What this means

Your phone and your printer are failing to connect across your wireless network. The Canon PRINT app requires both devices to sit on the exact same local network to send print jobs. When this happens, you likely assume the wireless hardware inside the printer has failed.

That is rarely the case. Your printer is running fine, but it is invisible to your phone. Common culprits include your phone running a VPN service, your router using separate 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, or security settings like guest networks and AP isolation blocking local traffic.

You do not need a new printer. Clear out temporary network glitches, make sure both devices share the exact same network path, and remove any barriers blocking your phone from seeing the printer.

Common causes

  • Phone and printer are connected to different Wi-Fi bands.
  • Printer is connected to a guest network that isolates devices.
  • Printer is currently in sleep mode or offline.
  • Wireless router has AP isolation or client isolation enabled.
  • Incorrect Wi-Fi password was entered during setup.
  • Active VPN on the mobile device is blocking local network traffic.
  • Temporary network glitch on the router or mobile device.
  • Canon PRINT app has outdated software or a corrupted cache.

What to check first

  1. 1Check that your phone has Wi-Fi turned on.
  2. 2Verify the printer is powered on and the status light is active.

Step-by-step fix

  1. 1

    Restart the Printer

    Turn off the printer using the power button, wait ten seconds, and turn it back on to refresh its network connection.

    Do not unplug the printer while it is performing a firmware update.

  2. 2

    Restart Your Mobile Device

    Turn your phone off and back on again to clear out temporary network glitches and refresh app memory.

  3. 3

    Disable Mobile VPN

    Turn off any virtual private network or active security apps on your phone that block local network communication.

  4. 4

    Verify Wi-Fi Network

    Check your phone settings to confirm it is connected to the exact same Wi-Fi network name that the printer uses.

  5. 5

    Move Closer to the Router

    Move the printer and your phone closer to your wireless router to ensure a strong signal during setup.

  6. 6

    Restart Your Wireless Router

    Unplug your home router, wait thirty seconds, and plug it back in to reset local IP address assignments.

  7. 7

    Reconnect Printer to Wi-Fi

    Use the printer control panel to start the wireless setup wizard and re-enter your network password.

  8. 8

    Reinstall the Canon PRINT App

    Delete the Canon PRINT app from your mobile device, restart your phone, and download the latest version from the app store.

When to contact a professional

Call a network administrator if your router needs complex VLAN or firewall adjustments for local device discovery that you cannot handle yourself. Never open the printer housing or touch internal power supplies. Doing this creates severe safety hazards and voids your warranty.