A Brother printer showing as offline +1-888-966-6097 is a common yet frustrating issue faced by many users. Whether you're using a wireless or USB-connected printer, this status means your printer is not communicating with your computer. This article dives into the causes, step-by-step solutions, and ways to prevent the problem in the future.

Common Causes of Brother Printer Offline Issue

Understanding the root causes can help resolve the problem more effectively:

  1. Connectivity Issues: A loose USB cable, faulty port, or unstable Wi-Fi can interrupt the connection.

  2. Printer Settings: If “Use Printer Offline” is enabled in settings, your printer won’t respond to print commands.

  3. Driver Problems: Outdated or corrupted drivers prevent proper communication between printer and system.

  4. Default Printer Not Set: If your Brother printer is not the default one, print commands may be sent elsewhere.

  5. Print Queue Jam: A stuck print job may block the printer from working, causing it to go offline.

  6. Firewall/Antivirus Blockage: Sometimes, security software blocks printer connections.

  7. Power-saving or Sleep Mode: Printers that go into sleep mode may show offline until reawakened.

How to Fix Brother Printer Offline – Step-by-Step Solutions

1. Basic Checks

  • Restart Devices: Turn off the printer and computer, wait for 30 seconds, and power them back on.

  • Check Connections: Ensure USB cables are secure. For wireless, confirm that the printer is connected to the correct Wi-Fi network.

  • Printer Display: Check if any error message appears on the printer's LCD.

2. Set Brother Printer as Default

Windows might try to print to a virtual or different printer. Here’s how to fix that:

  • Go to Control Panel > Devices and Printers.

  • Right-click your Brother printer and choose Set as Default Printer.

  • Make sure it has a green check mark indicating default status.

3. Disable “Use Printer Offline” Mode

  • Again in Devices and Printers, right-click your Brother printer.

  • Select See what’s printing > Printer tab.

  • Uncheck the option Use Printer Offline.

  • If it's greyed out, cancel all documents and restart the printer spooler (see next step).

4. Restart the Print Spooler Service

  • Press Windows + R, type services.msc, and hit Enter.

  • Scroll down to Print Spooler, right-click, and choose Restart.

  • This will clear stuck print jobs and refresh the printer’s connection.

5. Update or Reinstall Brother Printer Drivers

Corrupt or outdated drivers often cause communication problems.

  • Go to Device Manager.

  • Expand Printers, right-click your Brother printer, and select Update driver.

  • Or visit the official Brother website to download and install the latest driver manually.

6. Check Network Status for Wireless Printers

  • Print a Network Configuration Page from the printer to verify it’s connected to your Wi-Fi.

  • Make sure the IP address on the page matches the one on your PC's printer properties.

  • If not, update it by:

    • Going to Devices and Printers, right-click printer > Printer Properties > Ports tab > Configure Port.

    • Enter the correct IP address shown on the configuration page.

7. Turn Off SNMP Status

SNMP may interfere with printer communication:

  • Go to Devices and Printers, right-click the Brother printer > Printer Properties > Ports.

  • Click on your printer’s port, choose Configure Port, and uncheck SNMP Status Enabled.

  • Click OK and Apply.

8. Disable Antivirus/Firewall Temporarily

Sometimes, security software blocks printer communications. Try disabling them temporarily and check if the printer comes online. If it does, add the printer software to the exception list.

9. Re-add the Printer

  • Open Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners.

  • Click your Brother printer and select Remove device.

  • Click Add a printer or scanner to reinstall it.

  • For wireless printers, make sure the printer and computer are on the same network.

For Mac Users

  • Go to System Preferences > Printers & Scanners.

  • Select your Brother printer and click the minus (-) sign to remove it.

  • Click the plus (+) to re-add it.

  • Ensure Use Printer Offline is not enabled in the print queue window.

Preventing Brother Printer from Going Offline

  1. Keep Drivers Updated: Regularly check Brother’s website for driver updates.

  2. Avoid Sleep Mode: Set the printer to remain awake or reduce the time before sleep mode kicks in.

  3. Stable Wi-Fi: Ensure your router has a strong and stable signal. Avoid switching networks frequently.

  4. Static IP Address: Assign a static IP to your printer to avoid IP conflicts or changes.

  5. Use Quality USB Cables: If you use USB, invest in good-quality cables and avoid extensions.

When to Contact Brother Support

If you've tried everything and your printer still shows offline, it might be a hardware issue or something more complex. Contact Brother customer support or visit a service center for further assistance.