paxolin,

Router access is essential in order set a Static IP address.

Others can advise if there is a possible way to deal with your printer wifi connection.

Thanks for the reply.
Yes I'd realised that, but it's not possible in my case as I said. I'll wait to see if there are other suggestions.

paxolin,

If your computer has no spare USB ports, then buy a USB hub and then use a printer cable to connect from the hub to the printer.

Your MFC-J430W printer certainly has a USB port:
http://support.brother.com/g/b/faqen...aq00000557_002

USB 2.0 hub:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/AmazonBasics...hub+2.0+4+port

USB 3.0 hub:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Release-Ank...hub+3.0+4+port


When you reach the question about Device URI, choose:

For USB Users: Choose N(No) and press Enter.

Instructions now read:

To get the Linux driver for your printer, go here:
http://support.brother.com/g/b/downl...30w_all&os=128

Click on Driver Install Tool.

Click on Agree to the EULA and Download.

Select Save file and click on OK.

The linux-brprinter-installer-2.1.1-1.gz appears to be in your Downloads folder.


Open a Terminal window (Menu > Terminal).

In order to access the correct file location (Downloads), type the appropriate command in Terminal and press Enter.


Next type this command to extract the downloaded file:


and press Enter.

You now need to get superuser authorization with the "su" command or "sudo su" command.

Type in Terminal:

Press Enter, type your password. Note that nothing will be displayed for security reasons.
Then press Enter again.

Now run the tool by typing:

Press Enter.

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) and press Enter.

For Network Users: Choose Y(Yes) and DeviceURI number.

The install process may take some time. Please wait until it is complete.

The OP should have been able to use Mint's file manager to extract the gzip installer file and run it by double clicking it, similar to how Windows would work. I agree with beachboy2, try to get it working with usb first and then work on the wifi part.

Hi again,

So many thanks to everyone who has posted with suggestions.
At the moment I'm not going to try anything further due to the worry I have, which I posted before:

"I can't afford to lose the Windows settings/current access via WiFi to the Brother printer. My wife needs to use it for her work - via her iPad - and I would have no idea how to change any settings anyway, as the iPad OS is completely in Thai language."

I have contacted Brother directly about this issue, in case they can suggest what to do, or hopefully confirm one way or the other if I can add the Linux setup, without losing the original Windows settings.

I'll keep you all informed on the outcome of this. I don't want people to think I just didn't bother to do anything, after so much help here.
Thanks to everyone.

paxolin,

Connecting your laptop to the printer via a printer cable should have no effect whatsoever on your wife’s iPad wireless connection to the printer. They are totally separate connections.

Your computer is trying to recognise that Brother printer. It cannot do so at the moment because your computer does not have the correct software driver.

No changes are being made to the printer.

The changes are being made to your computer's software (i.e. adding a driver) and also telling the computer that a USB connection is being used.

You only need to connect the printer cable to your computer as and when required. Just leave the cable connected to the printer in the meantime.

The other alternative is to buy an HP printer for your own use.

HP printers are Linux-friendly and use the hplip installer:
http://www.hplipopensource.com/hplip...stall/install/

There’s a few developments since my last post. I haven’t yet received a reply from Brother Support, but I’ll continue to wait on that.

beachboy2, you said my computer is trying to recognise the printer, but the driver isn’t installed yet. It occurred to me that perhaps it was already, as when I d/l and ran the driver program, I aborted it after installing it, but before configuring it to connect the to printer.
I went into Admin>Printers, and my Brother printer was there! It was also listed as “Connected to localhost” which I assume is the existing WiFi network via my router. So it must have found it and connected, having realised the driver was installed?

I can print documents using this as the printer. Under the heading “Tests and Maintenance” I found I can “Print Test Page” OK, but “Print Self-Test Page” and “Clean Print Heads” do nothing. So I guessing there are some minor comms issues between my PC and the printer, but nothing too important at the moment.

I’ve checked under Windows and the printer still works OK. So at least I can print in Linux now, which is great.
Thanks to everyone for helping and offering suggestions.

I’m getting a bit ambitious now, the next thing I’d like to do is try and find if I can use the scanner option some how.
In Windows, Brother supplies a package that allows users to run a WiFi scanner utility program. I can’t see that under Linux, only “scanner drivers”, which I can’t see the point of if there isn’t a program to control the scanner? Perhaps I just haven’t found it?

paxolin,

The Driver Install Tool has already been installed:
The tool will install LPR, CUPSwrapper driver and scanner driver (for scanner models).

You must install simple-scan:

Menu > Graphics > Simple Scan > Scan

Hi beachboy2, thanks again for all the help.

I've tried to follow what I thought were straightforward instructions above. This is the result:

After that was done, I went for:

I must have misunderstood the line with the 0 and 36 option in it, as you can see above.

I found Simple Scan in the Graphics menu as you explained, but when running it, it told me it failed to scan. see the attached image.
Clicking on the Menu at the Top LHS, then Preferences, you can also see there isn't a scan source to select from. I don't know why that is? There must be something that still needs configuring, or it's not talking to the printer 100% yet?

For network-attached Brother devices you need to configure first using the brsaneconfig4 utility (as explained on the Brother scanner driver page)...

Although I generally prefer to use static IP addresses for network printers/scanners, it is also possible to configure the scanner by name (as set by machine front-panel)

paxolin,

You need to connect your computer via a printer cable to the Brother MFC-J430W and then follow the instructions in post #18.

The latter part of the setup has not been completed. After running:

you need to:

Press Enter.

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) and press Enter.

For Network Users: Choose Y(Yes) and DeviceURI number. (Ignore this).

The install process may take some time. Please wait until it is complete.

I hope I did this right this time. I connected the scanner to the USB, then ran
then


waited a while

Left the USB attached (was this correct?)

Ran the scan program, Still failed, but with a slightly different error, as per the attached.

edit: Just noticed that the printer has now been added for a second time, listed as connected to localhost again (even though the USB is still connected at present).

paxolin,

Does the printer actually print one or more of your documents?

I've just printed a document. I've renamed one of the printers as when the second one installed it was exactly alike, except that I can see now the second one has Letter size paper as the default, the first one I changed to A4 already.
Can I disconnect the USB cable yet?