A printer that connects to Wi-Fi once and then keeps dropping off is one of the most frustrating support problems there is — because it works just often enough to make you think it's solved, then lets you down at the worst possible moment. The cause is almost always one of five things, and the permanent fix usually takes under ten minutes.
The IP Address Keeps Changing
By default, most routers assign IP addresses dynamically using DHCP. Your printer gets an address when it connects, but the router can reassign a different address after a period of inactivity or a reboot. When this happens, your PC or phone is still trying to reach the old address — which no longer belongs to the printer — so the connection fails.
The fix is to assign your printer a static (fixed) IP address. You can do this either from your router's admin panel (look for DHCP reservation) or from the printer itself. Setting a static IP on the printer is simpler and doesn't require touching your router settings.
- Print a network configuration page from your printer (usually found in Settings → Network or via the printer's display panel). Note the current IP address.
- On the printer's control panel, navigate to Network Settings → Wireless → TCP/IP Settings.
- Switch from DHCP to Manual/Static. Enter the current IP address, then set the Subnet Mask to 255.255.255.0 and the Default Gateway to your router's IP (usually 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1).
- Save and restart the printer. Update the port in your PC's printer settings if necessary.
The Printer's Wireless Power-Saving Mode
Most modern printers have a wireless power-saving mode that cuts the Wi-Fi radio when the printer is idle. After a period of inactivity — often 15 or 30 minutes — the printer drops off the network entirely. When you next try to print, it can take 30–90 seconds to reconnect, and sometimes fails entirely.
On HP printers: Settings → Power Management → Sleep Mode Timeout. On Epson: Setup → System Administration → Power Management. On Canon: Device Settings → Energy Saving. Increase the timeout or disable the Wi-Fi sleep mode entirely.
Router Channel Congestion
Printers — particularly older models — often only support the 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi band and can be sensitive to channel interference. If your router and your neighbours' routers are all using the same 2.4 GHz channels (1, 6, and 11 are most common), you may get intermittent disconnects that appear random but correlate with network congestion.
Log into your router's admin panel and try switching the 2.4 GHz channel manually. If you're currently on channel 6, try channel 1 or 11. This can make a meaningful difference in environments with several overlapping networks.
5 GHz vs 2.4 GHz Mismatch
Modern routers broadcast two bands: 2.4 GHz (longer range, slower, more congested) and 5 GHz (shorter range, faster, less congested). Most printers only support 2.4 GHz, but if your router broadcasts a single combined SSID (same name for both bands), your printer may intermittently try to connect to the 5 GHz band and fail. The fix is to separate your two bands into different network names in your router settings, and connect the printer explicitly to the 2.4 GHz network.
Update the Printer Firmware
Manufacturer firmware updates frequently include wireless stability improvements that fix exactly this kind of intermittent disconnection. Check your printer manufacturer's support page for firmware updates for your model. Many printers can also update firmware directly from the control panel if connected to the internet (Settings → Printer Maintenance → Firmware Update).
If none of the above resolves the issue, try a full network reset on the printer (usually under Settings → Network → Restore Network Defaults) and reconnect from scratch. On some printer models, particularly older HP and Canon units, partial network configuration corruption is the underlying cause — and a clean reset is the only reliable fix.