Changing your WiFi password can cause a headache when your devices, like your Canon printer, struggle to reconnect. If you’ve updated your home WiFi password and now your Canon printer is stubbornly offline, constantly attempting to connect with the old credentials, you’re not alone. Many users face this frustrating issue where the printer seems to get stuck in a loop, failing to prompt for the new password. This guide provides a straightforward, user-tested method to update your Canon printer’s WiFi password and get you printing wirelessly again.
Understanding the Problem: Why Your Canon Printer Won’t Reconnect
Printers, especially older models, don’t always automatically detect WiFi password changes. They store the initial WiFi credentials and attempt to reconnect using this saved information. When the password is changed on your router, the printer keeps trying to connect with the outdated password, leading to connection errors. Canon’s standard troubleshooting often directs users to basic WiFi setup, which doesn’t address the core problem: updating the saved password on the printer itself.
Step-by-Step Guide to Update Your Canon Printer WiFi Password
This method utilizes a USB cable and Canon’s network tool software to directly configure your printer’s WiFi settings, effectively forcing it to recognize and accept the new password.
Step 1: Gather Your Essentials
First, you’ll need a USB printer cable to establish a temporary wired connection between your printer and computer. If you don’t have one, you can easily find one online.
This link is an example and may not be compatible with all models. Ensure compatibility with your Canon printer model.
You will also need to download the correct driver and Canon IJ Network Tool software for your Canon printer model. Visit the official Canon support website and navigate to the download section for your specific printer.
Find Your Canon Printer Driver and Software
Ensure you select the correct operating system and printer model for compatible downloads.
Step 2: Connect Your Printer to Your Computer via USB
Power on your Canon printer and connect it to your computer using the USB cable you obtained.
Alt text: Close-up of a USB cable connecting a Canon printer to a laptop, illustrating the physical connection required for updating WiFi settings.
Step 3: Install and Open Canon IJ Network Tool
Install the driver and Canon IJ Network Tool software you downloaded from the Canon support website. Once installed, locate and open the Canon IJ Network Tool application on your computer.
The Network Tool will search for your printer. Ensure your printer is powered on and connected via USB. Once your printer is detected, it will appear in the list.
Alt text: Screenshot of the Canon IJ Network Tool interface displaying a detected Canon printer, highlighting the ‘Setup’ option in the left corner menu.
Step 4: Access WiFi Configuration
In the Canon IJ Network Tool, locate the “Setup” option in the left-hand menu. Click on “Setup” to expand the dropdown menu, then select “Utilities,” and finally click the “Configuration” button.
Alt text: Image showing the Canon IJ Network Tool dropdown menu expanded under ‘Setup’, with ‘Utilities’ and ‘Configuration’ options clearly indicated for WiFi settings access.
Step 5: Update WiFi Password
A new window or tab will appear. Here, you should be able to enter your WiFi network name (SSID) and select the encryption method. Choose the correct encryption method for your WiFi network (often WPA2). Click the “Configuration” button again within this window.
Another tab, likely titled “WPA2 Details” (or similar depending on your encryption type), will open. This is where you will enter your new WiFi password. For “Encryption Type,” AES (Secure Encryption) is a common and recommended option. After entering your new password and selecting the encryption type, click “OK”.
Alt text: Screenshot of the ‘WPA2 Details’ window in Canon IJ Network Tool, showing fields for entering the WiFi password and selecting encryption type, emphasizing the password update process.
You will be prompted to confirm if you want to update the password information on your printer. Click “Yes” to confirm.
Congratulations! You have successfully updated your Canon printer’s WiFi password. You can now disconnect the USB cable and attempt to connect your printer to your WiFi network wirelessly. It should now connect using the new password you just configured.
Reconnecting Wirelessly
After completing these steps, your Canon printer should now be able to connect to your WiFi network with the updated password. You may need to restart your printer or WiFi router if you encounter any further issues, but this method effectively addresses the problem of updating saved WiFi credentials on your Canon printer.
This user-friendly workaround bypasses the frustration of generic troubleshooting and provides a practical solution for anyone struggling to reconnect their Canon printer after a WiFi password change.
