brother Printer Drivers

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MadDog

brother Printer Drivers

Post by MadDog »

Hello,

I have decided to try Linux Mint 17.1 as I have decided that I hate Windows.

I have 2 Brother Printers, 1 is a MFC7360n which is a B&W laser all in one machine and the other is a HL-4150CDN which is a colour Laser.

I go to PRINTERS, Click +Add, Network Printer, it lists my printers (each one twice) the first one gives a long number in the HOST box and says BINARY_P1 in the Queue box the second one just says AppSocket/JetDirect network printer via DNS-SD

I don't understand this and I don't know which of these to click, I've tried both but neither seem to work.

the Brother website does offer printer drivers but I cannot understand how to install them??

help would be great.

Matt
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Spearmint2
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Re: brother Printer Drivers

Post by Spearmint2 »

MadDog wrote:Hello,

I have decided to try Linux Mint 17.1 as I have decided that I hate Windows.

I have 2 Brother Printers, 1 is a MFC7360n which is a B&W laser all in one machine and the other is a HL-4150CDN which is a colour Laser.
Printer 1 = ethernet connection, or USB?

Printer 2 = ethernet or USB?

any wireless ability of either?
MadDog wrote: I go to PRINTERS, Click +Add, Network Printer, it lists my printers (each one twice) the first one gives a long number in the HOST box and says BINARY_P1 in the Queue box the second one just says AppSocket/JetDirect network printer via DNS-SD
Other than denoting their names or ethernet connection, I don't know to what those apply. HOST if it had been blank might have been a request for your computer's IP address, but doesn't seem that's what it's for in this case.

Check the IP address of the printers on your router, see what DHCP has assigned them, then do Add Printer and assign it to the IP address for each one, one per printer.
MadDog wrote:the Brother website does offer printer drivers but I cannot understand how to install them??
Without a link to the drivers, I can't help you on those either, I won't know of which you speak.
All things go better with Mint. Mint julep, mint jelly, mint gum, candy mints, pillow mints, peppermint, chocolate mints, spearmint,....
MadDog

Re: brother Printer Drivers

Post by MadDog »

Spearmint2 wrote:
MadDog wrote:Hello,

I have decided to try Linux Mint 17.1 as I have decided that I hate Windows.

I have 2 Brother Printers, 1 is a MFC7360n which is a B&W laser all in one machine and the other is a HL-4150CDN which is a colour Laser.
Printer 1 = ethernet connection, or USB?

Printer 2 = ethernet or USB?

any wireless ability of either?
MadDog wrote: I go to PRINTERS, Click +Add, Network Printer, it lists my printers (each one twice) the first one gives a long number in the HOST box and says BINARY_P1 in the Queue box the second one just says AppSocket/JetDirect network printer via DNS-SD
Other than denoting their names or ethernet connection, I don't know to what those apply. HOST if it had been blank might have been a request for your computer's IP address, but doesn't seem that's what it's for in this case.

Check the IP address of the printers on your router, see what DHCP has assigned them, then do Add Printer and assign it to the IP address for each one, one per printer.
MadDog wrote:the Brother website does offer printer drivers but I cannot understand how to install them??
Without a link to the drivers, I can't help you on those either, I won't know of which you speak.
Thanks, To be honest I only need the colour printer,

Printer 1, Brother HL-4150CDN , it is plugged in to ethernet, not wireless.

I don't fully understand the next bit

the drivers on the Brother web page are at

http://support.brother.com/g/b/download ... 150cdn_all

thanks
MadDog

Re: brother Printer Drivers

Post by MadDog »

actually I have today managed to intstall a the driver for a brother hl-4050cdn which was on the list in the intstall printers bit and although its not exactly the same model it does seem to work perfectly.....

so I think i'm sorted with this issue now.

Thanks
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Re: brother Printer Drivers

Post by Spearmint2 »

great. remember to change first header to SOLVED -

it helps others looking for a fix to know the best thread to find it.
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KirbySmith

Re: brother Printer Drivers

Post by KirbySmith »

For the record, somewhere on Brother's web site are exhaustive directions for installing not only printer drivers but also scanner drivers. The Brother website should be checked whenever drivers are needed because the specified versions seem to change intermittently.

HP is one of the most Linux compatible printer companies out there, and in my experience there are suitable drivers available in the Mint build. One can always go HP's site and check for updates.

The above comments are based on experience with Ethernet attached printers capable of acting as their own printer servers. I cannot address any complications related to wireless connections.

Other aids:

For access to CUPS use a browser to go to http://localhost:631/ and note top line menu.

For access to the historical printer GUI, open a terminal and type: sudo system-config-printer

kirby
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Re: brother Printer Drivers

Post by Spearmint2 »

I use a wireless HP printer (photosmart 4700 variety) and only had problems with ability to see ink levels. I've not tried loading the ink level program in WINE.
All things go better with Mint. Mint julep, mint jelly, mint gum, candy mints, pillow mints, peppermint, chocolate mints, spearmint,....
MadDog

Re: brother Printer Drivers

Post by MadDog »

KirbySmith wrote:For the record, somewhere on Brother's web site are exhaustive directions for installing not only printer drivers but also scanner drivers. The Brother website should be checked whenever drivers are needed because the specified versions seem to change intermittently.

HP is one of the most Linux compatible printer companies out there, and in my experience there are suitable drivers available in the Mint build. One can always go HP's site and check for updates.

The above comments are based on experience with Ethernet attached printers capable of acting as their own printer servers. I cannot address any complications related to wireless connections.

Other aids:

For access to CUPS use a browser to go to http://localhost:631/ and note top line menu.

For access to the historical printer GUI, open a terminal and type: sudo system-config-printer

kirby
that does assume that I know which of the 3 drivers to download, what to do with them when I have, and, what is CUPS? top line menu?
KirbySmith

Re: brother Printer Drivers

Post by KirbySmith »

I concede that you might have a problem that, without direct experience with your particular all-in-one printer, I cannot be particularly useful in addressing.

However, I think you are confusing what Brother shows when you check Linux and deb. These are not three different drivers, but a choice between running a program to install two drivers, and a pair of drivers, both of which are useful, though the LPR may be less so. To make sense of the three downloads, it is necessary to search in Brother's website for directions. They are there somewhere and are fairly detailed. You should only need the driver install tool to end up with a functioning printer, assuming a reasonably uncomplicated network.

I found this that is a version of the one I last used, (but added some hints). You get this when you pick the installer to download:

Code: Select all

Step1. Download the tool.(linux-brprinter-installer-*.*.*-*.gz)

The tool will be downloaded into the default "Download" directory.
(The directory location varies depending on your Linux distribution.)
e.g. /home/(LoginName)/Download

Step2. Open a terminal window and go to the directory you downloaded the file to in the last step.

Step3. Enter this command to extract the downloaded file:

Command: gunzip linux-brprinter-installer-*.*.*-*.gz

Step4. Get superuser authorization with the "su" command or "sudo su" command.

Step5. Run the tool:

Command: bash linux-brprinter-installer-*.*.*-* Brother machine name

[you can skip the sudo su by just putting sudo before bash in the command above]

Step6. The driver installation will start. Follow the installation screen directions.
 

 When you see the message "Will you specify the DeviceURI ?",

 For USB Users: Choose N(No)
 For Network Users: Choose Y(Yes) 

AND THEN WAIT PATIENTLY FOR A LIST
CHOOS THE CORRECT NUMBER (for me it was 11 for IP address when I did it)
When it asks for DeviceURI, put in the IP address, e.g., 192.168.20.106

The install process may take some time. Please wait until it is complete.
There is also a web site you can find using "Linux Printing" in Google. It may help.

CUPS is Linux universal printing software (originally Common Unix Printing System). I generally delve into the menus to see if a printer that is being obstinate has some mis-specified parameter. The CUPS interface is fairly high level.

What may be needed is the information buried in Brother's user manual of what port the printer wants to talk on, and you need to know what IP address the printer is on. To that end, your router should be set up to bind the printer's MAC to an IP address so it stays constant. This is one area where the greater automaticity of Windows dealing with printers on the network is superior. For my Brother all in one, at the device URI parameter, I have: socket://192.168.20.106 (my printers are on VLAN 20).

Last, I admit to having to work this out the hard way in the past, and some hints that I might have been able to give then are now forgotten.

kirby
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Re: brother Printer Drivers

Post by Spearmint2 »

MadDog wrote: that does assume that I know which of the 3 drivers to download, what to do with them when I have, and, what is CUPS? top line menu?
Simple answer is, you install them all, since it loads extra mods to the kernel, and hopefully the right one will be used. If not, then you see the one that is used that didn't work and blacklist it, then the next, etc. Either you end up with one that works, or not. In both Linux and Windows, when I've had a problem, assigning the printer's IP address when adding it overcame a lot of problems.
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DataMan

Re: brother Printer Drivers

Post by DataMan »

If you are not 100% good to go on your Brother Printers, you might want to take a look at the following post in the tutorials (it's the one I followed to configure a Brother multi-function a while ago) :

http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=42&t=103900

-DataMan
KirbySmith

Re: brother Printer Drivers

Post by KirbySmith »

I read that tutorial just now with admittedly less than maximum care, but I think Brother has made some improvements since then.

In any case, Ethernet connected printers on one's LAN (which act as their own print server) are "shared" independently of what one does in any particular PC. Each PC needs the drivers installed and operates independently of any other PC. Access to a printer can be contolled at one's router's firewall if necessary.

kirby
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