You installed a new router, or your internet provider swapped theirs, and since then the printer shows offline, the Wi-Fi light blinks or computers can't find it. The printer is still trying to join the old network, which no longer exists, and even once it's connected, computers may still point to its old address. This guide starts with a shortcut that often fixes everything at once, then covers reconnecting the printer and each device properly.
What you might be seeing
- The printer's Wi-Fi light blinks or its screen shows no connection
- Every computer shows the printer offline since the router change
- The printer is on the new network but computers still can't print
- Phones find the printer while Windows PCs don't
Common causes
- Old network details saved
- The printer only knows the old network name and password.
- New address range
- The new router may use a different range, such as 192.168.0.x instead of 192.168.1.x, so old ports point nowhere.
- Different router defaults
- 2.4 GHz turned off, WPA3-only security or device isolation can affect printers.
- Stale printer entries
- Computers keep printer entries and ports created on the old network.
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.
On a provider router that also acts as your modem, leave the internet and WAN settings alone; changing them can disconnect your service.
Reuse the old network name and password
The quickest fix is to give the new router exactly the same network name and password as the old one, matching capitals and spaces, with WPA2 or WPA2/WPA3 mixed security. The printer and every other device then reconnect as if nothing changed. Most routers let you set this in their app or settings page. To keep the new name instead, go to the next step.
Connect the printer to the new network
On the printer's control panel, open the wireless setup wizard, choose the new network and enter its password. For printers without a screen, use the manufacturer's official app, the WPS button if the new router has one, or the method in the printer's manual. When the Wi-Fi light turns steady, print a network configuration report and note the new IP address.
Review the new router's defaults
New routers ship with different defaults from your old one. If the printer can't see or join the network, open the router's app or settings and confirm the 2.4 GHz band is on and security isn't set to WPA3 only. Also make sure neither the printer nor your computers joined a guest network, which keeps devices from seeing each other.
Remove old printer entries on Windows
On each Windows computer, open Printers & scanners, select the printer and choose Remove, deleting any extra copies too. This clears ports that point to an address on the old network. Then search again with Add device, or Add a printer or scanner in Windows 10, and add the printer as it appears now. If it isn't listed, use Add manually and the new address.
Re-add the printer on Macs
Macs that added the printer by name often reconnect on their own, so try a test print first. If it still shows offline, open System Settings › Printers & Scanners, select the printer and choose Remove Printer, then add it again with Add Printer, Scanner, or Fax, picking the entry that offers AirPrint under Use.
Check phones, tablets and Chromebooks
Make sure each device is on the new network, not a leftover hotspot or a neighbor's network. iPhones and iPads find AirPrint printers automatically. Android phones use the built-in print service or Mopria, found in printing settings whose location varies by phone maker. On a Chromebook, open Settings, search for Printers and save the printer again from the list of available printers.
Reserve the printer's address in the new router
Once everything works, stop the address from changing. In the router's app or settings, find DHCP or address reservation, select the printer from the connected devices list or enter its MAC address from the configuration report, and save. Restart the printer to confirm it keeps the same address, which also makes the next equipment change easier.
How to keep it from happening again
- Reuse your old network name and password on new routers when you can
- Note how the printer's Wi-Fi is set up before replacing a router
- Keep 2.4 GHz enabled on any new router
- Reserve printer addresses right after setup
Common questions
Do I have to reinstall the printer driver after changing routers?
Usually not. The driver stays installed; only the connection changes. On Windows, removing and re-adding the printer, or updating its port, is enough. If you reused the old network name and password and the new router uses the same address range, nothing may need to change at all.
Can I keep my old router as an extender?
Some routers can run in access point or bridge mode, which extends coverage without creating a separate network, and that's the mode to use. Left in its original router mode, it creates a second network with its own address range, and devices on either side, including your printer, won't find each other.
Scanning to my computer stopped too. Why?
Scan-to-computer and scan-to-folder settings often store the computer's address or name. If computers received new addresses from the new router, scans fail even though printing works. Run the scan setup again in the manufacturer's app or software, or update the destination on the printer's built-in web page.
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.