trying to connect it to wifi but it just won't find my network during setup.

Diagnosis

The Brother HL-L2350DW is unable to detect your network because of a fundamental frequency mismatch or a signal propagation failure. This model is engineered exclusively for the 2.4 GHz wireless band. Modern "Smart" or "Mesh" routers often use a single SSID for both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands (Band Steering). When the printer attempts to scan for networks, it may be ignored by the router if the router is attempting to force the device onto the 5 GHz band, or it may simply fail to see the SSID if the 2.4 GHz radio is disabled or configured with an unsupported security protocol. Furthermore, the internal wireless antenna on the HL-L2350DW is relatively small and shielded by the plastic chassis. If there are dense obstructions—such as metal filing cabinets, thick concrete walls, or other high-interference electronics—between the printer and the router, the signal-to-noise ratio drops below the threshold required for the printer to "handshake" with the access point. You can confirm this by attempting to connect a different 2.4 GHz-only device (like an older smart plug or legacy laptop) in the exact spot where the printer is sitting.

How to Fix It

To resolve this, you must ensure the network environment is visible to the 2.4 GHz radio and manually trigger the Setup Wizard. Follow these exact steps:

1. Access your router's administrative console via a web browser. Ensure that the 2.4 GHz band is enabled. If you have "Smart Connect" or "Band Steering" enabled, temporarily disable it to create separate SSIDs (e.g., "MyNetwork_2G" and "MyNetwork_5G").
2. Set the 2.4 GHz security mode to WPA2-PSK (AES). The HL-L2350DW can struggle with WPA3 or "Mixed Mode" settings during the initial discovery phase.
3. Physically move the printer within 5 feet of the router for the initial pairing process to eliminate signal attenuation.
4. On the printer's control panel, press the Menu button.
5. Use the arrow keys to navigate to Network and press OK.
6. Navigate to WLAN and press OK.
7. Select Setup Wizard and press OK.
8. When the screen asks "WLAN Enable?", select Yes.
9. The printer will now search for available SSIDs. Scroll through the list to find your 2.4 GHz network and press OK.
10. Enter your wireless password. Note that the printer interface is cumbersome; use the arrow keys to toggle between uppercase, lowercase, and numbers. Press OK after each character.
11. Once the password is confirmed, the printer will attempt to connect. A "Connected" message should appear on the LCD screen.

If That Didn't Work

• Use the WPS Method: If the Setup Wizard fails, use the Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) button on your router. In the printer menu, go to Network > WLAN > WPS. Press OK, then immediately press the physical WPS button on your router within 2 minutes. This bypasses the manual SSID search and password entry.
• Assign a Static IP: Sometimes the printer finds the network but cannot maintain a connection due to DHCP conflicts. Use the Brother BRS tool or the web-based management page (by typing the printer's IP into a browser) to assign a static IP address outside of your router's dynamic DHCP range.
• Reset Network Settings: Clear the printer's internal network cache. Go to Menu > Network > Network Reset. Select Yes and restart the machine. This wipes any corrupted previous connection attempts that might be blocking the current scan.
• Check Firewall/MAC Filtering: Ensure your router does not have MAC address filtering enabled. If it does, you must find the MAC address on the printer's configuration page (printed via Menu > Print Reports > Network Config) and manually whitelist it in the router settings.

Heads Up

• Avoid USB Interference: If you are using a USB cable for the initial setup, disconnect it before attempting the wireless Setup Wizard to prevent the printer from defaulting to a wired connection priority.
• Avoid 5GHz SSIDs: Never attempt to connect this model to a 5 GHz-only network; it is hardware-incapable of seeing those frequencies and will never populate them in the search list.
• Firmware Updates: Once connected, check for firmware updates via the Brother Utilities software on your PC. Newer firmware often improves the stability of the wireless radio and compatibility with newer Mesh router systems.
• Power Cycle Sequence: If the connection drops, always reboot the router first, wait 60 seconds, then reboot the printer. This forces a fresh DHCP request and often resolves "Offline" status errors.