[SOLVED] How to install Brother printer

beachboy2 · 02-08-2017, 07:34 AM

paxolin,

You sound like you actually have a working printer!

The cable only needs to be connected to your computer's USB port when you need to print something, so just unplug the USB until you next need to print.

Scanning:
With the printer cable connected, try switching off the computer and restarting it.

Put a document in the scanner and try:

Menu > Simple Scan > Scan

paxolin · 02-08-2017, 08:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beachboy2

paxolin,

You sound like you actually have a working printer!

The cable only needs to be connected to your computer's USB port when you need to print something, so just unplug the USB until you next need to print.

Scanning:
With the printer cable connected, try switching off the computer and restarting it.

Put a document in the scanner and try:

Menu > Simple Scan > Scan

I had the printer working already (see post #22) via the WiFi.

I plugged in the USB lead and reinstalled the printer driver as I thought you said I needed to do that to get the scanner installed?
Simple Scan still won't talk to the scanner, although it lists it as a scan source - but only when the USB lead is connected.

The printer stopped working over the WiFi. All documents end up sitting in the print queue. I've reinstalled it yet again without the USB cable, and it works again on WiFi. Still can't get the scanner to work though.

ferrari · 02-08-2017, 12:57 PM

For a network-attached Brother scanner you first need to configure using the brsaneconfig4 utility as I posted previously.

paxolin · 02-08-2017, 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ferrari

For a network-attached Brother scanner you first need to configure using the brsaneconfig4 utility as I posted previously.

ferrari,
I’m guessing you’re referring to posts #25 & #26? I’m sorry I didn’t understand that.

I can see in #25 it mentions ip, which (I think that) I don’t know, as I can’t access the router.
In post #26, I read what you wrote and typed “brsaneconfig4 –help” and it listed exactly as you had, so I must have the utility d/l OK?
I assume it’s brsaneconfig4 as my Brother is MFCJ430W, having the first digit of 4?

What is "nodename=BRN_xxxxx" I don’t understand what that means, or what it is?
Friendly name. Does that mean I must give it a name myself? Can I just call it “brother” for example?
If so, do I type exactly (in upper & lower case):

Code:

brsaneconfig4 -a name=brother model=MFCJ430W  nodename=BRN_xxxxx [enter]

and that’s it, done? (once I know what I need to type for BRN_xxxxx, of course)

Do I have to plug in the USB printer lead while I do all this? If I do, can I then remove it afterwards?

ferrari · 02-08-2017, 06:36 PM

Quote:

What is "nodename=BRN_xxxxx" I don’t understand what that means, or what it is?

It's your machine's nodename, and based on its network MAC address. You should be able to get that info from the front-panel.

Online manual...
https://www.brother-usa.com/VirData/...DW_EN_5038.PDF

From the online manual

Quote:

Node Name: The Node Name appears in the Network Configuration Report. The default Node Name is
“BRNxxxxxxxxxxxx” for a wired network or “BRWxxxxxxxxxxxx” for a wireless network (“xxxxxxxxxxxx” is
your machine’s MAC Address / Ethernet Address).

Print your network configuration...

Quote:

The Network Configuration Report prints a report listing the current network configuration including the
network print server settings.
For MFC-J430W/J432W
4
a
Press
Menu
.
b
Press
a
or
b
to choose
Print Reports
.
Press
OK
.
c
Press
a
or
b
to choose
Network Config
.
Press
OK
.
d
(For US) Press
Black Start
or
Color Start
.
(For UK) Press
Mono Start
or
Colour Start

Quote:

Friendly name. Does that mean I must give it a name myself? Can I just call it “brother” for example?

Yes

ferrari · 02-08-2017, 06:39 PM

You might also find your printer details are detected (if connected to the network) with

Code:

brsaneconfig4 -q

ferrari · 02-08-2017, 07:47 PM

BTW, the brsaneconfig4 utility creates a config file called /etc/opt/brother/scanner/brscan4/brsanenetdevice4.cfg

So, for example if the wireless nodename was BRW3005CD2F4EF2 then the following would be used to configure...

Code:

brsaneconfig4 -a name=Brother model=MFC-J430W nodename=BRW3005CD2F4EF2

You should also be able to ping the machine by its nodename (if avahi is running) eg

Code:

ping BRW3005CD2F4EF2.local

paxolin · 02-08-2017, 08:27 PM

ferrari,
This is looking hopeful now.
I followed your quotes from the manual, and have printed out the Network Configuration. (I live in Thailand, the manual I have in only in Thai)

It lists the MAC Address "a4-17-31-4c-54-e3"
Also listed is Node name "dhcppc0" (in my first post #1, I happened to listed this, but Mint listed it as "Host")

I'm confused now, as in your quote from the manual, it says:
"Node Name: The Node Name appears in the Network Configuration Report. The default Node Name is
“BRNxxxxxxxxxxxx” for a wired network or “BRWxxxxxxxxxxxx” for a wireless network (“xxxxxxxxxxxx” is
your machine’s MAC Address / Ethernet Address)."
So in there in brackets, it seems to be saying it could be the MAC address/ethernet address? Or is that part ignored, as it has printed a specific Node name already?

Whatever the BRN is, would it be possible to enter it using BRW, not BRN, to keep the scanner on the WiFi network (as I do in Windows)?
Would this be what I should enter?

Code:

brsaneconfig4 -a name=brother model=MFCJ430W  nodename=BRW_dhcppc0 [enter]

(I take it I need to include the underscore in nodename?)

I did try "brsaneconfig4 -q" That just listed over 300 lines what looked Brother-type printers?

I've just seem your additional post about ping. I don't understand a lot of this, but tried as many options as I could think of:

Code:

watt@PCMint ~ $ ping dhccp0.local
ping: unknown host dhccp0.local
watt@PCMint ~ $ ping BRWdhccp0.local
ping: unknown host BRWdhccp0.local
watt@PCMint ~ $ ping BRW_dhccp0.local
ping: unknown host BRW_dhccp0.local
watt@PCMint ~ $ ping BRN_dhccp0.local
ping: unknown host BRN_dhccp0.local
watt@PCMint ~ $ ping BRNdhccp0.local
ping: unknown host BRNdhccp0.local

Shouldn't this work, as the the printer is now working over the WiFi?

ferrari · 02-08-2017, 08:41 PM

You can check your printer nodename from the front-panel, and print the network details as explained already. Did you try printing a network configuration report yet? By default, Brother has configured the machine names based on its MAC addresses in the form BRNxxxxxxxxxxxx (ethernet interface) and BRWxxxxxxxxxxxx (wireless interface).

If the hostname really is dhccp0, then I would have expected this to work

Code:

brsaneconfig4 -a name=brother model=MFCJ430W  nodename=dhcppc0

To remove any existing config do this first before trying to configure again

Code:

brsaneconfig4 -r brother

ferrari · 02-08-2017, 08:48 PM

You need to be careful with your syntax, as you mentioned 'dhcppc0' but then pinged variant names

Did you try this?

Code:

ping dhcppc0.local

paxolin · 02-08-2017, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ferrari

You need to be careful with your syntax, as you mentioned 'dhcppc0' but then pinged variant names

Did you try this?

Code:

ping dhcppc0.local

You're absolutely right, I do need to pay more attention. This is definitely what it is: "dhcppc0"

ping: unknown host dhcppc0.local

ping: unknown host BRWdhcppc0.local

ping: unknown host BRW_dhcppc0.local

ping: unknown host BRN_dhcppc0.local

ping: unknown host BRNdhcppc0.local

No luck with any of those though. Is this a problem that it can't find it? I've just printed something via the WiFi 5 minutes ago, so it's definitely working.

ferrari · 02-08-2017, 09:15 PM

BTW, the 'dhcppc0' name is likely given by the router rather than the printer itself. (As long as it resolves to the printer's IP address that should be ok though.)

ferrari · 02-08-2017, 09:18 PM

Maybe avahi isn't running on your system? What about just the following?

Code:

ping dhcppc0

Also provide the output of

Code:

ip route

From that we should be able to scan for the IP address of the printer using something like 'nmap -sP 192.168.x.x - 192.168.x.x' (appropriate to your LAN)

ferrari · 02-08-2017, 09:41 PM

3 tools that can help identify devices on a network (you may need to install them first)

1) arp-scan

Code:

arp-scan --localnet

For example, I get...

Code:

# arp-scan --localnet
Interface: eth0, datalink type: EN10MB (Ethernet)
Starting arp-scan 1.9 with 256 hosts (http://www.nta-monitor.com/tools/arp-scan/)
192.168.90.1    00:0c:42:25:2b:1d       Routerboard.com
192.168.90.13   00:80:77:dc:41:9c       BROTHER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
192.168.90.150  94:57:a5:b1:ca:1f       (Unknown)

2) nmap

For example, I get

Code:

# nmap -sP 192.168.90.1-255

Starting Nmap 6.47 ( http://nmap.org ) at 2017-02-09 15:38 NZDT
Nmap scan report for 192.168.90.1
Host is up (-0.10s latency).
MAC Address: 00:0C:42:25:2B:1D (Routerboard.com)
Nmap scan report for 192.168.90.13
Host is up (-0.10s latency).
MAC Address: 00:80:77:DC:41:9C (Brother Industries)
Nmap scan report for 192.168.90.150
Host is up (0.00055s latency).
MAC Address: 94:57:A5:B1:CA:1F (Unknown)
Nmap scan report for 192.168.90.155
Host is up.
Nmap done: 255 IP addresses (4 hosts up) scanned in 3.51 seconds

3) For those who use avahi, avahi-browse can be useful

Example

Code:

# avahi-browse -a -r -t|egrep "host|address"
   hostname = [HL2150N.local]
   address = [192.168.90.13]
   hostname = [HL2150N.local]
   address = [192.168.90.13]
   hostname = [HL2150N.local]
   address = [192.168.90.13]
   hostname = [HL2150N.local]
   address = [192.168.90.13]
   hostname = [linux-kgxs.local]
   address = [fe80::a00:27ff:fe36:8614]
   hostname = [linux-kgxs.local]
   address = [fe80::a00:27ff:fe36:8614]
   hostname = [linux-kgxs.local]
   address = [fe80::a00:27ff:fe36:8614]
   hostname = [linux-kgxs.local]
   address = [192.168.90.155]
   hostname = [linux-kgxs.local]
   address = [192.168.90.155]
   hostname = [linux-kgxs.local]
   address = [192.168.90.155]

paxolin · 02-08-2017, 09:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ferrari

Maybe avahi isn't running on your system? What about just the following?

Code:

ping dhcppc0

Also provide the output of

Code:

ip route

From that we should be able to scan for the IP address of the printer using something like 'nmap -sP 192.168.x.x - 192.168.x.x' (appropriate to your LAN)

I'm afraid I understand only a very little of what you're telling me, but I can provide you with answers to your questions:

Code:

ping: unknown host dhcppc0
watt@PCMint ~ $ ip route
default via 192.168.1.1 dev enp2s0  proto static  metric 100 
169.254.0.0/16 dev enp2s0  scope link  metric 1000 
192.168.1.0/24 dev enp2s0  proto kernel  scope link  src 192.168.1.104  metric 100

See also the attached image for the printer network config. I didn't bother to include the comms mode at the bottom of the page, I didn't think that was necessary?
I had to reboot to Windows to scan this - a bit ironic there!