Tips For: How To Connect Brother Printer To Computer

After connecting your printer to your computer, you can easily print from the computer, thereby improving printing efficiency. Moreover, by connecting, you can more easily manage printing options on your computer. It can help you save paper and ink. In addition, on the computer, you can easily control printing settings to improve higher-quality printing results. So, if you happen to have a Brother printer, do you know how to connect your Brother printer to your computer? This blog will guide you in connecting Brother printers to your computer on both Windows and Mac systems. What’s more, taking the connection steps of Brother HL-L2380dw printers as an example provides specific step guidance to help you better complete the connection.

Index

• The Ways to Connect Brother Printer to Computer
• How to Connect Brother Printer to Computer with USB
• How to Connect Brother Printer to Computer with Ethernet
• How to Connect Brother Printer to Windows/Mac with WiFi
• Example: How to Connect Brother HL-L2380dw Printer to Computer
• Troubleshooting Methods for Connecting Printer to Computer

The Ways to Connect Brother Printer to Computer

The method of connecting the Brother printer to the computer is a wired and wireless connection. Wired connections can be divided into two ways: USB direct connection and Ethernet connection. Connect the printer to the computer through a USB interface or network cable, thereby achieving a wired connection. A wireless connection is a WiFi connection.

USB Connection

USB connection refers to the use of a USB data cable to directly connect two devices through a USB interface, allowing them to share data and communicate.

Ethernet Connection

Ethernet connection is a network connection method that connects computers, routers, switches, and other devices to the Internet or local area network using Ethernet cables. It can provide stable network connection speed and has the characteristic of low latency.

WiFi Connection

WiFi connection refers to the use of a WiFi router to connect to the Internet, access a computer through the Internet, and successfully connect wirelessly to the WiFi network. It is an extremely convenient connection method with flexibility and mobility.

How to Connect Brother Printer to Computer with USB

It is not difficult to connect a printer to a computer using USB. The following are the different operating steps for Windows and Mac operating systems.

How to Connect Brother Printer to Windows with Usb

1. First, place your Brother printer near your computer. Please remember to power off your Brother printer.

2. Next, take out the USB cable. Plug both ends of the USB cable into the USB ports of the printer and computer, respectively. Remember to plug the A-end of the USB cable into the USB port of your Windows computer. Then, plug the B-end into the USB port of your brother’s printer.

3. Then, turn on your printer. 

4. After that, go to the Brother official website to download the printer driver for supporting the Windows operating system. 

5. Later, open the printer driver after the download is completed. 

6. Soon, follow the instructions for the printer driver to complete the installation. 

7. Finally, print a test page to ensure your Brother printer works properly. Click on the Start Menu of the computer to enter Devices & Printers. In the Printer & Fax window, select the printer you want to test. Right-click and select Printer Properties. Finally, click Print Test Page.

How to Connect Brother Printer to Mac with Usb

1. Repeat the first, second, and third steps above(How to Connect Brother Printer to Windows with Usb).

2. Next, open your computer. If the computer system prompts you to download the printer driver, please download and install it.

3. Then, after completing the installation, open the Apple Menu on the Mac and select System Preferences.

4. After that, Select the icon Printer & Scanners (The icons on different models of Mac computers are different. The other icons are Print & Fax or Print & Scan).

5. Later, in the printer list, select and add the Brother Printer you want to connect to. If necessary, you can set it as the default printer.

6. Finally, to check for a successful connection, you can print a test page.

How to Connect Brother Printer to Computer with Ethernet

The following are the different steps for connecting a Brother printer to a computer with two operating systems, Windows and Mac.

How to Connect Brother Printer to Windows with Ethernet

1. Firstly, prepare the Ethernet cable. Insert both ends of the Ethernet cable into the network port of your Brother printer and Windows computer, respectively.

2. Next, download the printer driver. You can do this in two ways. One method is to insert the CD that came with the Brother printer into the computer drive. Complete the download of the printer driver according to the computer prompts. Another option is to download the corresponding printer driver and software package from the Brother website. If there is no CD included, you can choose the second method.

3. Then, after completing the download, follow the installation instructions for the printer driver to complete the installation.

4. Later, configure your Brother printer on your computer. On your Windows computer, open the control panel. Then, select the device and printer options. In the printer list, select the printer you want to connect to and add it.

5. Finally, do a page test.

How to Connect Brother Printer to Mac with Ethernet

1. Do the same first, second, and third steps above(How to Connect Brother Printer to Windows with Ethernet)

2. Next, click Apple Menu >>> System Preferences >>> Printer & Scanners(Print & Scan or Print & Fax)

3. Then, in the printer list on the left side of the dialog box, select the Brother printer you want to add and click the “+” button.

4. After that, if necessary, you can set the Brother printer you added as the default printer. Just click Default and choose your Brother printer from the Name list. 

5. Later, in the printer Using or Use column, select the information for “Brother printer model + CUPS.” Click the Add icon to finish setting.

6. Finally, you connect your printer to your Mac.

(Note: Before setting the default printer, you need to download the CUPS driver in advance. You can go to the official website of Brother to download and install.)

How to Connect Brother Printer to Windows/Mac with WiFi

The following are the different steps to connect Brother printers to Windows and Mac computers using WiFi.

1. First, connect the Brother printer to a WiFi network. 

2. Next, connect your computer to the same network. Click the network icon in the bottom right corner of the computer taskbar. In the network list, search and click the SSID(WiFi network) you want to connect to. Enter the password for the WiFi network and click the connect button.

3. Then, download the printer driver from the official website or drive CD and install it.

4. Finally, configure your brother’s printer on the computer to complete the connection. 

Example: How to Connect Brother HL-L2380dw Printer to Computer

Taking Brother HL-L2380dw printer as an example, the following are the steps for connecting it to a computer with WiFi:

1. Connect your Brother HL-L2380dw printer and computer to a WiFi network. 

2. Next, download the Brother HL-L2380dw printer driver on the Brother official website. Open the file and install the Brother HL-L2380dw printer driver by following the download instructions. 

3. For Windows, you need to go to the Start Menu. 

4. Click Settings >>> Devices >>> Printers & Scanners >>> Add a printer or scanner. When your Brother HL-L2380dw printer shows in the printer list, you can select it and click Add device.

5. For Mac, you need to go to the Apple Menu. Click System Preferences >>> Printers & Scanners >>> Add Printer, Scanner, or Fax. In the list on the Add printer screen, select the Brother HL-L2380dw printer and click Add.

6. Finally, you just finish the connection. If you are not sure, you can do a print page test.

Troubleshooting Methods for Connecting Printer to Computer

Why can’t my computer recognize my Brother printer via USB?

1. USB connection not successful. Ensure that your USB connection is correct. You can try changing the USB port or USB route.

2. The Printer is not enabled for USB connection. You can check if the printer has enabled a USB connection. Sometimes, you need to manually enable a USB connection in the printer settings.

3. Downloaded incorrect driver. A printer must have the correct printer driver in order to communicate with the computer. You need to ensure that you have downloaded the driver that matches your Brother printer model. If you don’t know how to download the Brother printer driver, you can refer to the video below.

Why can’t my Mac connect with my Brother printer?

1. Network connection issue. This problem occurs when your Mac and Brother printer are not connected to the same WiFi network. So please ensure that your Mac and Brother printer are connected to the same WiFi network and are well connected without network issues.

2. Unfinished printing tasks. This issue may also occur when printing queues containing unfinished printing tasks on the MAC. At this point, you need to cancel all pending print tasks and try again.

If you don’t know how to check the print queue on your computer, you can click on this video to learn more.

How do I add a printer that isn’t showing up on my Windows?

When adding a printer that doesn’t show up on your computer, you can manually add the printer to your Windows computer. Follow the below steps to finish:

1. Turn on your Windows computer. 

2. Click on the Start Menu >>> Settings >>> Devices >>> Printers & Scanners.

3. At the top of the printer and scanner interface, click Add a printer or scanner.

4. Under the automatic search box, click on the printer I need that is not listed.

5. Choose to Add a local or network printer through manual settings. Click the Next Step button.

6. The Default existing port is LPT1, which can be selected through the drop-down box.

7. Select the printer manufacturer and corresponding model. If the corresponding printer model is not displayed, you can use the disk included with the printer to install it.

8. Confirm the name of the printer and complete the installation.

9. Finally, do a print test page to check if the added is successful.