Diagnosis
The failure of the Canon PIXMA TS6420a to locate your wireless network is typically rooted in a frequency mismatch or a security protocol conflict. This specific model utilizes a 2.4GHz wireless radio. Modern "Smart" or "Mesh" routers often utilize a feature called Band Steering, which broadcasts the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands under a single SSID. When the TS6420a attempts to handshake with the router, the router may attempt to force the device onto the 5GHz band or fail to respond to the legacy 2.4GHz discovery requests, causing the "Network Not Found" error. Furthermore, the TS6420a struggles with WPA3 security encryption. If your router is set to "WPA3 Only" or "WPA2/WPA3 Mixed Mode," the printer's network card may fail to authenticate the handshake, resulting in a timeout during the scanning phase. You can confirm this by checking if other older 2.4GHz devices (like smart plugs or old tablets) are also struggling to connect to that specific network.
How to Fix It
To bypass the automated discovery failures, you must perform a Manual Setup via the printer's onboard LCD panel to force a direct connection to the 2.4GHz band.
- Power on the printer and ensure the home screen is visible. Press the Setup (pliers/screwdriver icon) button.
- Use the arrow buttons to navigate to Device Settings and press the OK button.
- Scroll down to LAN Settings and press OK.
- Select Wireless LAN Setup and press OK.
- Choose Manual Setup. This is critical; do not use "Easy Wireless Connect" or "WPS," as these often fail on Mesh networks.
- The printer will now search for available SSIDs. If your network does not appear, you must log into your router settings and temporarily disable "Smart Connect" or "Band Steering" to create a dedicated 2.4GHz SSID (e.g., "HomeWifi_2.4G").
- Select your 2.4GHz network from the list and press OK.
- Enter your network password. Use the arrow keys to toggle between uppercase, lowercase, and numbers. Be precise with capitalization, as the TS6420a is case-sensitive.
- Once the password is entered, select OK. The screen should display "Connected" with a signal strength indicator.
If That Didn't Work
- Change Router Security Protocol: Access your router's admin panel (usually 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1) and change the Wireless Security from "WPA3" to "WPA2-AES (CCMP)." The TS6420a is not fully compatible with WPA3, and switching to WPA2 often resolves the "Network Not Found" or "Incorrect Password" loop.
- Perform a Network Reset: Clear the printer's cached network data. Go to Setup > Device Settings > LAN Settings > Reset LAN Settings. Power cycle the printer and the router, then attempt the Manual Setup again. This clears any "ghost" IP assignments that might be blocking the connection.
- Assign a Static IP Address: If the printer connects but then drops, use the Canon PRINT app on a smartphone to assign a static IP to the printer. This prevents the router from rotating the DHCP lease, which frequently causes the TS6420a to lose its connection to the PC.
- Disable IPv6: In the printer's LAN Settings, look for the IPv6 option and set it to Disable. Some modern routers struggle to route traffic to the TS6420a when both IPv4 and IPv6 are active, leading to a "Printer Offline" status even when connected to WiFi.
Heads Up
- Avoid placing the printer directly on top of your router; a distance of at least 3-5 feet is necessary to prevent signal interference (EMI) that can cause the wireless card to drop packets.
- If you use a VPN on your computer, you must disable it during the initial driver installation, as the installer cannot "see" the printer on the local subnet while the VPN tunnel is active.
- Always ensure the printer firmware is updated via the Canon website; early versions of the TS6420a firmware had known bugs regarding WPA2-Enterprise authentication.
- Keep in mind that the TS6420a does not support 5GHz networks; if your router only broadcasts 5GHz, you will never be able to connect this device without adding a 2.4GHz radio.