Bother Printer (wireless) keeps going offline or greyed out.

Pupp

Member
I thought I'd mention I had this issue. I never did figure out why it started happening, other than I got a wifi card so I could set the printer up so it could be used by other computers in the room.

I'd tweaked the bios for other unrelated issues before I installed the wifi card.

So I was installing a Thunderbolt 3 card, and having issues trying to get windows 10 to recognize the card, and eventually I bricked the computer. After I reset the BIOS, the Brother Printer no longer kept greying out.

Sorry it's such a vague description, but the point is that maybe just resetting your BIOS could solve your issue, if you know for certain it's not in it's default state. I know most people don't bother messing with the BIOS unless they have a need to, like I did. I used to have Satellite internet and it was terrible, and I had to get rid of IPv6 to get it work. When I reset the BIOS, it re-enabled IPv6, as far as the first reason I tweaked the BIOS.
 

johnb35

Administrator
Staff member
As far as I know there is no IPV6 setting in the bios, its an actual windows setting that does it. You don't need a wifi card to be able to use the printer by other pc's, if they connect to the network then they can print to that printer.
 

Pupp

Member
Your right. Now I have no idea what I did to fix my issue. I'm glad it's fixed though. I still have no idea why I had/have the inability to use a USB cable to print directly to the printer. But I'm pretty sure the problem lies with the Brother Printer software. I've been forced to use WIFI since I set the printer up so multiple computers could print to it using WIFI

I'm still not sure if I fixed the issue before I reset the bios or not, offhand, since I way toying with the issue a few weeks ago. The problem is I can go weeks between using the printer, so I only fuss with it on the occasion I need to print something. Once I get it to print, I generally forget about the issue again. :p
 

johnb35

Administrator
Staff member
I've been forced to use WIFI since I set the printer up so multiple computers could print to it using WIFI
You can still set it up to where you can connect using usb but why? One less cable to deal with right? What model of brother printer is it? You most likely screwed up the ability for you to print usb when setting up the wireless. You don't do this through your computer, you do this through the other pc's in the house. If the printer has a setup function to connect to wireless then you can do it at the printer but some printers a usb cable is needed to setup wireless first. Give me the model number so can see what you have.
 

Pupp

Member
I was having issues with the printer going offline and the only way I could get it to print (get back online/not greyed out), was to turn the printer off, then reboot my computer, then power on the printer.
That's why I was trying to get it to print with the USB cable. But I've since fixed the issue, which I'm still not sure how I did it. I knew what I did when I fixed it a few weeks ago, but can't remember offhand what I did to fix it though. It was only recently when I was messing with the BIOS I noticed for sure that the icon wasn't greyed out anymore between trying to print something.
Considering the issue had been going on for some months..

I'm pretty sure the issue cropped up after a Windows update, around Sept 2020. It was a big update, not just the monthly mini update.
 

Pupp

Member
OMG I HATE MICROSOFT.

A very small number of users were getting locked out of their computer with the last updste... so Microsoft rolled back to a version that predated the Printer fix. The printer issue was fixed months ago.
 
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OmniDyne

Active Member
OMG I HATE MICROSOFT.

A very small number of users were getting locked out of their computer with the last updste... so Microsoft rolled back to a version that predated the Printer fix. The printer issue was fixed in early March or late Feb.
Why would you hate them for that?
 

Pupp

Member
Because my printer, which had issues of constantly going offline whenever I wanted to print something.

I had to go through hoops to get it back online to print something.

Then the next time I wanted to print something days later, the printer would be back offline.

This went on for months, starting after a big cumulative update last fall.

Microsoft fixed it finally in Jan. (I just looked at the date I started this thread.)

I just read a couple days ago that Microsoft rolled back certain things with that update, because that update, related to the most recent update (of some security fix), was causing massive problems with certain computer models. (a list was published)

So Microsoft rolled back at least parts of the last two updates, including the printer fix.

So I tried to print something, and my printer was offline again. It's a turd of a hassle trying to get the printer online, just so I can use it once. Then it's guarenteed the next time I need to print anything, the printer will be offline again... where I have to do the exact same rig-a-ma-roll steps to get the printer online again.

Note: I didn't know at the time I started the thread that the printer issue was a known bug with Windows 10, and that Microsoft fixed it. So apparently between my earliest posts, my computer installed the update that fixed the issue. It was completly unrelated to the BIOS or installing the Thunderbolt 3 card.
 
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