Owais Crawford
Many users have reported issues connecting their scanners to Airport Extreme. While some have managed to resolve the issue by connecting their scanners via Ethernet or USB, others have been unable to find a solution. Users have also reported that resetting Airport Extreme and the printer and starting over can help resolve the issue. Additionally, ensuring that the wireless network SSID is visible and re-running the connection process may help. It is important to note that Airport Extreme may not support network scanning, and users may need to explore alternative methods such as connecting the scanner directly to a PC or using a different router or base station.
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What You'll Learn
Troubleshooting connection issues with a Brother printer
If you are experiencing issues connecting your Brother printer to your Airport Extreme router, there are several troubleshooting steps you can take to resolve the problem.
First, check your wireless network settings and ensure that your printer is properly configured to connect to your wireless network. Refer to your access point's user guide for instructions on accessing and verifying these settings. If you are unsure of your wireless network's security settings, consult the relevant documentation for your operating system or contact your router manufacturer or internet service provider for assistance.
If your printer was previously connected but is no longer recognised by your computer, try resetting your Airport Extreme and printer and starting over. If the problem persists, determine how your printer is connected to your computer (wireless, Ethernet, or USB) and troubleshoot accordingly.
For wireless connections, find the IP address of your printer from its status page or LCD readout. If the printer does not respond to pings, there may be no connection. If the ping is successful but you still cannot print, delete all printers on your Mac and start over, ensuring you have the latest driver for your operating system.
If your wireless network SSID is hidden, try making it visible and rerun the connection process. You can also try connecting via WPS by pushing the button on the back of the printer for less than two seconds and then selecting "Add WPS Printer" in the Airport Utility.
For Ethernet connections, reconfigure your Airport Extreme as either a relay or remote in a Wireless Distribution System (WDS) to enable the Ethernet port. This may require setting up another AirPort base station as the main unit.
If you are using a USB connection, ensure that your printer is not added as a USB printer in the printer list. If it is, remove it from the list and add it again manually as a wireless printer.
Additionally, some users have reported that their scanners are not recognised even when their printers are connected. This may be because AirPort Base Station printer sharing is for printing only, and scanning may require a direct connection to a computer.
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Using an Ethernet connection
If you are unable to connect to your Brother scanner through Airport Extreme, there are several troubleshooting steps you can take to resolve the issue. Here are detailed instructions for using an Ethernet connection to establish a successful connection:
Check Network Settings and Configuration
- Verify that your Brother scanner is properly connected to your local network. Ensure that the Ethernet cable is securely plugged into both the scanner and your network router or switch.
- Check the IP address assigned to your Brother scanner. You may need to access the scanner's network settings to locate its IP address. Ensure that the IP address is valid and within the same subnet as your computer.
- Configure your scanner's network settings to match your network configuration. This may include setting a static IP address, subnet mask, gateway, and DNS server settings.
Update Drivers and Software
- Visit the Brother Solutions Center website to download and install the latest drivers and software for your specific Brother scanner model. This can help ensure compatibility and resolve any connection issues caused by outdated software.
- Remove any existing Brother software from your computer and reinstall the latest versions. This can resolve potential software conflicts or incompatibilities.
Reset and Reconfigure Devices
- Reset your Brother scanner and Airport Extreme to refresh the network connection. Power cycle the devices by turning them off and on again.
- Reconfigure your Airport Extreme to enable its Ethernet port. This may involve setting it up as a relay or remote in a Wireless Distribution System (WDS) and using another AirPort base station as the main unit.
- If you are using a USB connection along with Ethernet, ensure that your scanner is recognised as a network device and not solely as a USB device. You may need to remove and re-add the scanner in your printer or scanner settings.
Verify Computer Settings
- Check your computer's network settings to ensure it is connected to the same network as your Brother scanner. Verify that network discovery is enabled, especially for private networks.
- If you are using a Windows computer, try using the standard Windows drivers instead of the Brother-provided drivers. This can sometimes provide a more stable connection.
Contact Support
If none of the above steps resolve the issue, it is recommended to contact Brother's technical support team for further assistance. They can provide additional troubleshooting guidance or help identify any hardware-related issues.
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Using a USB connection
When connecting a Brother scanner to an Airport Extreme, it is important to note that the USB port on the Airport Extreme is typically intended for connecting printers and not scanners. While printer sharing is a common feature of the Airport Extreme, scanner sharing is not supported in the same way.
To use a Brother scanner with an Airport Extreme via a USB connection, you may need to connect the scanner directly to a computer. Here are the steps you can follow:
- Connect the Brother scanner to your computer using a USB cable. Ensure the scanner is properly installed and recognised by your computer.
- Share the scanner on your network by keeping the host computer connected to the Airport Extreme and powered on. This will allow other devices on the network to potentially access the scanner.
- Install any necessary drivers or software provided by Brother to ensure the scanner functions correctly. This may include following their recommended setup process for network scanning.
- Configure your network settings to accommodate the scanner. This may involve making your SSID visible and ensuring your WiFi network is not hidden, as this can impact the WPS method of connecting the scanner.
- If you encounter issues, try removing and re-adding the scanner in your Print Utility, ensuring it is added as a wireless printer and not a USB printer. This can resolve discrepancies between the physical connection and the printer's expected connection type.
It is worth noting that some scanners may not be network-ready devices, and in such cases, direct connection to a computer may be the only option. Additionally, certain scanners may require specific software or apps to work wirelessly, so it is important to refer to the manufacturer's instructions.
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Wireless network settings
If you are unable to connect to your Brother scanner through Airport Extreme, there are several wireless network settings you can try to resolve the issue.
First, ensure that your computer is connected to the same wireless network as your Brother machine. If your Brother machine is not appearing in the list of devices, restart your router and try again.
If you are using a Windows PC, you can connect your printer and computer with a USB cable. Then, start the Printer Setting Tool and click the "Communication Settings" button. Select "Wireless LAN" for the "Selected Interface" in the "General" tab, and select "Infrastructure" for "Communication Mode" in the "Wireless LAN" tab.
For Mac computers, start the Wireless Device Setup Wizard included in the Printer Driver Package and follow the on-screen instructions. You can download the Printer Driver Package from the Brother website. During the setup, you will need to select the SSID of your printer and enter the password if you have set one.
If you are using a hidden Wi-Fi network, the standard WPS method of connecting your Brother printer may not work. In this case, you can try making the SSID visible and then pressing the WPS button on your printer for less than two seconds before selecting "Add WPS Printer" in the Airport Utility.
Additionally, if you are using a firewall, temporarily disabling it or changing the security settings may be necessary to allow the necessary network connections.
If you continue to experience issues, ensure that you have the latest drivers and software installed for your Brother device and that your device is set up on the primary network rather than a guest network.
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Printer sharing
To share a printer using an AirPort Extreme or AirPort Time Capsule, first, ensure that your printer is set up correctly and that you can print directly from your Mac. Then, connect the printer to the USB connection on your Mac and print a test page. If your AirPort base station is new, connect the printer to the device before running the setup process using AirPort Utility (Applications > Utilities).
If your printer has an Ethernet port, use an Ethernet cable to connect it to a spare Ethernet port on your AirPort. If your printer does not have an Ethernet port, connect it using USB. Open a document and choose File > Print. From the Printer drop-down menu, choose "Add Printer". Choose the printer from the list. Check that "Use" is set to AirPrint and click "Add".
If you are using a Windows computer, use Bonjour for Windows (installed with AirPort Utility) to connect your printer.
It is important to note that AirPort Base Station and Time Capsule printer sharing are for printing only. Scanning may not be supported, and you may need to connect the scanner directly to the PC that needs to do the scanning.
If you are having issues connecting your Brother printer to your Airport Extreme, try updating your printer software and checking for any available updates for your printer model. You may also need to gather your wireless network settings and refer to your access point's user guide for instructions on accessing network settings information.
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Frequently asked questions
The Airport Extreme Base Station acts as a print server and does not support network scanning.
First, check if your Brother printer is connected to your computer wirelessly. If it is, find its IP address from the status page or LCD readout and try pinging it from your computer. If the ping fails, there is no connection. If the ping is successful but you still cannot print, delete all printers on your Mac and start over.
If your Brother printer is connected via Ethernet, you need to reconfigure the AX as a relay or remote in a Wireless Distribution System (WDS) and set up another AirPort base station as the main.
If your Brother printer is connected via USB, check if it appears in the Print Utility as a USB printer. If it does, remove it from the USB printer list and add it again manually as a wireless printer.
If you have tried all the above solutions and your Brother printer still cannot connect to Airport Extreme, contact Brother's technical support team for further assistance.
