Setting up your Canon printer to connect to Wi-Fi can sometimes be a headache, especially when you switch to a new router. Many users find themselves frustrated when their printer stubbornly tries to connect to the old network details, and official Canon support can sometimes fall short of providing a straightforward solution. If you’ve found yourself in this situation, struggling to reconnect your Canon printer after a router change, you’re not alone. This simple workaround, discovered by a user, might just be the fix you need to get your printer back online.
The problem often arises when you’ve previously connected your Canon printer to your Wi-Fi network and then replace your router. The printer remembers the old network name (SSID) and password, and there’s seemingly no easy way to directly update these settings, especially if you can no longer connect to the old network. Hours of searching online forums and Canon’s official documentation might leave you empty-handed, facing confusing manuals that seem designed for tech experts rather than everyday users.
Here’s a clever solution that leverages your router settings to trick your printer into revealing its Wi-Fi setup options:
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Router Name Change: Access your new router’s settings through your computer. Find the section where you can change the router’s name (SSID) and password. Temporarily, change both the name and password of your new router to be exactly the same as your old router’s name and password.
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Printer Connection: With your router now mimicking your old network, your Canon printer, still trying to connect to its previously known network, should now successfully connect to your Wi-Fi.
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Access Canon App: Open the Canon Selphy app (or the app relevant to your Canon printer model) on your smartphone or tablet. Since the printer is now connected (albeit through a temporary network name), the app should now recognize your printer.
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Reveal Wi-Fi Settings: Within the app, look for a ‘change Wi-Fi settings’ or similar option. This setting might have been hidden or inaccessible before because the printer couldn’t establish a connection. With the temporary connection in place, this option should now be available. Tap on it.
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Revert Router Settings: Quickly go back to your computer and access your router settings again. Change the router’s name and password back to your new, preferred network name and password.
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Update Printer Wi-Fi: Return to the Canon app on your device. You should now be prompted to enter the new Wi-Fi network name and password. Enter your current router details.
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Finalize Connection: If you encounter any error messages after entering the new details, try force-closing the Canon app, clearing its cache, and reopening it. After this, attempt to send a print job. Your Canon printer should now be successfully connected to your Wi-Fi network with the new router details.
This workaround is particularly useful because it avoids the hassle of resetting every single device connected to your Wi-Fi network. By temporarily changing the router name, you’re only tricking the printer long enough to access its Wi-Fi settings and update them.
While this solution might seem a bit unconventional, it provides a practical fix when official methods are lacking. It highlights the often-frustrating experience of setting up wireless printers and the need for more user-friendly instructions from manufacturers like Canon. If you’ve been struggling with your Canon printer setup after a router change, give this method a try – it might just save you hours of frustration.
