How to Connect Canon Printer to WiFi: 3 Methods (Wireless Photo Printing)

Wireless printing is super convenient. Here are 3 simple, step-by-step methods to connect Canon printer to WiFi, so you are sure to find one that is easy for your setup!

Canon printers can be connected to a wireless connection by using a smart device to send the router information to the printer, connecting the printer to the router using a Canon Print Inkjet app, pressing the WPS button, or entering a WPS pin code.

Of course, the printer must be plugged in and powered up to connect to a wireless network successfully. 

Connecting a wireless printer might seem confusing if you’ve never done it before, but the guide below will help teach you how to get set up. Learn more about connecting your Canon printer to your WiFi to print your photographs. 

Methods for Connecting a Canon Printer to a Wireless Network

There are a few different methods you can use for connecting a Canon printer to a wireless network.

Here are your options:

1. Use a smart device to send the router information for your wireless network to your printer, either by using the networking capability on your smartphone or by using the Canon Print Inkjet app on either an iOS or Android device. 
2. Press the WPS button to sync the nearest wireless network with your wireless printer. 
3. Enter the WPS pin code. Source: Canon Support

The method you end up using may depend on the model of Canon printer you have.

When wireless printers were new, CDs were sometimes required to install connecting software to be used with a wireless connection. These days, it is usually simple enough to connect a wireless printer using a smart device or the controls on the printer itself. 

Here is the step by step guides on the different methods to connect to your WiFi network:

1. Smart Device Hookup Method

To perform a wireless hookup between your Canon printer and your wireless network, you’ll need to use a wireless device. If a computer is used, it’s necessary to download the software installer to send the wireless network information to the printer without a direct cable hookup. 

If a smart device such as a smartphone is being used to connect the printer to the wireless network, users can download the free app to connect the wireless Canon printer through either an iOS or an Android device: 

• For iOS devices, the SELPHY app is used. 
• For Android devices, the Canon Print Inkjet app is used. 

2. WPS Push Button Method

Some wireless routers will have a WPS Push Button, which is essentially a wireless printer sync. While not all wireless routers will have this technical feature, those that do are much easier to connect to a wireless printer. (Source: Canon)

To connect a wireless printer to a wireless network using the WPS Push Button, perform the following operation: 

1. Hold down the Wi-Fi button on the router until it flashes. 
2. Press the Start Button and then the Wi-Fi button again. 
3. Wait for the Wi-Fi router to begin flashing. Once the Wi-Fi router is flashing and the ON button is lit up, press down the WPS button. 
4. The wireless router will indicate a sync with the wireless printer by lighting up the ON button and the Wi-Fi indicator simultaneously. 

If the wireless sync fails, press the STOP button, and try the sync again. 

This isn’t an option available for all wireless routers, but it’s worth looking at your router to see if it is available when you get ready to set up your wireless printer. It can save you a lot of hassle in the long run. 

3. WPS Pin Code Method

Using the WPS pin code to sync your wireless printer and your wireless network can be one of the more complicated ways of pulling it off, but it can get the job done when other methods have failed. 

Here’s how you can make the connection using a WPS pin Code

1. Load two sheets of standard paper (letter size). 
2. Make sure the printer is powered up, then hold down the Wi-Fi button until the ON light flashes on the printer. 
3. Press the Wi-Fi button again. This should cause the printer to print out the required wireless setting information for the printer, including the WPS pin code. 
4. Hold the STOP button on the printer until the Alarm light flashes sixteen times. After the sixteenth flash, release the STOP button. At this point, the wireless printer should be prepared to make the connection. 
5. Access your router’s internal settings using either a wireless smart device or your computer with wireless capability. Once you have access to the router’s internal settings, enter the WPS pin code to initiate a sync between the network and the printer. Source: Canon

Did it work? Check to see that the Wi-Fi light on the wireless printer is lit. This is an indication that the wireless connection has been made successfully. 

It’s easy for people to get confused when trying to set up a wireless printer for the first time, especially since there are such different syncing methods. But if you follow the steps above, you should get a good connection for your wireless printer. 

Why Won’t My Canon Printer Connect to my Wireless Connection?

If you have tried the above methods for making a wireless connection for your Canon printer and still haven’t managed to sync up, there are a few different causes that could be at fault. 

Here are some of the things that may be preventing you from making a good connection to your wireless network:

• The connection between the network and the printer has been lost. This issue can often be resolved by simply powering down each component, waiting for ten seconds, and then powering them back up before re-syncing the two. 
• The printer is not powered on. Even if the printer is plugged in, it needs to be powered up before it can receive a wireless signal. 
• Ensure that both your digital camera or PC and your wireless printer are synced to the same network. If you accidentally sync your input device and your wireless printer to different networks, they won’t be able to find each other. 
• Make sure that the printer driver is connected to the correct port on your PC. If the printer driver is synced to the wrong port, this can cause connectivity issues. 

If you continue to have problems setting up a wireless connection between your router and your wireless printer, you can contact Canon’s technical support team. They can give you a detailed walk-through on how to get your printer and your wireless network properly synced. Before contacting them, ensure the router is working correctly for your other devices. 

In some rare cases, the wireless card on the printer itself may be defective, and you may need to replace the printer if a proper connection can’t be made. 

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Your Turn

While Canon printers are great for printing, you aren’t the first to have trouble connecting them to a WiFi network. Hopefully, these instructions helped you connect your Canon printer to WiFi.

How did they work for you? Have a hack or another connection method? Let me know in the comments.