wireless keeps dropping. have to restart the printer every day to get it back on the network.

Diagnosis

The Brother MFC-L2820DW frequently drops its connection because it is configured by default to use DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol). This means your router assigns a temporary IP address that expires. When the printer enters "Deep Sleep" mode to save power, the network interface card (NIC) often fails to "wake up" and request a new lease from the router, causing the printer to appear offline. Furthermore, this model often struggles with "Band Steering," where a dual-band router tries to force the printer from the 2.4GHz band to the 5GHz band. Since the MFC-L2820DW only supports 2.4GHz, the router effectively kicks the device off the network. You can confirm this by checking the printer's Network Configuration Report; if the IP address shows 0.0.0.0 or a 169.254.x.x address, the printer has lost its handshake with the gateway.

How to Fix It

To permanently stabilize the connection, you must transition the printer from a dynamic IP to a static IP and adjust the power management settings.

1. Print the Network Configuration page: Press the Settings (wrench/screwdriver icon) button > All Settings > Print Reports > Network Configuration. Note the current IP address and the MAC address (e.g., 00:11:22:AA:BB:CC).
2. Access your router's administrative panel via a web browser (usually 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1).
3. Navigate to the LAN Setup or DHCP Server section. Locate the "Address Reservation" or "Static IP" table.
4. Enter the MAC address of the Brother printer and assign it a specific IP address outside of the common DHCP pool (for example, if your router assigns .2 through .100, assign the printer .150). Save and apply the changes.
5. On the printer's physical control panel, go to Settings > All Settings > Network > TCP/IP.
6. Change Boot Method from "DHCP" to "Static." Enter the IP address, Subnet Mask (typically 255.255.255.0), and Gateway (your router's IP) manually.
7. Navigate to Settings > All Settings > General Setup > Ecology > Sleep Time. Set this to the maximum allowed time or disable "Deep Sleep" if the option is available in your firmware version to prevent the NIC from powering down.

If That Didn't Work

• Separate your SSID bands: If your router uses the same name for 2.4GHz and 5GHz, create a separate guest network or a dedicated 2.4GHz SSID specifically for the printer. This prevents the router from attempting to "steer" the printer to a frequency it cannot support.
• Disable IPv6: The MFC-L2820DW can experience conflicts when both IPv4 and IPv6 are active. Go to Settings > All Settings > Network > TCP/IP > IPv6 and select Off. This forces the printer to use the stable IPv4 static address you configured.
• Update Firmware via USB: Wireless updates can sometimes fail mid-process, leaving the network stack unstable. Download the latest firmware from the Brother support site and use a USB-A to USB-B cable to update the machine directly from a PC.
• Change Wireless Channel: Use a Wi-Fi analyzer app to see if your router is on a crowded channel (usually 1, 6, or 11). Manually switch your router to a less congested channel to reduce signal interference that causes the printer to drop the connection.

Heads Up

• Avoid placing the printer directly next to a microwave or a large metal filing cabinet, as these cause significant EMI (Electromagnetic Interference) that disrupts the 2.4GHz signal.
• If you change your router or ISP, you must perform a Network Reset on the printer before attempting to reconnect to a new SSID.
• Always verify that the "Wireless" LED on the machine is solid green; a blinking green light indicates the printer is searching for a signal and is not yet authenticated.
• Keep the printer's firmware updated to the latest version to resolve known "Deep Sleep" connectivity bugs introduced in early hardware revisions.