A printer cabled to the router should be the most dependable setup, yet sometimes it shows no connection, gets no address or can't be found. The cause is usually physical or a setting: a bad cable or port, a wall socket that isn't connected at the far end, a printer still set to use Wi-Fi, or a missing IP address. This guide starts with the lights beside the port and works up to the printer's network settings.
What you might be seeing
- No lights, or no blinking, at the printer's network port
- The network page shows disconnected or a 169.254 address
- The computer can't find a printer that's plugged into the router
- The printer worked on Wi-Fi but not after switching to a cable
Common causes
- Cable or port fault
- A damaged cable, loose connector or dead router port prevents a link.
- Unconnected wall socket
- A wall network socket may not be wired through to the router.
- Wired interface turned off
- Many printers use either Wi-Fi or Ethernet, and the wired connection may be disabled.
- No address from the router
- If the router doesn't answer, the printer gives itself a 169.254 address nothing else can reach.
- Fixed link speed
- A forced speed or duplex setting can fail with some switches.
How to fix it, step by step
Work through these in order and test a print after each one. Most people are done within the first few steps.
Use the network settings reset, not a full factory reset, so the printer keeps its other saved settings.
Check the link lights
Most printers have small lights beside the network port, as do routers and switches. With both devices on, expect a steady light that shows a link and a flickering one that shows traffic. No lights at either end means there's no physical connection, so suspect the cable, the port or a wall socket. Lights on the router but none on the printer can mean its wired interface is off.
Swap the cable and router port
Replace the network cable with one you know works. Plug it into a different numbered port on the router, avoiding any port labeled WAN or Internet, which connects to your provider. If the printer runs through a wall socket, connect it straight to the router for now. A cable that clicks firmly in and lights up both ends rules out most physical causes.
Turn on the printer's wired connection
On the printer's control panel, open the network or setup menu and look for a wired LAN or Ethernet option. Some printers switch to a cable automatically, while others need you to turn off wireless or choose wired as the active connection. Restart the printer after changing it. Many printers can't use Wi-Fi and Ethernet at once, so plugging in a cable may disconnect Wi-Fi.
Confirm the printer has a valid address
Print a network configuration page. A properly connected printer shows an address in the same range as your computer, for example 192.168.1.x. An address starting with 169.254 means the printer made one up because the router didn't respond, so restart the router and then the printer. Also check that IP configuration is automatic, unless you set a fixed address on purpose.
Set the link speed to automatic
In the printer's advanced network or Ethernet settings, find the link speed or duplex option. If it's set to a fixed value such as 100 Mbps full duplex, change it to Auto so the printer and router agree on a speed themselves. A mismatch can leave the lights on with no traffic. If a small switch or powerline adapter sits in between, connect without it briefly to rule it out.
Ping the printer and add it on your computer
From your computer, run
pingfollowed by the printer's address; replies confirm the wired link works. If the printer was used over Wi-Fi before, remove its old entry first, because that points to the wireless address. Then add it: in Windows, use Add device, or Add manually with the IP address if it isn't listed; on a Mac, use Add Printer, Scanner, or Fax and the IP tab.Restore the printer's network settings
If the printer still won't connect, use the restore or reset network settings option in its setup menu. On most models this clears only network settings. Afterward, connect the cable, let the printer get a fresh address and print a new configuration page. Then reserve that address in your router so it stays the same.
How to keep it from happening again
- Label the router port and cable the printer uses
- Reserve the printer's address in the router
- Keep network cables away from doors and foot traffic
- Leave the link speed on automatic
Common questions
Can I use Wi-Fi and Ethernet on the printer at the same time?
Some office printers can, but many home printers allow only one active network connection. Plugging in a cable may switch off Wi-Fi automatically, or you may need to choose one in the network menu. Pick wired if the printer sits near the router, since it's usually steadier and quicker with large jobs.
What kind of cable does a network printer need?
A standard Ethernet patch cable marked Cat 5e or Cat 6 works for any printer. The rating hardly matters for printing, because print jobs are small compared with the speed of even older cables. Check instead that the connectors click in firmly and the cable isn't kinked or crushed.
Why does the printer show a 169.254 address?
That range is a self-assigned address a device gives itself when it can't get one from the router. The physical link may be fine, but the printer isn't hearing back from the router's DHCP service. Restart the router, then the printer, and check that the cable goes to a normal LAN port rather than the internet port.
This guide is general information written for common home and office printers. Menus and button names vary between models, so check your printer’s manual where a step differs. Printer Problems Solved is independent and not affiliated with any printer manufacturer. See our disclaimer.