Brother MFC-J650DW Can't connect LAN or USB cables

[Ward Webber]

I've been having trouble with the wireless connection to my printer, so I'm trying to make a wired connection. The instructions say to just insert a USB cable or an ethernet cable (Cat 5, I assume) to the printer under the scanner. My router takes only ethernet cables, so I'm using that. But the cable sockets in the printer are too small for a Cat 5 connector; they seem more like phone line sockets. How can I make a wired connection from the printer to my router?

 

[sabretooth02]

That's because those are the FAX phone connectors. Look around for your Ethernet connector.

 

[Ward Webber]

Thanks for the response, sabretooth02. I can find three sockets under the scanner bed. One is labeled "EXT.", with a telephone symbol; too small for a Cat 5 connector. The one next to it is labeled "LINE" and is also too small; it appears to be identical to the other one. The third has a USB symbol, but has an odd square-looking socket that doesn't appear to fit a normal USB connector.
Anyway, it turns out that my printer has no Ethernet socket; it can connect only to a wireless network. Here's a quote from a PC Magazine web review of it: "Also under the category of connection choices that the Brother MFC-J870DW has but the MFC-J650DW doesn't are Ethernet and Wi-Fi Direct." I could connect my own PC directly to the printer using a USB cable, but I don't think that would let my wife print from her computer. Looks as if I have to go wireless after all.

 

[sabretooth02]

Looks like you are correct. I have the 870dw and it has an Ethernet port. The 650 does not according to the manual.