer, most likely its ip address has changed and the computers are looking for its old ip address. I always assign a static ip address to the wifi side of my wireless printers to prevent this from happening. Here are some things to try. Check to see if you can print after each one.

On the computers that will not print, run the troubleshooter. Setting>system>troubleshoot>other troubleshooters>Printer>Run

On the computers that will not print wirelessly, restart Print Spooler Search for Services, select Services System from search results, select run as administrator. Find "Print Spooler" in the list of services and restart the service.

Try Power Cycle Everything : Turn off the printer, all computers, and router. Wait 30 seconds. Turn the router back on and wait for internet connectivity, then turn on the printer and computers. That may well straighten it out.

Ensure your computer is connected to the exact same Wi-Fi network as the printer. Most have 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands; ensure both devices are on the same band.

If any computer still will not print wirelessly, uninstall the printer on that computer, restart, then reinstall printer.

glasskuter: Thanks for the detailed advice. Right now I'd like to concentrate on my PC, connected via router, putting the Wi-Fi connected laptop on the back burner. I went through the troubleshooter and the power cycle thing but without any success. Print spooler service is turned on.

esebm said:

glasskuter: Thanks for the detailed advice. Right now I'd like to concentrate on my PC, connected via router, putting the Wi-Fi connected laptop on the back burner. I went through the troubleshooter and the power cycle thing but without any success. Print spooler service is turned on.

Click to expand...

Is the printer also connected via ethernet or just WiFi?

My PC is connected via router/ethernet.

esebm said:

My PC is connected via router/ethernet.

Click to expand...

I am asking how the printer is connected to the network. I believe you said you're using both USB and WiFi printing?

As I have mentioned in post #1, my PC (does not print) is connected via Router/Ethernet, my wife's PC (prints fine) is connected via USB, her laptop is connected via Wi-Fi, does not print. All 3 machines have printed just fine for years, until 2 of them stopped.
Right now I am concentrating to get my PC going.
The printer is connected to the router via ethernet cable.

esebm said:

As I have mentioned in post #1, my PC (does not print) is connected via Router/Ethernet, my wife's PC (prints fine) is connected via USB, her laptop is connected via Wi-Fi, does not print. All 3 machines have printed just fine for years, until 2 of them stopped.
Right now I am concentrating to get my PC going.
The printer is connected to the router via ethernet cable.

Click to expand...

Okay. From what I have read on your model, you cannot use both Wifi and ethernet together. You can have only one active network connection on the printer at a time.

If that is correct, why has the printer worked on all 3 machines for years?
The Wi-Fi connection as well as the ethernet connection come from the same router, isn't that one active network?
And, as I had mentioned before, right now the ethernet connected PC has to be fixed, Wi-Fi for now is on the back burner.

You said "Her desktop is connected via USB, prints fine." To my way of thinking that means the printer is connected to her desktop using usb. Therefore her device is NOT printing over the network but printing directly.

You said "The printer Wi-Fi is set up, SSID, router key, green Wi-Fi light is on" Now you say the printer is also connected with ethernet. @HeavyHemi is correct. The proper way to network a printer should be one way or the other, not both.

You then indicated the networked devices, yours being connected through ethernet, the other connected wifi, can not print.
IMO that puts the probem toward the network or network settings either in the printer or the network settings in the devices connecting to the printer over the network , not the printer hardware

Everything points to an ip mismatch. Did you do any of the things I suggested in my previous post? Did you uninstall the printer on both your PC and her laptop, restart, then reinstall the printer as I suggested which should have picked up any ip change.

Print the Network Configuration report​

1. On most Brother laser models (e.g., DCP‑L series):
   • Menu → Print Reports → Network Config → OK/Start.
2. On the report, note:
   • Active interface: Wired (Ethernet) or Wireless (Wi‑Fi).
   • IP address (e.g., 192.168.1.50).
   • Subnet mask and Gateway (usually match your LAN).

Keep this page next to you.

3. Test basic network reachability​

1. From a Windows PC on the same network:
   • Press Win+R, type cmd, press Enter.
2. Ping the printer:
   • Open command prompt as admin and ping the printer. Example: ping 192.168.1.50 . Use the ip address from the network report.
3. Interpret the result:
   • Replies (0–1 loss): Network path is OK.
   • Request timed out / 100% loss: PC cannot reach the printer—fix network before touching drivers.

a successful ping verifies the printer is reachable.

• If using Wi‑Fi: Make sure printer is connected to the correct SSID and not guest/VLAN.
• If using Ethernet: Try another router port/cable and reprint the Network Config to see if IP changes.

4. Verify the Windows printer port​

Do this on each PC that should print to the Brother OVER THE NETWORK.

1. Open printer properties:
   • Settings → Bluetooth & devices → Printers & scanners.
   • Click your Brother printer → Printer properties (not “Properties” at the bottom).
2. Check the Ports tab:
   • Look for a checked port like Standard TCP/IP Port or IP_xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx.
   • Compare the IP in the port with the IP on the Network Config page.
3. If the IPs don’t match:
   • Click Configure Port… and update the IP to match the printer’s current IP,or
   • Create a new port:
     • Add Port… → Standard TCP/IP Port → New Port…
     • Enter the printer’s current IP → follow the wizard → finish → select that new port.

Test printing again after this.

Wow, that is quite a list. I will work through it first thing tomorrow morning and report back.
Thanks for the effort, it's much appreciated.

I think you are making things harder than they need to be. For example, if your printer has the option of being connected by USB, Ethernet or Wi-Fi then pick one and use it. Do not connected the printer more than one way. If you do then you will complicate things.

I have using a printer with multiple computers for over 30 years. Up to about 15 years ago I connected the printer to one computer with USB. I then configured that computer to share the printer over my network. I could then print to it from any computer on my network. Now I connect my printer using Wi-Fi to the router. I can then print to it from any computer on my network. Note to get full functionality you need to run the manufacturer supplied setup program on each computer you want to print from.

Glasscuter: I went through your list as far as I could get.
1. Printed the network config. IP 192.168.1.7
2. Opened cmd as admin, pinged, general failure
3. Checked printer properties, the printer is connected to standard TCP/IP port 192.168.1.5
4. Changed the port to 192.168.1.7
5 Tried another ping, failure, no test page

I also added a new port 192.168.1.7 but still no ping and no test page

Can you access your router configuration page? If so, list connected devices. Your printer should be in that list.

For example, I can access my router configuration using an app on my phone.

I can see my printer in that list. I then show its details.

I can see that its IP address is 10.0.0.9



I can ping that address from the command line.



Once you know your printer is seen by Windows you can print a test page in Settings

MisterEd said:

I think you are making things harder than they need to be. For example, if your printer has the option of being connected by USB, Ethernet or Wi-Fi then pick one and use it. Do not connected the printer more than one way. If you do then you will complicate things.

Click to expand...

That is more or less what I was going to say, pick one method, in this case Network connected (wired or WiFi) is the logical choice.

However, there are 2 ways of using WiFi:
1. WiFi Direct. If you like, that is the wireless equivalent of USB.
2. WiFi Network (via Router - WiFi Network/Ethernet).

2. Networked is the way to go for simplicity reasons.

MisterEd said:

I then configured that computer to share the printer over my network. I could then print to it from any computer on my network. Now I connect my printer using Wi-Fi to the router. I can then print to it from any computer on my network. Note to get full functionality you need to run the manufacturer supplied setup program on each computer you want to print from.

Click to expand...

Exactly.

Both my HP and Canon AIO printer only allow for one method at a time, the specs say so.

I'll have to figure out how to access the router config page. No clue at this moment, sorry.

Ok, got into router config, printer is listed there with the correct IP address, No ping, destination host is unreachable.
And, btw, I got the wife's laptop (via Wi-Fi) to print.

Had this problem the other night on my daughter's wireless printer. The very first troubleshooting step I did was to unplug the power of the printer and plug it back in to reset network connection. And it worked right away after a reset.

Have done that numerous times, no luck.

Just pinged the printer again, it worked and the test page printed. Go figure, I have not the foggiest idea why.
Looks like this issue has been resolved and I'd like to thank y'all for your efforts to be helpful. It's much appreciated.