Installing Brother Priners and Scanners Just Got Easier

[robot_chicken_parm]

Brother has been great when it comes to providing GNU+Linux drivers in the past, and that continues with a new all in one "Driver Install Tool", that makes using your device with linux into a real breeze! I couldn't believe how much easier this has been than in years past when I had to install the LPR and Cups drivers, and then install the scanner drivers. The supported devices for this tool are:


DCP-110C, DCP-120C, DCP-130C, DCP-1400, DCP-165C, DCP-330C, DCP-350C, DCP-375CW, DCP-385C, DCP-395CN, DCP-585CW, DCP-7020, DCP-7030, DCP-7040, DCP-7060D, DCP-7065DN, DCP-8020, DCP-8025D, DCP-8040, DCP-8045D, DCP-8060, DCP-8065DN, DCP-8080DN, DCP-8085DN, DCP-8110DN, DCP-8150DN, DCP-8155DN, DCP-9040CN, DCP-9045CDN, DCP-J125, DCP-J140W, DCP-J152W, FAX-1820C, FAX-1840C, FAX-1860C, FAX-1920CN, FAX-1940CN, FAX-1960C, FAX-2440C, FAX-2480C, FAX-2580C, FAX-2820, FAX-2840, FAX-2900, FAX-2920, FAX-2940, FAX-3800, FAX-4100/FAX-4100e, FAX-4750e, FAX-5750e, HL-1230, HL-1240, HL-1250, HL-1270N, HL-1435, HL-1440, HL-1450, HL-1470N, HL-1650, HL-1670N, HL-1850, HL-1870N, HL-2040, HL-2070N, HL-2140, HL-2170W, HL-2220, HL-2230, HL-2240, HL-2240D, HL-2270DW, HL-2275DW, HL-2280DW, HL-2460, HL-2600CN, HL-2700CN, HL-3040CN, HL-3045CN, HL-3070CW, HL-3075CW, HL-3140CW, HL-3170CDW, HL-3450CN, HL-4150CDN, HL-4570CDW, HL-4570CDWT, HL-5030, HL-5040, HL-5050, HL-5070N, HL-5140, HL-5150D, HL-5170DN, HL-5240, HL-5250DN, HL-5280DW, HL-5340D, HL-5350DN, HL-5370DW/HL-5370DWT, HL-5440D, HL-5450DN, HL-5470DW, HL-5470DWT, HL-6050D, HL-6050DN, HL-6180DW, HL-6180DWT, HL-7050, HL-7050N, HL-8050N, HL-L8250CDN, HL-L8350CDW, HL-L8350CDWT, HL-L9200CDWT, HL-S7000DN, MFC-210C, MFC-230C, MFC-240C, MFC-250C, MFC-255CW, MFC-290C, MFC-295CN, MFC-3220C, MFC-3240C, MFC-3320CN, MFC-3340CN, MFC-3360C, MFC-3420C, MFC-3820CN, MFC-420CN, MFC-440CN, MFC-465CN, MFC-4800, MFC-490CW, MFC-495CW, MFC-5440CN, MFC-5460CN, MFC-5490CN, MFC-5840CN, MFC-5860CN, MFC-5890CN, MFC-5895CW, MFC-620CN, MFC-640CW, MFC-6490CW, MFC-665CW, MFC-6800, MFC-685CW, MFC-6890CDW, MFC-7220, MFC-7225N, MFC-7240, MFC-7340, MFC-7345N, MFC-7360N, MFC-7365DN, MFC-7420, MFC-7440N, MFC-7460DN, MFC-7820N, MFC-7840W, MFC-7860DW, MFC-790CW, MFC-795CW, MFC-820CW, MFC-8220, MFC-8420, MFC-8440, MFC-845CW, MFC-8460N, MFC-8480DN, MFC-8500, MFC-8510DN, MFC-8640D, MFC-8660DN, MFC-8670DN, MFC-8680DN, MFC-8690DW, MFC-8710DW, MFC-8810DW, MFC-8820D, MFC-8840D, MFC-8840DN, MFC-885CW, MFC-8860DN, MFC-8870DW, MFC-8890DW, MFC-8910DW, MFC-8950DW, MFC-8950DWT, MFC-9010CN, MFC-9120CN, MFC-9125CN, MFC-9130CW, MFC-9320CW, MFC-9325CW, MFC-9330CDW, MFC-9340CDW, MFC-9420CN, MFC-9440CN, MFC-9450CDN, MFC-9460CDN, MFC-9560CDW, MFC-9700, MFC-9800, MFC-9840CDW, MFC-990CW, MFC-9970CDW, MFC-J220, MFC-J245, MFC-J265W, MFC-J270W, MFC-J280W, MFC-J285DW, MFC-J410W, MFC-J415W, MFC-J425W, MFC-J430W, MFC-J4310DW, MFC-J4320DW, MFC-J435W, MFC-J4410DW, MFC-J4420DW, MFC-J450DW, MFC-J4510DW, MFC-J4610DW, MFC-J4620DW, MFC-J470DW, MFC-J4710DW, MFC-J475DW, MFC-J5620DW, MFC-J5720DW, MFC-J5910DW, MFC-J615W, MFC-J625DW, MFC-J630W, MFC-J650DW, MFC-J6510DW, MFC-J6520DW, MFC-J6710DW, MFC-J6720DW, MFC-J6910DW, MFC-J6920DW, MFC-J825DW, MFC-J835DW, MFC-J870DW, MFC-J875DW, MFC-L8600CDW, MFC-L8850CDW, MFC-L9550CDW



You can find the tool at http://support.brother.com/g/b/downloadend.aspx? c=us&lang=en&prod=mfcj410w_us&os=128&dlid=dlf006893_000&flang=4&type3=625 (http://support.brother.com/g/b/downloadend.aspx?c=us&lang=en&prod=mfcj410w_us&os=128&dlid=dlf006893_000&flang=4&type3=625). Just download the tar.gz, extract it, and run the script in your terminal. It will ask you for the model number for your device, and install all of the drivers for your device. The tool is also available for .rpm based systems. I hope this serves to help people.

****UPDATE:****

If you find that it does not work for some reason, it may be because the Driver Install Tool downloaded the wrong driver. First, make sure that you se;ected and installed the correct Driver Install Tool for your model and that you answer the prompts correctly. If you are sill having trouble, you can check this page: http://support.brother.com/g/s/id/linux/en/download_scn.html. You can use ctrl+F to search the page for your device's model, and install the drivers associated with it.

[alan_martin2]

I'm new to Ubuntu having just migrated from windows XP. Following other threads I downloaded drivers for DCP-J140W but can only get it to work via USB cable. It works wirelessly with a Windows PC but not with my Ubuntu laptop. Coming from Windows I'm struggling with the Xterm command line stuff needed for installing downloaded stuff so helpful replies will need this detail please.

[pdc]

If we assume you have the Brother drivers installed; then if you disconnect the usb cable; and go to Printers from your systems menu; and then select the ADD button .........to add a new printer ........it should ask you if you want a network printer .....and then it should look to see what is available .. and offer you the Brother? any joy?

[Hakunka-Matata]

I'm new to Ubuntu having just migrated from windows XP. Following other threads I downloaded drivers for DCP-J140W but can only get it to work via USB cable. It works wirelessly with a Windows PC but not with my Ubuntu laptop. Coming from Windows I'm struggling with the Xterm command line stuff needed for installing downloaded stuff so helpful replies will need this detail please.


So how far have you progressed?

Did you download the .gz file using the link supplied in Post #1?
If so, were you able to extract it, and successfully execute the commands listed?
Using the Terminal is a super convenient method of getting things done quickly, invest the effort to learn how to use, you won't be sorry, and it's second nature after a few goes at it.


Good luck, and you came to the right place by the way to learn ubuntu!

[alan_martin2]

Hi Guys,
Thanks for that info. I have now got it working. I think that at my previous attempt I didn't know the device URI so responded to the prompt with No and therefore got the USB type installation.

Forgot to ask in last post but Can I delete the files downloaded to the .Downloads directory now that my installation is complete? I assume that all downloaded files with regard to program/driver installation are moved to appropriate directories associated with the application. I did notice however that there are uninstall files in my .Download directory. It seems logical to me that the .Downloads directory should only ever be a temporary location used during download and installation.

[Hakunka-Matata]

Forgot to ask in last post but Can I delete the files downloaded to the .Downloads directory now that my installation is complete? I assume that all downloaded files with regard to program/driver installation are moved to appropriate directories associated with the application. I did notice however that there are uninstall files in my .Download directory. It seems logical to me that the .Downloads directory should only ever be a temporary location used during download and installation.

Great, glad you've got it working. Not intending to be too picky, but there is no .Downloads directory as far as I know. Directory names that start with a . are hidden directories. They can be viewed in "Files" by hitting Ctrl-H, (see "View" in Files Menu).

To remove unneeded files, you can use the "autoremove" command.

Two lines of useful Terminal code:


sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade -y
sudo apt-get autoremove

rgrds, HM

[alan_martin2]

Thanks HM I should have said Download. Your reference to the auto remove command is interesting because how does it know which files are no longer needed? I have never heard of a file redundancy attribute. Does this only apply to the Download directory and assume that files which have been executed since download are no longer needed?

[vasa1]

@alan, https://help.ubuntu.com/community/AptGet/Howto is a nice page explaining many apt commands.

And far more detail is here: http://debian-handbook.info/browse/wheezy/sect.apt-get.html

For apt-get autoremove, there is this:
One of the essential functionalities of apt-get (which was initially specific to aptitude) is the tracking of packages installed only through dependencies. These packages are called “automatic”, and often include libraries for instance.
With this information, when packages are removed, the package managers can compute a list of automatic packages that are no longer needed (because there's no “manually installed” packages depending on them). apt-get autoremove will get rid of those packages. aptitude does not have this command because it removes them automatically as soon as they are identified. Both programs include a clear message listing the affected packages.

[alan_martin2]

Thanks vasa1 for the excellent explanation. I'll make a note of that command for future reference. On the subject of reference works, being new to Ubuntu I downloaded the Getting Started user guide but this is too high a level which would be good for something like Windows but not for a Linux system which appears to require more terminal command line knowledge. Is there a book that any of you guys would recommend? I have a Unix book but it is very difficult to use as you need to know what you are looking for. Something more functional area based would be better e.g. Display, printer, serial comms, directory management etc; with lists of common tasks and commonly used command sequences.

[Hakunka-Matata]

vasa1, I also thank you for that information, continuing to learn is so much fun.

a few sources:
(http://www.ee.surrey.ac.uk/Teaching/Unix/)http://www.ee.surrey.ac.uk/Teaching/Unix/
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UsingTheTerminal

Keyboard shortcuts are helpful also: Hold down the Super-Key (Windows Start Key) for several seconds, assuming you are running 14.04 Ubuntu Desktop release.
A history of commands entered while using the Terminal can be viewed with the command:
history
# The following command writes the output of 'history' command to the filename shown' handy for studying leisurely.#
history > Desktop/history_list.txt

You are aware of the function that the up and down arrow keys provide while using Terminal?
Default paste key combination in Terminal is Ctrl-shift-V

rgrds, HM

[ibsandy]

I am updating from 12.04 to 14.04, 32 -> 64 bit. Using the Brother "Driver Install Tool" was a big help. Thanks for the recommendation.

[rwigle]

I am updating from 12.04 to 14.04, 32 -> 64 bit. Using the Brother "Driver Install Tool" was a big help. Thanks for the recommendation.

I also upgraded from 12.04 to 14.04 and, while my DCP-7065DN printer would work, the scanner would not.

I will add one comment. If the tool doesn't work, please read the instructions (those provided when you download) carefully. I managed to mess it up the first time because I had not followed the directions carefully.

The first time I tried I *thought* it had worked, but apparently not. I deleted the printer (System setting printer) and then re-ran the installer precisely as indicated.

Bingo.. printer and scanner now working.

And a thank you to the original poster.

[hansmex]

Thank you for these answers. They helped me install my printer.

Unfortunately, the scanner doesn't work. Both Simple Scan and Skanlite report that they can't find a scanner.
My printer is connected using a USB cable.

Operating system = Kubuntu 14.04

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[AreTwo]

Also new to Ubuntu (all is great cept can't print ...) and have DCP-585CW on wired LAN. All windows computers connect fine. Read / carried out process above but errors to do with files not found.
PLease offer any suggestion to me. :-) Thanks very much.

My install attempt (2) => root@richrobi-A7C:/home/richrobi/Downloads/Brother Printer# bash linux-brprinter-installer-*.*.*-* DCP-585CW
You are going to install following packages.
dcp585cwlpr-1.1.2-2.i386.deb
dcp585cwcupswrapper-1.1.2-2.i386.deb
brscan3-0.2.11-4.i386.deb
brscan-skey-0.2.4-1.i386.deb
OK? [y/N] ->y

dpkg -x dcp585cwlpr-1.1.2-2.i386.deb /
dpkg -x dcp585cwcupswrapper-1.1.2-2.i386.deb /
cp: cannot stat ‘/home/richrobi/Downloads/Brother’: No such file or directory
cp: cannot stat ‘Printer/dcp585cwlpr-1.1.2-2.i386.deb’: No such file or directory
dpkg-deb: error: failed to read archive `dcp585cwlpr-1.1.2-2.i386.deb': No such file or directory
dpkg-deb: error: failed to read archive `dcp585cwlpr-1.1.2-2.i386.deb': No such file or directory
linux-brprinter-installer-2.0.0-1: line 1887: DEBIAN/control.tmp: No such file or directory
cat: DEBIAN/control: No such file or directory
mv: cannot stat ‘DEBIAN/control.tmp’: No such file or directory
dpkg-deb: error: failed to open package info file `./brother_driver_packdir/DEBIAN/control' for reading: No such file or directory
dpkg -b ./brother_driver_packdir dcp585cwlpr-1.1.2-2a.i386.deb
cp: cannot stat ‘/home/richrobi/Downloads/Brother’: No such file or directory
cp: cannot stat ‘Printer/dcp585cwcupswrapper-1.1.2-2.i386.deb’: No such file or directory
dpkg-deb: error: failed to read archive `dcp585cwcupswrapper-1.1.2-2.i386.deb': No such file or directory

[Bishal_Paudel]

Thank you so much. This solved mine instantly.

[ecomer]

Thanks "robot_chicken_parm" - there appear to be several webpages at Brother and my downloads from the other pages didn't get the MFC-J43W scanner working. You link worked flawlessly.

[Li_Wu]

The downloadable driver install tool for brothers is really great stuff.

To even improve on it, the bro people would have to make it install all 3 sections: scan driver, printer driver, fax driver in a single install routine. On my MFC 4in1 bro, it misses out on the fax stuff (I've got it done manually).

But scan & print works like a charm.

[rewyllys]

Thanks "robot_chicken_parm" - there appear to be several webpages at Brother and my downloads from the other pages didn't get the MFC-J43W scanner working. You link worked flawlessly.
I also want to thank "robot_chicken_parm" for the link.

Last Sunday (2015-09-20) my 12-year-and-1-month-old Brother MFC-8820DN finally quit.

It would still print and receive faxes but refused to copy or scan. IMHO, it had had a remarkable lifespan for a piece of electronic-plus-mechanical equipment!

I spent several hours checking specifications on possible replacements, and wound up purchasing a Brother MFC-8910DW. The Brother-provided script (linux-brprinter-installer-2.0.0-1) worked beautifully, quickly, and easily in installing the MFC-8910DW.

The new machine is running just fine, and noticeably faster than the MFC-8820DN.

[rancesr]

I have a brother HL5450DN mono laser. The driver works well unless I have jobs that follow. Even the same job and this is not consistent. I have a wired USB connection to the printer. I am using 14.04. I have installed the driver using the tool then removed it and manually reinstalled with same results. What is happening? I can run the first job perfectly even duplex and maybe the second job. I do not know when it will happen but the printer will take a job and start printing hundreds of pages with a line of garbage on it. The only way I know to prevent this from happening is to turn the printer off then on. It never messes up the first job. I can do this since the printer is right next to my desk. This would be very inconvenient if the printer wasn't sitting right next to me. Now I am worried that I am going to wear out the toggle off/on switch out. I classify myself as an experienced amateur in Linux in other words I am comfortable with using the terminal. Any ideas of what is going on? Is there garbage that is not getting cleared out.

[hansmex]

This works nicely to install the printer in Ubuntu 16.04 and/or Mint 18.
Unfortunately it installs TWO printers, but NOT the scanner.

Printer concerned: MFC-J6702DW
Installed printers are called MFC-J6720DW and MFCJ6720DW (note the DASH)
MFCJ6720DW is the printer that prints; the other one sends data to a black hole.

Does anyone have a solution so I can use the scanner as well?

Thank you very much in advance.

Hans

[Hakunka-Matata]

Printer: Brother DCP-9040CN -
Computer: AMD - 4 Core - generic stuff
OS: Ubuntu 14.04 Desktop AMD64

(linux-brprinter-installer-2.0.0-1) http://support.brother.com/g/s/id/linux/en/faq_prn.html?c=us_ot&lang=en&comple=on&redirect=on#f00104

The scanner function is available only with a Network connection on this printer. For me at least that's what works, and yes, the bash script install program is not used very often in Ubuntu's default Terminal.

Just used the program (October 23, 2,016) to re-install the brother, it works well, no issues. To use an IP address to identify the printer, you have to answer yes to the question of supplying a URL. Then choose #14 (ip address) and then enter the IP (e.g. 192.168.1.106) maybe that will help.

Extra printer installed: Can you not use the Gear (System settings) and delete the extra printer?

good luck