Brother printers are the only models that can be used with any setup: wireless, Bluetooth, and USB! Use the steps in this article to optimize your Brother printer for Check-Ins, including finding a supported model, setting it up, connecting to the Check-Ins app, and testing printing.
Notice
If you have already installed your Brother printer but cannot get it to print, check out the Brother Troubleshooting article.
A Brother printer can be used with Android/iOS mobile devices or Mac/Windows computers/tablets. Check out these recommendations to help determine what setup best suits your organization.
Printers:
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Recommended: Brother 820NWB and 820NWBc with a USB connection, Bluetooth, or wireless networking.
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Brother 810W and 810Wc with a USB connection or wireless networking.
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Brother 1110NWB and 1110NWBc with a USB connection, Bluetooth, or wireless networking.
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Brother 800 with USB connection only.
Labels:
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Recommended for all models: 62 mm Continuous: DK-2205
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62mm Black/Red Continuous: DK-2251
Caution
Check-Ins does not print in red. Using DK-2251 causes slower printing than the DK-2205.
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60 mm x 86mm: DK-1234
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62 mm x 100mm: DK-1202
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Brother 1110NWB and 1110NWBc only:
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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
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Once you have the printer, set it up to connect to your station device! The setup steps depend on which model you have and how you want to connect it to your station.
Important
USB connection is the strongest, fastest connection. Bluetooth offers a stronger connection than Wi-Fi, but it prints labels more slowly. Check out these recommendations to help determine what setup best suits your organization!
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Open the browser on your computer to install the necessary software:
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Double-click the downloaded EXE file (Windows) or DMG file (Mac), and follow the on-screen instructions to install.
Notice
Before connecting the label printer to your device, please ensure the printer is off.
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Connect the USB cord to the printer and device.
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Turn the label printer on.
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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 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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Pair the printer with your iOS or Android device by going into the device's Settings > Bluetooth.
Tip
Only one device can be paired with the printer at a time. If the printer was previously paired with another device (even if that device is powered off), go into the device's Bluetooth settings and choose Forget this device for the printer.
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Connect the Brother printer to the same Wi-Fi network that your device is on.
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Tap the Menu button, go to the WLAN submenu, and select Infra Manual Setting. Select the correct Wi-Fi name and enter your password.
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When selecting the communication mode, select Infrastructure only.
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Tap the Menu button, go to the WLAN submenu, and select Network Mode > Infrastructure Mode.
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If Bluetooth is enabled, turn it off 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.
Tip
If you're using multiple Brother printers or want to name them something other than their standard name, you can set a name for each printer. To rename your printer, refer to your printer manual or the Brother website for instructions.
The LED lights go steady after the Brother printer is connected to the Wi-Fi network. Give it a few minutes to become fully discoverable on your network before launching the Check-Ins app from the station device.
Warning
Wi-Fi is the weakest connection type; if possible, use a Mac/Windows station with a USB connection.
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Using the included USB cable, connect your printer to a laptop or desktop computer on the Wi-Fi network to which you want to add the printer.
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Open the browser on your computer to install the necessary software:
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Double-click the downloaded EXE file (Windows) or DMG file (Mac), and follow the on-screen instructions to install.
Important
You must know your Wi-Fi network's name and password to continue!
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Configure the printer's Infrastructure Mode settings.
System
Instructions
Windows
1. Start the Printer Setting Tool on your computer and select Communication Settings.
2. On the General tab, choose Infrastructure or Ad-hoc as the interface.
3. On the Wireless LAN tab, select Infrastructure for the communication mode.
4. Enter the Wi-Fi network name (SSID) or search for the network. Enter the password (network key) and select Apply.
5. Press and hold the Wi-Fi button on the printer for one second.
Mac
1. Open the Utilities folder from the installer download.
2. Start the Wireless Device Setup Wizard and follow the on-screen instructions.
When the connection between the printer and the network is established, the Wi-Fi LED flashes blue.
Tip
If you're using multiple Brother printers or want to name them something other than their standard name, you can set a name for each printer. To rename your printer, refer to your printer manual or the Brother website for instructions.
After completing the setup steps, make sure your printer is on and has a few minutes to start up. Then, turn on your station device and launch the Check-Ins app.
The Check-Ins app should find your printer automatically. Hover over the printer icon at the bottom of the station to see the selected printer.
To change your selected printer or labels, use a keyboard shortcut to access the Printer Check page.
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Windows: Ctrl + 2
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Mac: Cmd + 2
Select your printer and specify the Label Type.
Access the Printer Settings by tapping the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen. On the Station Key popup, tap Printer Settings below the keypad.
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Remove the default printer.
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To select a Brother printer on the Wi-Fi, tap Printer Setup to show all printers on your Wi-Fi. If you don't see the printer, search for it from that box or Set Manually.
Important
Manually entering the IP address is not a required step. If you need to enter the IP address manually, review the network recommendations to ensure your network is configured correctly, then proceed with Brother Printer Troubleshooting.
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Manage settings specific to Brother from this section.
Access the Printer Settings by tapping the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen. On the Station Key popup, tap Printer Settings below the keypad.
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Your printer automatically appears in the selection box. Tap it to set it as the default printer, then select the correct labels you installed.
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If the device doesn't show up automatically, a network setting might be hiding it. To manually set the printer, enter the IP address and tap Connect.
Important
Manually entering the IP address is not a required step. If you need to enter the IP address manually, review the network recommendations to ensure your network is configured correctly, then proceed with Brother Printer Troubleshooting.
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Once you've set a default printer, tap Apply Recommended Wi-Fi Settings to update your printer's network configuration.
To ensure your printer works correctly, send a test print to the printer.
Mac/Windows
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From the Printer Check page, select Send a test print.
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After a successful print, select Continue to Station.
Android/iOS
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From the Check-Ins app, tap the gear icon and then tap Printer Settings. You do not need to enter a Station Key.
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Tap the Print Test Label button to print the label.