Your Brother HL-L2350DW printed fine until you upgraded to a mesh router, and now it either vanishes from the network or refuses to accept jobs. This is one of the most common compatibility hiccups for this printer, and it almost always comes down to a single quirk in how the machine handles Wi-Fi. The good news is that Brother officially documents the fix for mesh and dual-band setups, so you can get back to printing without buying new hardware.
The fixes below are ordered from the safest and quickest to the most thorough, ending with the official network reset and the path to Brother support. Work through them in order and stop as soon as printing comes back.
Why a Mesh Network Trips Up This Printer
The Brother HL-L2350DW has built-in 802.11 b/g/n wireless, but it connects to the 2.4 GHz band only. In Brother's own words, the machine "will only connect to the 2.4 GHz wireless band" and "will not 'see' or connect to the 5 GHz band of your router."
Mesh systems and modern dual-band routers often hide both bands behind a single network name and steer devices between them automatically. When that happens, the printer can be pushed toward a 5 GHz radio it cannot join, so it drops off and stops responding. Because this model has Wi-Fi and Hi-Speed USB 2.0 but no wired Ethernet port, the usual "just plug in an Ethernet cable" workaround does not apply here, which makes getting the wireless right the only network path.
Make Sure the Printer Is Pointed at 2.4 GHz
Start by confirming the band the printer is meant to use is actually 2.4 GHz. Open your router or mesh app and check that the network the printer should join is set to 2.4 GHz, or to a 2.4 GHz / 5 GHz mixed mode.
Brother's setup guidance is explicit on this point. "Your Brother machine may not support a 5 GHz SSID/ESSID. Make sure your wireless access point/router is set to 2.4 GHz or 2.4 GHz / 5 GHz mixed mode." If your mesh hides or merges its bands, this mismatch is the single most common reason the printer keeps falling off the network.
Separate Your Mesh SSID and Put the Printer on 2.4 GHz
This is the official Brother fix for mesh setups, and it solves the problem at its root. According to Brother, when a mesh network causes connection issues, "the mesh network's name (SSID) must be separated into different bands and the Brother machine must be connected to the 2.4 GHz network."
In your mesh app, create or enable a separate network name dedicated to the 2.4 GHz band, then connect the printer to that name. If your setup is a dual-band router rather than a true mesh, give the 5 GHz band a unique name so it does not share an SSID with 2.4 GHz. Brother warns that naming both networks the same thing "may cause repeated connection loss between the Brother machine and the computer."
Restart in the Right Order and Move the Printer Closer
Position matters more than people expect. Place the printer as close to the Wi-Fi router or access point as possible to cut down on interference, then power-cycle your gear in a deliberate sequence.
Restart the router or access point first, then your computer, then the Brother machine, giving each device time to fully come back up before moving to the next. Powering everything back on in this order gives the printer a clean, stable connection to rejoin.
Print the Network Configuration Report
Before changing more settings, let the printer tell you what it sees. The Network Configuration Report lists the printer's network details so you can confirm it is actually on your network.
To print the report from the control panel:
- 1.Press the up/down arrow to select [Print Reports], then press OK.
- 2.Select [Network Config], then press OK.
- 3.Press Go.
The report lists the IP address, subnet mask, node name (shown as BRW... for a wireless connection), and MAC Address. Use it to confirm the printer is sitting on the same network and subnet as your computer. If it is not, that explains the silence.
Reconnect to the 2.4 GHz SSID with the Setup Wizard
Once your 2.4 GHz network name exists, point the printer at it using the built-in Setup Wizard on the control panel:
- 1.Press the up/down arrows to select [Network], then press OK.
- 2.Select [WLAN(Wi-Fi)], then press OK.
- 3.Select [Setup Wizard], then press OK.
- 4.When [WLAN Enable?] appears, choose On.
- 5.Select your 2.4 GHz network from the SSID list, then press OK.
- 6.Enter the Network Key if prompted, then press OK.
Use the same Network Name (SSID) you set on your router so the printer and your computer are on the matching network. Brother's prerequisite is straightforward. "Use the same Network Name (SSID) to configure your wireless computer and Brother machine as used by your wireless router/access point."
Clear the Queue and Bring the Printer Back Online on Windows
Sometimes the connection is fine but Windows has parked the printer offline or stacked up stuck jobs. Clearing those is quick and harmless.
On Windows 11 or later, go to Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners, select your Brother machine, choose Open print queue, then select Cancel all from the menu.
On Windows 10 or earlier, right-click the Brother printer icon, choose "See what's printing", open the "Printer" menu, and untick "Use Printer Offline" and "Pause Printing", or choose "Cancel All Documents". If an option is greyed out, click "Open As Administrator", enter the administrator password, and click "Yes".
Check the Printer's Status on a Mac
On macOS, a missing or unselected printer is a frequent culprit after a network change. Confirm the machine is present and chosen as the destination.
On macOS 13 or later, open the Apple menu > System Settings > Printers & Scanners and confirm the Brother machine appears and is selected. On macOS 12 or earlier, open the Apple menu > System Preferences > Printers & Scanners.
Set the printer as the default, delete any stuck jobs, and verify the Mac and printer are on the same Wi-Fi network (SSID). If the printer still will not appear or print, reset the network settings using the steps near the end of this guide.
Reinstall the Driver or Run the Network Connection Repair Tool on Windows
If Windows still cannot reach the printer, the driver may be holding an old IP address that the mesh network has since changed. Reinstall using the full driver and software package from Brother's official HL-L2350DW downloads, and temporarily disable firewall or security software if it appears to be blocking the connection.
You can also run the Brother Network Connection Repair Tool, available from the same downloads section. It automatically locates the printer and updates its IP address inside the driver, which is exactly what fixes printing after the printer's IP shifts on a mesh network.
Reset the Network Settings, Then Set Up Wi-Fi Again
As the last self-service step, return the print server to factory network defaults. Be aware that this clears the saved password, IP address, and all network settings, so you will need to reconnect Wi-Fi afterward.
- 1.Press the up/down arrows to select [Network], then press OK.
- 2.Select [Network Reset], then press OK.
- 3.Press the down arrow for [Yes].
The machine restarts. Once it is back up, reconnect using the control-panel Setup Wizard described above, choosing your 2.4 GHz network name. If the printer still will not stay connected after a reset and a fresh setup, contact Brother customer service.
Printing from a Phone or Tablet
If your goal is mobile printing, Brother's HL-L2350DW mobile-setup page directs users to the Brother iPrint&Scan app. Download Brother iPrint&Scan for Android devices for free from Google Play, or download it for iOS supported devices including iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch for free from the App Store.
This printer also supports AirPrint, Mopria, Cortado Workplace, and Wi-Fi Direct, so you have several routes from a phone or tablet. Note that Brother's newer Brother Mobile Connect app does not list the HL-L2350DW among supported models, so iPrint&Scan is the correct app for this printer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Brother HL-L2350DW work on 5 GHz Wi-Fi?
No. The HL-L2350DW connects to the 2.4 GHz band only. Brother states the machine "will only connect to the 2.4 GHz wireless band" and "will not 'see' or connect to the 5 GHz band of your router," so the printer must always be pointed at a 2.4 GHz network.
What is the official fix for a mesh network that keeps disconnecting the printer?
Brother's documented mesh fix is to separate the bands. The mesh network's name (SSID) "must be separated into different bands and the Brother machine must be connected to the 2.4 GHz network." Create a dedicated 2.4 GHz network name in your mesh app and join the printer to it.
Can I connect the printer with an Ethernet cable instead of Wi-Fi?
No. The HL-L2350DW has Wi-Fi and Hi-Speed USB 2.0 but no wired Ethernet port, so a network cable is not an option on this model. Your connection choices are 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi or a direct USB link to a computer.
How do I find the printer's IP address?
Print the Network Configuration Report from the control panel. Press the up/down arrow to select [Print Reports] and press OK, select [Network Config] and press OK, then press Go. The report lists the IP address, subnet mask, node name, and MAC Address.
Will resetting the network settings erase anything important?
A network reset clears the saved password, IP address, and all network settings, then restarts the machine. It does not affect your ability to use the printer once you reconnect, but you will need to run the control-panel Setup Wizard again to rejoin your 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi.
