You just bought it, or maybe you moved, or perhaps your router finally kicked the bucket and now you're staring at this sleek plastic box wondering why the "on" light is blinking at you like a rhythmic SOS. We've all been there. Connecting a printer should be easy, but the Canon PIXMA MG3600 series—which covers the MG3610, MG3620, and those ubiquitous MG3650 models—can be a bit of a temperamental beast if you don't hit the buttons in the exact right order.
It doesn't have a screen. That’s the real kicker. Without an LCD to guide you, you’re basically flying blind, relying on a series of cryptic flashes from the "Alarm" and "Wi-Fi" lamps.
But honestly? It’s actually pretty reliable once the handshake between the router and the hardware is finalized. Most people fail because they mistime the button presses. If you hold the button for three seconds when the manual meant five, the whole process just stalls. Let's get it sorted.
The WPS Push Button Method: The Path of Least Resistance
If your router was made in the last decade, it likely has a WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) button. This is the "easy mode" for how to connect Canon MG3600 printer to WiFi. You don't need a password. You don't even need a computer for this specific part.
First, make sure the printer is actually on. The power lamp should be steady. Now, here is the trick: press and hold the Wi-Fi button on the top left of the printer until the orange Alarm lamp flashes exactly once. Not twice. Just once. After that single flash, release the Wi-Fi button immediately.
At this point, the Wi-Fi lamp should start flashing blue. This is the printer saying, "I'm listening." You now have a two-minute window. Run—don't walk—to your router and press the WPS button.
Some routers require a long press; others just a tap. You’ll know it’s working because the blue light on the Canon will stop blinking and stay solid once the connection is established. If the orange Alarm light starts flashing again after a minute, the connection failed. Usually, this happens because the router's WPS "window" timed out or the signal was too weak. Try moving the printer closer to the router just for the setup phase. You can move it back later.
What if your router doesn't have a WPS button?
A lot of modern mesh systems, like Eero or certain Google Nest Wi-Fi points, have ditched the physical WPS button for "security reasons." It’s annoying, but not a dealbreaker. In this case, you’re going to use the Cableless Setup method.
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This requires the Canon PRINT Inkjet/SELPHY app on your phone. It’s available on both iOS and Android.
Open the app. It’ll ask for permission to find devices on your local network—say yes. On the printer, hold the Wi-Fi button until the Alarm lamp flashes two times. Release it. Now, the printer is broadcasting its own temporary internal network. On your phone’s Wi-Fi settings, you might see a network named "Canon_ij_Setup." Connect to that.
Once connected, go back to the app. It will recognize the MG3600 and ask which 2.4GHz network you want the printer to join. Enter your home Wi-Fi password. The app "pushes" the credentials to the printer. This is the most consistent way to get it done when hardware buttons fail you.
The 5GHz Frequency Trap
This is the big one. This is why most people end up returning their printers or calling tech support in a rage.
The Canon MG3600 series only supports 2.4GHz Wi-Fi frequencies.
Modern routers often combine 2.4GHz and 5GHz into a single network name (SSID). This is called "Smart Steering" or "Band Steering." Sometimes, your phone is on the 5GHz band, and it tries to tell the printer to connect to that. The printer can't see it. It's like trying to listen to an FM radio station on an AM dial.
If you're struggling, try logging into your router settings and temporarily splitting the bands. Give the 2.4GHz network a different name, like "Home_Wifi_Slow," and connect your phone to that before starting the setup. Once the printer is connected, you can usually merge the bands again, and the printer will stay remembered.
Using a Computer (Windows or Mac)
Maybe you don't want to use a phone. Fair enough. You can go to the Canon Support website and download the full driver and software package for the MG3600.
- Run the .exe or .dmg file.
- Choose "Wireless LAN Connection" as the connection method.
- Select "Connect via wireless router."
- If the software can't find the printer, it will ask you to perform a "Set up the network connection via USB cable."
Yes, you can use a standard USB A-to-B cable (the square-ish one) to "bridge" the connection. You plug the printer into the computer, the software recognizes the hardware, and then it asks for your Wi-Fi password. Once the printer is connected to the Wi-Fi, you can unplug the USB cable and throw it back in the junk drawer.
Common Troubleshooting: The "Blinking Orange" Nightmare
If you see the Alarm lamp flashing in a specific pattern, the printer is trying to tell you what's wrong.
- 2 Flashes: The printer is out of paper or the paper isn't feeding.
- 11 Flashes: The automatic Wi-Fi setup failed. This usually means you took too long to hit the WPS button or the password was wrong.
- Steady Orange: This often indicates a cartridge issue. The MG3600 won't connect to Wi-Fi if it thinks the ink is missing or the "handshake" with the cartridge chip failed.
One weird trick that often works: Power cycle the printer. Not just turning it off, but pulling the power cord out of the wall for 30 seconds. This clears the temporary cache in the internal wireless card.
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Confirming the Connection
How do you know it actually worked if the lights are confusing? Print the network configuration page.
Hold the Stop button (the one with the red triangle) until the Alarm lamp flashes 15 times. Yes, fifteen. Count them carefully. When you release it, the printer will spit out a page full of technical jargon. Look for the "Connection" line. If it says "Active" and shows your SSID, you're golden. If it says "Inactive," the printer is still an island.
Dealing with "Printer Offline" Errors
So, you got it connected, but three days later your laptop says the printer is offline. This happens because routers frequently assign new IP addresses to devices.
To fix this permanently, you should assign a Static IP to your Canon printer via your router’s admin panel. You'll need the MAC address, which you can find on that network configuration page we just talked about. By giving the printer a "reserved" spot on the network, your computer will never lose track of where it's supposed to send the print jobs.
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Essential Next Steps
- Update the Firmware: Once connected, use the Canon PRINT app to check for firmware updates. These often improve Wi-Fi stability.
- Disable "Auto Power Off": If the printer goes into a deep sleep, it sometimes drops the Wi-Fi connection. You can change the power management settings in the "Printer Properties" on your PC.
- Check Signal Strength: If the "Signal Strength" on your printed config page is below 60%, expect dropouts. You might need a Wi-Fi extender if the printer is two rooms away from the router.
The Canon MG3600 is a workhorse, but its lack of a screen makes the initial setup feel more like Morse code than tech support. Take it slow, watch the flashes, and remember that the 2.4GHz limitation is usually the culprit when things go south. Once that blue light stays solid, you’re ready to print.