How to Change a Printer’s IP Address

Change a network printer’s IP address through its network settings or supported web-management page, or use a DHCP reservation in your router for a stable address. Then check the printer’s new address and update any computer connection that still points to the old one.

These are IPv4 instructions for Wi-Fi or Ethernet printers. A USB-only printer has no network address to change. Menu names depend on the printer and router model. On a work or school network, have the administrator plan the change. Instructions reviewed against manufacturer documentation on October 2, 2026.

Before Changing Anything

Use the printer’s screen or a fresh network report to find its current IP address. Record the active wired or wireless interface, MAC address, address-assignment method, subnet mask, gateway and any DNS settings. Save the existing configuration so you can restore it through the printer’s controls if the new settings fail.

Choose an unused address in the correct subnet. Do not copy an example address or use the router’s address. For a manual static address, keep it outside the DHCP allocation pool or have the administrator exclude it from automatic allocation. A missing response to ping alone does not prove an address is free. TP-Link explains address conflicts, including conflicts involving printers.

Option 1: Reserve an Address in the Router

For a home printer that currently receives its address automatically, a DHCP reservation can keep it predictable without entering a manual static configuration on the printer. Leave the printer set to DHCP/automatic assignment for this method. For a worked example on one router, see how to reserve an IP address on a Netgear N600.

1. Open the authorized management app or page for your router.
2. Find Address Reservation, DHCP Reservation, or its equivalent. Match the printer’s active-interface MAC address to its network report.
3. Select that device and reserve its current address, or enter an available address permitted by the router. Save and enable the reservation as required.
4. Follow your router’s instructions for applying the change and renewing the printer’s connection. A new reservation may not replace an existing lease immediately. Restart the printer if instructed, then check a fresh network report.

As a model-specific example, TP-Link’s Deco reservation guide uses More > Advanced > Address Reservation in the Deco app. Other routers use different controls. Reserving the current address for stability does not require choosing a different number.

Option 2: Set a Manual Address on the Printer

1. Open the printer’s Network or TCP/IP settings for its active connection. If supported, you can instead open its current address in a browser on the same network and sign in with the authorized administrator account.
2. Follow the exact model’s manual to select manual/static addressing rather than automatic DHCP assignment.
3. Enter the approved unused IP address, correct subnet mask and gateway, and DNS values if required. Check each value before saving.
4. Apply the settings. Restart only if the model’s instructions require it. The browser may disconnect because the printer has moved to the new address.
5. Print another network report or read the printer’s status screen. Confirm the actual address before changing computer settings.

Brother’s network-setting guide shows control-panel and browser methods for its listed models, including separate wired and wireless settings. Use the documentation for your own model; not every printer has the same menu or supports both methods.

Reconnect Computers That Still Use the Old Address

Changing a Windows printer port changes where the PC sends jobs; it does not change the physical printer’s address. Connections using discovery or a working hostname may continue to work. Check before replacing anything.

For a supported Windows TCP/IP queue that still uses the old address, open Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners > your printer > Printer properties > Ports. Follow the model’s instructions to update or add the matching port. Brother’s current Windows instructions show adding a Standard TCP/IP Port with the verified address and selecting it. Keep the old configuration until a test page succeeds. Shared print-server queues should be updated by their administrator.

On a Mac, use our Mac printer setup guide to add the supported IP connection if necessary. After reconnecting, print one page from the intended printer. Check other computers that had explicitly stored the old address.

If the Printer Becomes Unreachable

Read the address directly on the printer or its report, then check the network, assignment method and saved values. Correct them through the printer’s controls, or ask the administrator to restore the recorded configuration. Do not reset the whole router or change the computer’s network settings merely to guess your way back to the printer.