Connect a Printer to a Hidden Wi-Fi Network: Full Guide

You can connect a printer to a hidden Wi-Fi network, but not in the usual way. A hidden network does not broadcast its name, so when the printer scans for networks it simply is not in the list. The fix is to type the network name in by hand, along with the right security type and the password. This guide shows how to do that on printers with a screen, on printers without one, and explains why unhiding the network is often the better long-term answer.

What a hidden network is

Every Wi-Fi network has a name, called the SSID. Routers normally announce that name a few times a second so phones, laptops and printers can list it. When you switch on a router option such as “Hide SSID”, “Hidden network” or “Disable SSID broadcast”, the router stops announcing the name. Devices that already know the network can still connect, but new devices have to be told the name.

People hide networks for privacy or because they believe it adds security. Apple’s recommended settings for routers say otherwise: they recommend leaving Hidden network disabled, because hiding the name does not hide the network from detection or protect it from unauthorised access, and it can make devices reveal the networks they look for. Real protection comes from the security mode, ideally WPA3 Personal or WPA2/WPA3 mixed, with a strong password.

That background matters for printers, because many setup tools assume they can see your network in a list. If you control the router, you may decide that unhiding the name is simpler than working around it. If the network belongs to someone else, or you want to keep it hidden, read on.

Before you start: collect three details

Get these from the router’s settings page or app before touching the printer:

1. The exact network name (SSID). Copy it character for character, including capital letters, spaces and hyphens.
2. The security type and encryption. Common values are WPA2 Personal (WPA2-PSK) with AES, or WPA2/WPA3 mixed. Brother’s manual for hidden networks, for example, asks you to choose the authentication method (such as WPA/WPA2-PSK or WPA3-SAE) and the encryption mode (TKIP+AES or AES).
3. The Wi-Fi password (also called the network key or passphrase).

Also check the band. Many home printers only use 2.4 GHz. If your hidden network is 5 GHz only, the printer will not join it however carefully you type; see our guide to connecting a printer to 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi.

Method 1: enter the network on the printer’s control panel

This works on most printers with a touchscreen or a small LCD and arrow keys.

1. Open the Wi-Fi, Wireless LAN or Network settings on the printer.
2. Start the wireless setup wizard or find Wi-Fi network. The printer scans and lists the networks it can see. Yours will not be there.
3. Scroll to the end of the list and choose the manual option. The label varies: Brother manuals use New SSID or Add SSID depending on the model, other makers use wording such as Manual entry, Other network or Enter network name.
4. Type the network name exactly.
5. Choose the security or authentication type, then the encryption type if asked. Match what your router uses.
6. Enter the password.
7. Confirm. The printer tries to join and shows a message such as Connected when it succeeds.

Typing on a small panel is slow. Take your time, check each character, and remember that letters are case-sensitive. If the printer reports that it cannot find the network, the most common cause is a typo in the name; if it finds the network but fails to connect, check the password and the security type.

Method 2: printers without a screen

Printers with only buttons and lights cannot show a list or take typed input, so the network details have to come from another device. Typical routes are:

• The maker’s app or setup software. The app connects to the printer, often over a temporary direct connection or Bluetooth, and then lets you choose your network. Look for an option to add a network manually or enter a network name that is not listed.
• A temporary USB connection. Many printer installers can configure Wi-Fi while the printer is connected by USB. Our guide to changing a printer from USB to wireless covers this route.
• Wi-Fi Direct and the web page. Join the printer’s own direct network from a laptop, open the printer’s web page by its IP address and enter the network details in the wireless settings. See how to access a printer’s web interface.

Avoid WPS for hidden networks unless your router’s documentation says it works with a hidden SSID. Push-button setup relies on the router and printer agreeing on the network automatically, and router behaviour varies. Our WPS setup guide explains how WPS normally works.

Method 3: temporarily unhide the network

If you own the router, there is a quick workaround:

1. Turn off the hidden network option in the router so the name is broadcast.
2. Connect the printer the normal way, choosing the network from the list.
3. Print a network report to confirm the connection.
4. Hide the network again if you still want to.

Devices that have joined a network once usually remember it and reconnect even after the name is hidden again. If the printer drops off after you hide the name, that is a sign it does not handle hidden networks well, and leaving the name visible is the more reliable choice.

After the printer joins: add it to your devices

Joining the network is only half the job. Your computers and phones also need to be on that same network, and they need to find the printer:

• On Windows 11, use Add device in Printers & scanners, or add the printer by IP address. See how to add a printer in Windows 11.
• On a Mac, use Add Printer in Printers & Scanners. See how to add a printer on Mac.
• On phones, AirPrint and Android printing find the printer automatically once both are on the same network.

Hidden networks do not stop printer discovery between devices that are already connected, because discovery happens inside the network. If the printer is missing, check the IP address on its network report and try adding it by IP. Our guide to finding a printer’s IP address lists six ways.

Troubleshooting a hidden network connection

• Network not found. Re-enter the name, watching for case, spaces and similar characters such as a capital I and a lower-case l.
• Wrong password or authentication error. Re-type the password and confirm the security type. A router set to WPA3 only can block older printers; our printer WPA3 guide explains mixed modes.
• Connects, then drops. Check signal strength where the printer sits, and whether the router has MAC filtering or client isolation switched on.
• Mesh or extender with separate names. Make sure you typed the name of the network your computers use, not an extender network with a suffix.

If you change router or network name later, the printer must be told again. Our guide to connecting a printer to a new Wi-Fi network covers that case.