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Joe B.

Expert ★★★★★ 27,853 satisfied customers

Specialities: Senior-friendly printer Wi-Fi diagnostics, safe checks for blinking wireless lights, router/network changes after updates, Windows & macOS.

What to check first (safely): Wi-Fi light behavior, network changes, and “setup mode” without resetting anything

Technician avatar Technician
I hear you. When a printer sits on “connecting” it can feel like one wrong press will scramble everything.

Let’s start with the safest checks first — the kind that don’t wipe settings and don’t require a “factory reset.” I don’t want you to try anything that could make it worse.

Two quick things to ground us:
1) What brand/model is the printer (even a rough name helps)?
2) Did anything change right before this started — new router, password change, power outage, or a recent update?
Customer
It’s an Epson. It worked before, then today it just keeps saying it’s connecting to Wi-Fi and never finishes. I didn’t change anything… I think.
Technician avatar Technician
That “I think” is actually helpful — this problem often shows up after something small in the environment changes (even if you didn’t touch the printer).

Before we do anything on the printer, can you tell me what you see on it right now:
• Is the Wi-Fi light blinking steadily, blinking in bursts, or solid?
• Do you see “Wi-Fi” with bars, or a little phone/router icon?
• Does it ever switch to “Connected” and then drop back?
Customer
The wireless light keeps blinking. It never goes solid. The screen says “Connecting…” and it just sits there.
Technician avatar Technician
Got it. A steady “connecting” loop usually means the printer can see the network, but something is blocking it from fully joining (like the password, band, or an address issue).

Safe check #1 (no settings changes): on your phone or computer, are you currently connected to your usual home Wi-Fi — not mobile data / a guest network?

Safe check #2: do you have a mesh system or Wi-Fi extenders (multiple network names), or just one router?
Customer
I’m on the home Wi-Fi on my laptop. We do have one of those mesh things. There’s “HomeWiFi” and “HomeWiFi-5G” and also a guest one.
Technician avatar Technician
That explains a lot — and it’s a very common situation with printers.

Many printers only join the 2.4 GHz network reliably (often the one that’s not labeled “5G”). If the printer keeps trying the wrong band or a guest network, it can look like it’s stuck connecting.

I’m not asking you to change anything yet. First, a “low-risk” question: when you originally set it up, do you remember choosing “HomeWiFi” or “HomeWiFi-5G,” or did you use a WPS button?
Customer
I’m pretty sure I picked “HomeWiFi.” I did press WPS once a long time ago, but I don’t remember well. I’m afraid to redo setup.
Technician avatar Technician
You’re right to be cautious. Re-running wireless setup can be stressful, and I don’t want you trapped in a “setup loop.”

Let’s do a safer angle: confirm whether the printer is actually getting onto the network at all.

On many Epson models there’s a “Network Status” or “Wi-Fi Status” screen that shows either a network name (SSID) or an error like “authentication failed.” That’s information-only — it doesn’t reset anything.

Do you see a menu item like Status, Network, or Wi-Fi where it shows the network name?
Customer
Yes, I found Network Status. It shows the network name as HomeWiFi, but the IP address is blank and it says “Connecting.”
Technician avatar Technician
That’s a very useful clue — thank you. If the network name shows but there’s no IP address, the printer may not be receiving an address from the router (DHCP) or it’s being blocked from joining fully.

Two safe checks that often explain this without touching printer setup:
• Did the router get restarted or lose power recently (even briefly)?
• Has your Wi-Fi password been changed in the last few days (sometimes by an internet provider update or someone in the household)?
Customer
We had a power blink last night. And my son said the internet company “updated the router” a week ago, but I didn’t think it mattered.
Technician avatar Technician
That matters more than people expect — and it’s not your fault. After router changes, printers are often the first device to get “left behind.”

Let’s rule out the safest “false alarm” first: sometimes the printer is fine, but the network name you see is a different one that looks identical (mesh/guest).

On your laptop, when you click the Wi-Fi icon, do you see exactly “HomeWiFi” (no extra words like Guest, Ext, or a different spelling)? And is your laptop connected to that same one right now?
Customer
My laptop is on “HomeWiFi-5G” actually. The printer shows “HomeWiFi” without the 5G.
Technician avatar Technician
That split is very common in homes with mesh or dual-band Wi-Fi. It doesn’t mean anything is “broken,” but it can cause discovery issues — especially if the printer is trying to join but can’t get an address on that band or node.

I want to keep this gentle: we won’t change the printer’s Wi-Fi settings right now.

Instead, one safe diagnostic check: in your router app (or on a sticker/login page), do you see a list of connected devices? If you can find the printer there, it tells us whether it’s getting blocked or just stuck finalizing the connection.
Customer
I can see devices. I don’t see the printer in the list at all. That’s why I thought it was frozen.
Technician avatar Technician
That’s a reasonable conclusion — but you did the right thing by checking calmly.

If it never appears in the router list, the most common “safe” explanations are:
• Wi-Fi password mismatch (even one character off)
• the router changed security mode (some printers dislike WPA3-only)
• the printer is trying 5 GHz when it needs 2.4 GHz
• the printer got stuck in a partial setup mode after the power blink

We can test one low-risk step that doesn’t erase anything: a normal restart (power off, wait a moment, power on) so it requests a fresh network address.
Customer
I can turn it off and on, that feels safe. But I’m worried it will forget everything if I touch the Wi-Fi button.
Technician avatar Technician
Your instincts are good. A normal power restart is usually safe. Pressing the Wi-Fi/setup buttons is where people accidentally start re-pairing — and I don’t want you to end up stuck in that.

After the restart, just watch for two things (no menu changes):
• Does the Wi-Fi light eventually go solid, even briefly?
• Does the Network Status page show any IP address at all?

If it still shows blank, the next step is deciding whether this is a router security/band issue — and we can make that decision carefully before touching wireless setup.
Customer
Okay, that makes sense. I can do the restart and check the status page without changing settings. Thank you for not rushing me.

Quick answer: the accepted fix

Accepted fix for My printer is stuck on “Connecting to Wi-Fi”: start with the safest confirmations before changing wireless settings. Check whether the printer shows the correct network name, whether it ever receives an IP address, and whether the router lists it as a connected device. A simple power restart can clear a “connecting loop” after power blinks, but avoid Wi-Fi setup/WPS buttons until you’ve ruled out band (2.4 vs 5 GHz) and router security changes.

Why a printer can get stuck connecting after a router change or power blink

When the router updates, restarts, or changes security settings, a printer may still “see” the network name but fail to fully join it. That can look like an endless connecting screen with a blinking wireless light.

A careful approach helps: confirm the network name (SSID), check if an IP address appears, and verify whether the router recognizes the printer as connected. These checks are usually safer than restarting wireless setup immediately.

What to check first before re-entering the Wi-Fi password or using WPS

If the printer never gets an IP address, the cause is often a password mismatch, a band mismatch (2.4 GHz vs 5 GHz), or a router security mode change after an update. Homes with mesh systems and multiple similar network names can make this confusing.

Start by confirming which Wi-Fi your computer/phone is on, and compare that to what the printer shows in its Network Status. If you’re unsure, stop before pressing “Wireless Setup” so you don’t accidentally overwrite the working connection profile.

Stuck on “Connecting to Wi-Fi”? Safe checks that don’t reset your printer

Start with low-risk checks and avoid resets until you know the cause.

Look for an obvious paper issue, confirm covers are fully closed, and check your computer’s print queue for “Offline” or stuck jobs. If you need to press a button, Cancel and Resume are usually safer than Wi-Fi setup or long-press combinations.

Disclaimer: This information is AI-generated and intended for general guidance only. For advice specific to your printer model and home/office setup, please consult a verified expert on Whizz-Tech before changing system settings.

Getting back online without changing the wrong setting

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FAQ

Why is my printer stuck on “Connecting to Wi-Fi” all of a sudden?

This often happens after a router update, a power blink, or a change in Wi-Fi security settings. The printer may still show the network name but fail to get an IP address. Checking Network Status first is a safe way to confirm what’s happening.

Is this usually a password problem or a router problem?

It can be either. A password mismatch is common, but so are band issues (2.4 GHz vs 5 GHz) and WPA3-only router settings that some printers can’t use. The safest clue is whether the printer ever appears in the router’s connected device list.

Did this happen after an update or switching to a mesh Wi-Fi system?

Yes, it’s common after switching routers, adding mesh nodes, or separating network names (SSID). The printer may connect to the “wrong” network name or to a node with different rules. Confirming the exact SSID is a good first step before redoing setup.

Can I check this safely at home without resetting the printer?

Usually, yes. You can review the printer’s Network Status page, compare the Wi-Fi name to your phone/computer, and restart the printer normally. It’s best to avoid WPS or “Wireless Setup” buttons until you know whether the router is blocking it.

Sources

Filed under: Mobile printing (AirPrint / Android)

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