printer won't connect to wifi, tr4720 just shows the wifi light blinking.

Diagnosis

The blinking Wi-Fi light on the Canon PIXMA TR4720 indicates that the printer is in a state of "searching" or "setup mode." This occurs when the device has a valid IP configuration attempt but cannot establish a handshake with the wireless router. This is most frequently caused by a mismatch between the printer's expected security protocol (WPA2/WPA3) and the router's current broadcast settings, or the printer attempting to connect to a 5GHz band when the TR4720 hardware only supports 2.4GHz. In many cases, this happens after a power surge or router firmware update that resets the DHCP table, leaving the printer with a stale IP address that is no longer recognized by the gateway. You can confirm this by checking the printer's network status via the LCD panel; if the network icon is flashing and the "Wireless LAN" status shows "Disconnected" or "Connecting," the hardware is functional but the software handshake is failing.

How to Fix It

To resolve the blinking light and establish a stable connection, you must perform a hard network reset and a manual "Easy Wireless Connect" sequence.

1. Power off the printer completely. Unplug the power cable from the wall for 30 seconds to clear the temporary cache.
2. Plug the printer back in and turn it on.
3. Press and hold the Setup button (the button with the pliers/screwdriver icon) until the LCD screen displays the maintenance menu.
4. Use the arrow buttons to navigate to Device settings and press OK.
5. Select LAN settings > Reset LAN settings and confirm with OK. This wipes any corrupted SSID or password data.
6. Press and hold the Wireless Connect button (the button that looks like a smartphone/tablet) for approximately 3 seconds. The screen will prompt you to "Follow the instructions on the computer or smartphone."
7. Open the Canon PRINT Inkjet/SELPHY app on your mobile device or the setup software on your PC.
8. Select "Add Printer" and choose the TR4720. When prompted, enter your 2.4GHz Wi-Fi password exactly.
9. Wait for the Wi-Fi light to stop blinking and remain a solid blue. Once solid, the printer has successfully leased an IP address.

If That Didn't Work

• Separate Your Router Bands: Many modern routers use "Smart Connect" to merge 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands into one SSID. The TR4720 often fails to connect to these merged signals. Log into your router settings (usually 192.168.1.1) and create a separate SSID specifically for 2.4GHz (e.g., "HomeWifi_2G"). Connect the printer to this dedicated band.
• Assign a Static IP Address: If the light stops blinking but the printer frequently disconnects, the DHCP lease is expiring. Use the printer's embedded web server (EWS) by typing the printer's IP address into a web browser. Navigate to Network Settings > IPv4 and change the IP assignment from "Automatic" to "Manual," assigning an address outside your router's dynamic range (e.g., 192.168.1.200).
• Disable MAC Filtering: Check your router's security settings to ensure MAC address filtering is turned off. If it is on, the router will reject the TR4720's connection request even if the password is correct. You will need to find the MAC address on the printer's network configuration page and whitelist it in the router admin panel.
• Perform a Factory Reset: If the network settings reset failed, perform a full system reset. Navigate to Setup > Device Settings > Reset all settings. This will clear all custom configurations and force the wireless card to restart from a factory state.

Heads Up

• Avoid 5GHz: Never attempt to connect this printer to a 5GHz network; it is hardware-incapable of seeing those signals and will cause the Wi-Fi light to blink indefinitely.
• Distance Matters: Ensure the printer is within 15 feet of the router during the initial setup process to prevent packet loss during the handshake.
• Firmware Updates: Once connected, go to Setup > Device Settings > Firmware Update. Outdated firmware on the TR4720 often causes compatibility issues with newer WPA3 security routers.
• Power Save Mode: If the printer "disappears" from the network after being idle, disable "Auto Power Off" in the settings to keep the wireless card active.