A Brother Printer can only be used with an Android/iOS device and must be used over WiFi or Bluetooth.
Caution
Brother printers cannot connect to a desktop/laptop directly. If you want to print from a Windows or Mac App station, you can print to another station.
Check out this training on how to print from a mobile device.
Use the instructions and hardware included with the printer to connect the Brother printer to your WiFi network. If you plan on using more than one printer for your church at the same time, make sure you name them differently to help make the setup process easier.
Printers:
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Brother QL810W and QL810Wc with Wireless Networking
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Brother QL820NWB and QL820NWBc with Wireless Networking or Bluetooth
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Brother QL1110NWB and QL1110NWBc with Wireless Networking or Bluetooth
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Older Discontinued Printer Models:
These currently work with Check-Ins but are no longer supported by Brother:
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Brother QL710W
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Brother QL720NW
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These printers can even run from a battery!
Labels:
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Recommended for all models: 62 mm Continuous: DK-2205
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62 mm Black/Red Continuous: DK-2251
Important
Check-Ins does not print in red. Using this label type will cause slower printing than with the DK-2205.
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60 mm x 86 mm: DK-1234
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62 mm x 100 mm: DK-1202
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103mm x 164mm DK-1247
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102mm x 152mm DK-1241
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102mm x 51mm DK-1240
Once you have your printer, the next step is to set it up to connect to your station device!
The steps to set up your printer depend on which model you have and how you want to connect your printer.
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Connect the Brother printer to your WiFi. This needs to be the same WiFi that your iOS or Android stations will be connected to.
Warning
Brother printers can only connect to a primary WiFi on a 2.4Ghz channel.
There are two ways to connect with the QL820-NWB:
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Tap the Menu button, go to the WLAN submenu, and select Infra Manual Setting. You should see the WiFi SSID listed. Select and enter your password to connect.
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Tap the Menu button, go to the WLAN submenu, and select WPS Button Push or WPS Pin Code, if your router has this option.
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When selecting the communication mode, select Infrastructure only. There are two ways to do this:
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Tap the Menu button, go to the WLAN submenu, and select Network Mode > Infrastructure Mode.
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Tap the Menu button, go to the WLAN submenu, and select WLAN Status > Infrastructure Mode. Status should be Active. Direct mode should not be active. Note the IP address, in case you need it later.
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Turn off Bluetooth, if enabled, by tapping the Menu button, going to the Bluetooth submenu, and selecting Bluetooth (On/Off) > Off.
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Disable Sleep mode by tapping the Menu button, going to Settings, and selecting Auto Power Off > Adapter (or Li-ion Battery if using a Battery) > Off.
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Disable Templates by tapping the Menu button, going to Template Settings, and selecting Template Mode > Off.
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After the Brother printer is on the WiFi, the LED lights go steady. Give it a few minutes to fully be discoverable on your network before moving to the next step.
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Launch the Check-Ins App from the iPad. Try checking in someone who should get labels. If that doesn't work, tap the gear icon at the bottom of the Check-Ins station, then tap Printer Settings in the bottom right corner.
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In the Printer Settings, if you do not see the printer listed to select, select Set Manually.
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Select the model number (820NWB).
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Enter the IP address noted in step 2 above.
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Tap Paper Type to select your label size (62mm Continuous is the default).
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Tap Print Test Label or Connect in the upper right-hand corner.
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Enable Bluetooth by tapping the Menu button, going to the Bluetooth submenu, and selecting Bluetooth (On/Off) >On and Automatic Reconnection > On.
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Disable WLAN by tapping the Menu button, going to the WLAN submenu, and selecting WLAN (On/Off) > Off.
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Disable Sleep mode by tapping the Menu button, going to the Settings, and selecting Auto Power Off > Adapter (or Li-ion Battery if using a Battery) > Off.
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Disable Templates by tapping the Menu button, going to Template Settings, and selecting Template Mode > Off.
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Now, pair with your iOS or Android device by going into the device's Settings > Bluetooth and pairing to the printer.
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Do not rename the printer.
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Try turning the printer off and on again if you cannot get the device to say "connected."
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Tip
Only one device can be paired with the printer at a time. If you are paired with another device (even if that device is powered off), you'll need to go into the originally paired device's Bluetooth settings and choose Forget this device for the printer.
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Watch these videos showing how to set up the Brother printer on your campus WiFi using a Mac or Windows computer.
Warning
The computer must be on the same network the printer will be used on and know the password for this network. The network should be the 2.4Ghz channel and preferably not a public WiFi SSID.
Tip
You will only use a Mac/Windows computer and the USB cord the printer comes with for setting up the WiFi settings, but save the cord in case you need to reset the printer for another WiFi, your WiFi SSID name changes, you add additional WiFi SSIDs and want to switch, or you go to another location/off campus and want to use your printer there.
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In your browser, go to install.brother to download the software. This Brother Support article explains how to download the software.
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Verify your country (flag displayed on left) before you download any files.
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Choose the Mac or Windows install file, depending on your computer. You may need to scroll for Mac files.
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An install wizard will walk you through the steps. Here are a few screenshots of important choices you need to make (screenshots are specific to the newer Brother printer wizard; if you have an older OS, your screens will look different!)
Connection Type: select Wireless Network Connection (this is how you will connect your Check-Ins app station later).
Connection method: select Brother Peer-to-Peer Network Printer.
Firewall/AntiVirus detected: toggle out of the Install wizard to temporarily disable any firewall or antivirus software, and then toggle back before you select Next.
You should see the Brother printer listed here. If not, select Wireless Setup and look for the WiFi SSID that your computer is connected to. This is the WiFi SSID you will be adding to the Printer's Network settings.
Caution
The WiFi SSID needs to be the same for your mobile Check-Ins app stations and the printers.
After the Brother printer is on the WiFi, the LED lights will go steady. On a mobile device (Android or iOS), set the WiFi settings to connect to the same campus WiFi SSID selected in the Brother setup.
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Install the iOS or Android Check-Ins app from their respective app stores.
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Go through the Create a Station process. Select Print To: Self to print directly from the mobile device to the Brother printer.
If you're using multiple Brother printers, or you just want to name your printers something other than their standard name, you can set a name for the printer. To rename your printer, you will need the IP address, and the easiest way to see the IP address is from your station's Printer Settings. The IP address is listed under the printer name.
If you're using a computer on the same WiFi SSID as your Brother printer, follow these steps:
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Enter the IP Address into a browser on the same network as the printer.
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Click Network Configuration.
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Select Contact and Location.
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Change the Location option on the bottom to the name you want to see.
It will update the Location field to a printer name like Brother QL-810W - Matt’s Desk, or something to notate your printer’s location.
If Check-Ins doesn't show the IP address, it cannot see the printer, so you have to find the IP address another way.
Expand your printer model to see how to find the IP address.
In most cases, you can check a person in, and it'll automatically connect to a printer. If needed, access the Printer Settings from the gear on the bottom right.
Tip
Turn the printer on first. It will need a few minutes to become fully discoverable on your network. After a few minutes, turn on the station device and launch the Check-Ins app.
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If your station device is on the same WiFi the Brother printer was set up on, and you turn on your printer a few minutes before opening the Check-Ins app, it should show up in the Printer Selection area automatically.
Tip
Once you are connected, a blue check mark will appear to the right of the printer, and Print Test label will be selectable.
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If the device doesn't show up, a network setting might be hiding it. Manually set the printer by selecting the printer from the list and typing the IP address.
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Remove the default printer if you want to connect to another Brother printer or are switching to an event with no labels.
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Choose when to cut the labels.
Caution
Manually entering the IP address is not a required step. If you are needing to manually enter the IP address, there is likely something on your network that is blocking the Check-Ins app from seeing the Brother printer easily. Check your network or router settings.
To make sure your printer is working correctly, send a test print to the printer.
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From the Check-Ins Android or iOS app, tap the gear icon and then tap the Printer Settings button. You do not need to enter a Station Key.
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Tap the Print Test Label button.
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The label will print.
Log in as the admin. The password to log in to the site may be on the bottom of your printer marked Pwd or you can try leaving it blank. If that doesn't work, access or initpass might be the right password.
From the Printer Settingstab, make the following changes:
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In Power Settings, set Auto Power Off (AC/DC) to None.
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In Communication Settings:
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Set the Network Settings on Power On to Keep Current State.
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Set Selected Interface to Infrastructure or Adhoc (do not select Direct).
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If your printer isn't working, make sure you're checking in someone who should get labels. Often, WiFi printers can only be found when the print job is sent. If that doesn't get things rolling, continue troubleshooting.
Important
Your device settings could be obstructing communication over the Wi-Fi network. Verify that the Check-Ins app has permission to access your local network (and camera!) in your device settings.
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Tap the gear or triangle icon to open the printer settings.
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Tap Clear Default Printer. Force close and reopen the app to see if the connection is restored.
Tip
You can also make sure that the Check-Ins app is the most current version by scrolling to the bottom of the printer settings to see the version number. Go to your device's application store to see if there is an update available.
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If the caution triangle is still present, ensure that the device and printer are still connected to the same 2.4GHz wifi channel and repeat Step 2.
Check-Ins checks if you have one of the correct label sizes before it will connect to the printer. The printer will not connect or print if it is receiving a command asking for a different paper size than what is loaded. If you are using one of the correct label sizes but the label cartridge is damaged or not assembled correctly, it still might detect the wrong label size and give you the Wrong Label Type error message.
Tip
You might also get the Cover Not Closed or Printer Out of Labels error messages.
Try the following:
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Remove the label cartridge. If it's a reusable cartridge, take it apart and reassemble, ensuring that all pieces are connected correctly.
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Re-insert the label cartridge, making sure it's in straight and push down firmly.
The Wrong Label Type error might also mean that you have an incompatible label type installed, or you just need to change the label size in the Paper Selection area of the Printer Settings. To do this:
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Go to printer settings on the station.
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Tap the selected printer.
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Change the paper type under Paper Selection.
We default to the 62mm Continuous (DK 2205) labels, so any other label type needs to be selected the first time you start the app. If you change to another label type after your current label roll runs out, be sure to change the Paper Selection to match.
If you are using the size that is selected:
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The black lines on the label roll should go on the right side when installing.
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Try pushing the cartridge down firmly; you should feel it click into place.
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If the cartridge is a reusable cartridge, the label refill needs to match the original labels that came with the cartridge. If the cartridge needs to be reassembled after a roll-change, try taking it apart and reassembling it. Be sure the pieces are aligned correctly and reassembled tightly.
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Verify there is nothing in the printer label well by pulling out the label cartridge, holding the machine open upside down, and tapping it. Loose paper or any small thing could prevent the cartridge from being read correctly. The cartridge pushes down pins that allow the printer to know what type of cartridge/label size is being used. If the pins are being blocked or incorrectly pushed in any way, the printer will read the cartridge incorrectly.
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If you have another Brother printer with a set of labels that are printing, try switching the label roll (entire cartridge) and see if that works. If printing works after the switch, it's likely one of the reasons listed above.
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If you see an error message with a number in it (like Error 15 or 22), you most likely do not have the labels inserted correctly
Some default printer settings can actually interrupt printer connectivity with the Check-Ins app. Choose your printer model below to double-check these items or perform a hard reset.
Reset all settings:
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Press and hold the Cut button while holding down the ON/OFF button when the machine is turned off.
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The Wi-Fi lamp starts flashing and the Status lamp lights orange.
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Press the Cut button twice (710) or four times (720) while continuing to hold down the ON/OFF button.
Reset all settings:
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Turn off the printer.
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Press and hold the Power and Cutter buttons.
The Status LED lights in green.
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Continue holding down the Power button.
The Status LED lights in orange, the Editor Lite LED flashes green at 0.5 second intervals, and the Wi-Fi LED flashes blue at 0.5 second intervals.
Tip
You can hard reset the following settings using the LCD menu:
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Printer settings
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User setting
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Network settings
Settings to check when connecting over Wifi:
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When selecting the communication mode, select Infrastructure only.
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Tap Menu button, go to WLAN submenu, and select Network Mode > Infrastructure Mode
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Tap Menu button, go to WLAN submenu, and select WLAN Status > Infrastructure Mode. Status should be Active. Direct mode should not be active. Note the IP address, in case you need it later.
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Tap Menu button, go to Bluetooth submenu, and select Bluetooth (On/Off) > Off.
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Tap Menu button, go to Settings submenu, and select Auto Power Off > Adapter (or Li-ion Battery if using a Battery) > Off.
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Tap Menu button, go to Template Settings, and select Template Mode > Off.
Settings to check when connecting via Bluetooth:
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Tap the Menu button and go to the Bluetooth submenu.
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Select Bluetooth (On/Off) > On.
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Select Automatic Reconnection > On.
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Tap the Menu button, go to the WLAN submenu, and select WLAN (On/Off) > Off.
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Tap the Menu button, go to Settingssubmenu, and select Auto Power Off > Adapter (or Li-ion Battery if using a Battery) > Off.
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Tap the Menu button, go to Template Settings, and select Template Mode > Off.
You should always turn your printers on first, wait to let them become fully discoverable on your network, and then launch the Check-Ins app. Your Check-Ins devices should be able to see the Brother printers if the Brother app (iPrint & Label) can see them.
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If you need to manually enter an IP address to get either the Check-Ins app or the Brother app to find the printer, that indicates they are not easily discoverable on your network and you may need to make some network changes.
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If you cannot find the printer in Brother's app, you will not be able to find it in Check-Ins. Troubleshoot finding your printer with the Brother Support Team,
Important
Brother printers can only connect on a 2.4Ghz network channel. Many mobile devices can connect to 5Ghz channels so it can appear that the network is not an issue. Be sure there is no interference on this channel with other devices or other Brother printers nearby.
Consider your access points:
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You can adjust the channel selection in regard to placement and radio power for each of your access points. Which channel you use depends on your environment noise level and what channels you have available to use regionally.
Note
The three channels available to use in the US on 2.4GHz are 1, 6 & 11.
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Balance multiple access points so that overlapping channels are physically as far apart as possible.
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Adjust the signal level to be sufficient for the coverage area but not bleeding too far into the next access point zone that shares the same channel.
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Set the minimum bitrate to 12 or higher if possible. This setting affects airtime usage in the 2.4GHz range, directly impacting interference levels in a multi-access point environment.
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You'll want to use either your access points or a software-based tool as a monitor to show real-time interference/noise levels.
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Capture the data at a busy time (i.e. when there are people in the building, most traffic in the building) as well as idle times when not many devices are in use / not many people around.
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Compare the two to see if there are drastic differences and to determine which channels have the highest noise level, and then use the channels available with the least amount of noise. Once the data is obtained, it will be easier to guide which channels are best used.
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Give priority to the Check-Ins devices on your network. If the network or access point has a limit for the number of connections allowed, ensure the Check-Ins devices are not bumped.
Additional questions to consider:
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How close is the closest access point?
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Is your WiFi network managed or unmanaged?
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Is your network open to the public?
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Does this happen during the week when testing, or only on Sundays and other 'peak' usage times
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Are other ministries using the network to download or stream content?
Overall, it's best if the Check-Ins devices are given priority on a closed, managed network and are in close proximity to access points/routers. Testing your devices on another network to see if the same behavior occurs can also verify if the issue is your campus network or something else.
Caution
To test a Brother printer on another network, you will need to reset and configure the printer for the new testing network. Once testing is complete, the printer will need to be reset and configured back to the campus network.