can i use my canon mg3620 wirelessly without installing the cloud printing center stuff?

Diagnosis

The confusion stems from the distinction between "Cloud Printing" and "Local Wireless Networking." The Canon Inkjet Cloud Printing Center is a proprietary middleware service designed for remote printing from outside your home network (e.g., sending a document from a hotel to your home printer). It is an optional add-on service that requires a Canon account and internet-facing registration. It is entirely separate from the printer's physical ability to communicate with your Wi-Fi router. When you attempt to set up the MG3620, the software installer often pushes the Cloud Printing Center as a primary feature. However, the hardware itself uses the IEEE 802.11b/g/n standard to establish a local Area Network (LAN) connection. To confirm you are using local wireless rather than cloud services, check your printer's network status: if the Wi-Fi icon on the LCD is solid and the printer has a local IP address (e.g., 192.168.1.X), you are operating on a local wireless connection and do not need any cloud-based software to print from devices within your home.

How to Fix It

To bypass the Cloud Printing Center and establish a direct wireless connection to your local network, follow these exact steps:

1. **Initiate WPS Mode:** On the printer control panel, press and hold the "Wi-Fi" button until the Power lamp flashes. Press the "Color" or "Black" button once, then press the "Wi-Fi" button again. The Wi-Fi lamp will flash rapidly, indicating the printer is searching for a WPS-enabled router.
2. **Activate Router WPS:** Within two minutes, press the WPS button on your wireless router. Hold it for 3-5 seconds. Once the connection is established, the Wi-Fi lamp on the MG3620 will stop flashing and remain lit.
3. **Install Local Drivers (Windows/Mac):** Instead of using the "Full Software Suite" which prompts for cloud registration, download the "MG3600 series MP Drivers" from the Canon support site. During installation, select "Wireless LAN Connection" when prompted for the connection method.
4. **Direct Device Pairing (Mobile):** For iOS or Android, do not use the Cloud Printing app. Instead, ensure your phone is on the same SSID as the printer. The MG3620 is AirPrint compatible; simply select "Print" in your document app, and the printer will appear automatically in the list without any additional software.
5. Verify Connection: Print a network configuration page by pressing the "Stop/Reset" button repeatedly until the Alarm lamp flashes 15 times, then press the "Color" button. This confirms the printer is on your local IP and not relying on a cloud relay.

If That Didn't Work

• Manual IP Assignment: If the printer is connected but "Offline," access your router's admin panel and assign a Static IP to the printer's MAC address. This prevents the router from changing the printer's IP address via DHCP, which frequently breaks the connection between the PC and the MG3620.
• Disable Firewall Blocking: Ensure that your computer's firewall is not blocking ports 80, 443, or the specific Canon bidirectional communication ports. Set the Canon printer driver to "Allow" in your Windows Defender or macOS Firewall settings.
• Reset Network Settings: If you previously attempted a cloud setup and it failed, clear the NVRAM. Turn the printer off. Hold the "Stop/Reset" button and turn the printer on. Release the button when the Power lamp flashes. This wipes all previous network credentials and allows a clean WPS handshake.
• Check 2.4GHz vs 5GHz: The MG3620 only supports 2.4GHz wireless bands. If your router uses "Smart Connect" (merging both bands into one SSID), the printer may fail to connect. Split your router bands into two separate SSIDs (e.g., "Home_Wifi" and "Home_Wifi_5G") and connect the printer specifically to the 2.4GHz band.

Heads Up

• Avoid "Wireless Setup" Software: The standalone setup utility often forces you into the cloud registration loop. Using the WPS button method on the hardware is the fastest way to avoid this.
• Ink Clogging: Because the MG3620 uses fine nozzles, if you stop printing for 2-3 weeks while it's in wireless standby, the print head may clog. Run a "Cleaning" cycle from the Maintenance tab of the driver monthly.
• Paper Jam Prevention: Always ensure the rear tray guides are snug against the paper. If they are too loose, the wireless "Print" command will trigger, but the printer will throw a "Paper Out" error because it failed to grip the sheet.
• Power Cycle: If the printer becomes unresponsive over Wi-Fi, unplug the power cord from the wall for 30 seconds. This resets the internal wireless NIC without deleting your network settings.