Brother MFC7840CW Connection Manual
MFC7840CW Vista Network Connection Repair Instructions
Difficulty printing from your PC can occur for various reasons. The most common reason a networked Brother
machine may stop printing, is because the connection between the computer and the Brother machine is lost.
This can occur as a result of wrong settings or configuration of the printer driver.
There are several basic troubleshooting steps you can take to resolve this issue.
For troubleshooting purposes, disable any firewall programs that are running. Once you are able to print,
enable your firewall again.
PART 1: VERIFY THE BROTHER MACHINE IS POWERED ON AND THERE ARE NO ERRORS
1. If the LCD screen is blank, then the Brother machine is not powered on. Verify that it is plugged into a
working outlet and any power switches are turned to the ON position.
2. Check the LCD screen for any error messages. An example would be -Paper Jam- or -Ink/Toner
Empty-. If the LCD screen shows an error, troubleshoot to clear the issue indicated.
PART 2: VERIFY THE CONNECTION TO THE WIRELESS ROUTER OR ACCESS POINT
1. Verify that there is no Ethernet cable connected between the Brother machine and the router or
access point.
2. Print the Network Configuration report by pressing REPORTS -> 6 (NETWORK CONFIG). The report will
print.
3. On the Network Configuration report, ensure that the Wireless Link Status states: LINK OK, then
continue to PART 3. If the status states LINK DOWN, FAILED TO ASSOCIATE, indicates a connection
error, or you cannot find the Wireless Link Status section, this indicates that the unit is not connected
to the wireless network. Go to PART 7 to setup the wireless connection.
PART 3: VERIFY COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE BROTHER MACHINE AND COMPUTER
1. Obtain the computer’s IP Address:
a. On the computer, click START
b. In the START SEARCH box type: COMMAND
c. Press ENTER. A command prompt window will open.
d. Type: IPCONFIG
e. Press ENTER on your keyboard. You should receive information about your computer’s network
connection. Locate the line labeled IPV4 ADDRESS. Make a note of the IP Address. If you do
not receive an IP address, this indicates that there is a problem with your computer’s network
connection. Try restarting the computer, and completing PART 3 again. If you still do not
receive an IP address contact your router manufacturer or network administrator for support.
2. PING the Brother machine:
a. On the computer, click START
b. In the START SEARCH box type: COMMAND
c. Press ENTER. A command prompt window will open.
d. Type: PING xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx (Where xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx is the Brother machine’s IP Address
listed on the network configuration page printed in PART 2.)
e. Press ENTER on your keyboard. The computer will ping, or try to communicate with the
Brother machine. When completed, you will receive the PING STATISTICS.
f. If the number of packets received is zero, then there is a communication problem between the
Brother machine and the Computer. (NOTE: Some packets may be lost even if the connection
is active. This is especially true in a wireless environment where environmental factors can
interfere with the network communication.) Attempt to reestablish communication by
completing the following steps:
i. Set boot method to Auto. This is necessary so that the Brother machine can attempt
to obtain a valid IP address from your router or access point.
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© 1995 - 2010 Brother International Corporation
www.brother-usa.com
MFC7840CW Vista Network Connection Repair Instructions
ii. Press MENU, 5 (LAN), 2 (WLAN), 1 (TCP/IP), 1 (BOOT METHOD)
iii. Use the up or down arrow key to select AUTO and press OK.
iv. Enter the number of tries the machine should make to obtain the IP address. We
recommend you to enter 3 or more and press OK. The LCD should display ACCEPTED
for a few seconds. Then press STOP/EXIT to return to the main LCD screen.
v. Turn the Brother machine off, wait approximately 30 seconds and power the Brother
machine back on. Complete PART 3- step 2 again.
g. If there are packets received, then this indicates there is communication between the Brother
machine and the Computer. (NOTE: Some packets may be lost even if the connection is
active. This is especially true in a wireless environment where environmental factors can
interfere with the network communication.) Continue to the next part.
PART 4: VERIFY THAT THE PRINTER DRIVER IS INSTALLED
1. On the computer Click START -> CONTROL PANEL -> PRINTERS
2. Verify that the Brother printer is in the list. If the Brother printer is listed, continue to step 3. If the
Brother printer is not listed, the driver may not be installed properly. Go to PART 8 to reinstall the
Brother driver.
3. Verify that the Brother printer is set as default. This is especially important if you use the print icon to
print from within applications. If the Brother printer is set as the default printer, it will have a check
mark in front of the icon. To set your Brother machine as the default printer, RIGHT CLICK on the
Brother printer and select SET AS DEFAULT (PRINTER).
PART 5: VERIFY THAT THE PRINTER STATUS IS READY AND THE PRINT QUEUE IS EMPTY
1. On the computer Click START -> CONTROL PANEL -> PRINTERS
2. Locate the Brother printer in the list and hover your mouse over the Brother printer icon. Below is an
example of what you may see:
Status: Ready (Could also state: OFFLINE or PAUSED)
Documents: 0 (Could be any number)
3. If there are any documents waiting in the queue, right-click on the Brother printer and select CANCEL
ALL DOCUMENTS. This should clear the queue.
4. If the status states:
OFFLINE: right-click on the Brother printer and select USE PRINTER ONLINE. This should set the
printer driver ONLINE.
PAUSED: right-click on the Brother printer and select RESUME PRINTING. This should allow the
printer to resume printing.
PART 6: CONFIGURE THE DRIVER PORT SETTINGS
1. On the computer Click START -> CONTROL PANEL -> PRINTERS
2. Right click on the Brother driver and left click on PROPERTIES. The Brother printer driver properties
screen will now appear.
3. Click the PORTS tab.
4. You will see a list of the available communication ports on your PC (Ex: LPT1:, LPT2:, COM1:, ETC)
Scroll down the list and you will see the current network port of your printer. Make a note of this port.
5. Click ADD PORT
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© 1995 - 2010 Brother International Corporation
www.brother-usa.com
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