HOWTO: Install Brother MFC210C

[BobSongs]

A "how to" for the Brother MFC-210C printer.

>>>> THIS THREAD IS ABANDONED!! <<<<
If you want a more current thread, then click
this link: MFC210C

* Author no longer uses the MFC-210C printer.
* This POST is NOT "up-to-date" (though answers are provided by kind forum members).
* Continue at your own risk.

INK CARTRIDGE SAYS EMPTY? Click here: BlackTape

NOTE TO THE ADMINS:
Many people monitor this thread. Delete this one if you so choose. However, some people are getting their questions answered.

________________________________
MFC-215C?Matchless has worked very hard at putting together two tutorials to help you with your 215C:

• click here if you're running Fiesty Fawn
• click here if you're running Dapper/Edgy.

________________________________
Edgy & Feisty-specific instructions added, courtesy of magean.
________________________________
INSTALL SCRIPTS for DAPPER DRAKE and EDGY EFT/FEISTY FAWN (What works for Edgy... works for Feisty).

[Click here] A big thanks goes to guitara and googleninja for their hard work and dedication.

________________________________
Introduction

Follow this step-by-step guide to get this low-cost Multi Function Centre working.

Do you have another Brother product? Don't give up hope. Some have reported success having followed this tutorial (see a partial list at the bottom of this post).

Note: This tutorial assumes:

• Device: Brother MFC210C
• Connection: USB direct from PC to Printer
  
• System: 32-bit Intel/AMD
• Operating System: GNU/Linux Ubuntu (Dapper Drake/Edgy Eft/Feisty Fawn)

________________________________
About the color codes

* Edgy Eft/Feisty Fawn (6.10 & 7.04)-specific instructions are in green.
* Dapper Drake (6.06.1)-specific instructions are in blue.
* Standard black text will be used where it applies to all.
* Breezy, Hoary, Warty: not supported.

Preliminary procedures

Create a folder on the desktop and name it mfc210c. Put all downloaded files in that folder.


Step 1: Download from Brother

[The CUPS wrapper]
[The LPR Driver]

For other Brother machines: Please make sure the appropriate drivers are downloaded. Check the Brother website for
LPR Drivers and
CUPS Wrappers.

Step 2: Install the C Shell

sudo aptitude install csh

If this step fails because it returns the following error:

E: Couldn't find package csh

follow the Ubuntu Guide instructions on How To Add Extra Repositories.

:: TURN PRINTER OFF ::
DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP OR THINGS GO TERRIBLY WRONG


Step 3: LPR Driver Install

sudo mkdir /var/spool/lpd

sudo mkdir /var/spool/lpd/MFC210C (replace with your printer name)

sudo dpkg -i ~/Desktop/mfc210c/mfc210clpr-1.0.2-1.i386.deb

Step 4: Install the CUPS Wrapper

sudo ln -s /etc/init.d/cupsys /etc/init.d/cups

sudo dpkg -i ~/Desktop/mfc210c/cupswrappermfc210c_1.0.0-1_i386.deb

Finalization

:: TURN PRINTER ON ::
Please follow these steps. From the menu bar click:

System → Administration → Printing

Right-click the MFC210C and click “Properties”

• Connection Tab: Ensure local printer is connected (Printer Type: Local Printer) and (Use a Detected Printer: Brother MFC-210C)
• General Tab: Here I rename 'MFC210C' to 'Brother Printer'. Let's the whole family know the printer they're selecting.
• Paper Tab: Ensure your local paper size is selected.
• Advanced Tab: Review the choices and make appropriate adjustments.
• From any tab: Click "Print a test page" to confirm all works well.

Edgy/Feisty: (thanks Magean)
If you got the error message

lpadmin:Unable to copy PPD file

when installing the Wrapper do the following:

Find out the device url

lpinfo -v

Read and "remember" the device url

(for example)

usb://Brother/MFC-210C

Find the name and path of the ppd file

ls /usr/share/cups/model

Read and remember the filename

(for example)

/usr/share/cups/model/brmfc210c_cups.ppd

Administer the printer

sudo lpadmin -p (printer name) -E -v (device url) -P (PPD file path and name)

(for example)

sudo lpadmin -p MFC210C -E -v usb://Brother/MFC-210C -P /usr/share/cups/model/brmfc210c_cups.ppd

All done!

For printer options turn your browser of choice to

http://localhost:631/printers/

(this requires local access)


Fax Printing

To print using the fax capabilities of the MFC the drivers must be downloaded and installed. This tutorial assumes the mfc210c folder is still on the desktop.

Step 1: Download from Brother

[The Fax CUPS wrapper]
[The Fax LPR Driver]

:: TURN PRINTER OFF ::
DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP OR THINGS GO TERRIBLY WRONG

sudo dpkg -i ~/Desktop/mfc210c/brmfcfaxlpd-1.0.0-1.i386.deb

sudo dpkg -i ~/Desktop/mfc210c/brmfcfaxcups-1.0.0-1.i386.deb

:: TURN PRINTER ON ::

System → Administration → Printing

Right-click the BRFAX and click “Properties”

• Connection Tab: Ensure local printer is connected (Printer Type: Local Printer) and (Use a Detected Printer: Brother MFC-210C -- If the printer is still off this step will be impossible to complete.)
• General Tab: Here I rename 'BRFAX' to 'Brother Fax Machine'. Let's the whole family know which printer they're selecting.
• Paper Tab: Ensure your local paper size is selected.
• Advanced Tab: Review the choices and make appropriate adjustments. I use FINE for Quality.

Click "Close". This box will not allow direct printing.

Sending a Fax

Thanks to Matchless for untangling this mess. "This printer is not used to print faxes directly. It is used by the 'brpcfax' utility script file. To send a fax, you must use the “brpcfax” utility to process your print jobs and you can only use a postscript file."

Let's use GEdit to set this up.

Applications → Accessories → Text Editor

• Type some text into Text Editor. (It's not necessary that it be important text. The file doesn't have to be faxed for this to work.)
• From the menu bar click File → Print...
• Under the Print tab click "Generic Postscript" as your printer selection.
• Change "Location" from "lpr" to "File". This will let us print to file.
• Click the "Save As" button to the right of "File" (it appears only when you select "File").
• Name the file faxtest.ps. For Save In Folder choose Desktop (for convenience only—delete the file when you're done).
• Click the Save button.
• Click the Print button.

Your document has been saved as file to your Desktop. Now let's finish Step 2.

• Right-click the faxtest.ps file on your Desktop. In the context menu point to "Open With >". In the flyout menu click "Open with Other Application"
• When the "Open With" box appears, click "Use a custom command at the bottom near the Cancel button. A small text field should appear.
• Enter this into that field: /usr/bin/brpcfax
• Complete the task by clicking Open.

This should cause the Dial Pad to appear. You can close it as we're finished with it for the moment.

From this point forward this is how to send a fax:

a) Use “Print to file” from your application to generate a postscript file.
b) Right click the file (should end in .ps) and select “Open with” and click “brpcfax”.
c) When the dialup screen GUI comes up, enter fax number and click Send.


Scanner Setup

Preliminary procedures

:: TURN PRINTER OFF ::
DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP OR THINGS GO TERRIBLY WRONG


Step 1: Download from Brother

For Dapper Drake (6.06): [Sane Scanner Backend]
For Edgy/Feisty (6.10/7.04): [Sane Scanner Backend]

For other Brother machines: Please make sure the appropriate drivers are downloaded. Check the Brother website for the Scanner Backend.

Applications → Accessories → Terminal

sudo dpkg -i ~/Desktop/mfc210c/brscan2-0.2.1-0.i386.deb

The scanner should be installed.

sudo dpkg -i ~/Desktop/mfc210c/brscan2-0.2.3-0.i386.deb

Make scanner accessible to all users

gksudo gedit /etc/udev/rules.d/45-libsane.rules

Add the following above the last row:

#brother
SYSFS{idVendor}=="04f9",MODE="666",GROUP="scanner"

The last four rows should then look like:

#brother
SYSFS{idVendor}=="04f9",MODE="666",GROUP="scanner"

LABEL="libsane_rules_end"

Restart the OS.


Step 3: Installing XSane

To use the scanner requires that Ubuntu's scanner software be installed. Copy the following code into the Terminal:

sudo aptitude install sane xsane libsane sane-utils

Finalizing The Setup

:: TURN PRINTER ON ::
Verify the install with XSane

Applications → Graphics → XSane Image Scanning Program


Setup Complete

Move the setup folder from your desktop to the trash if you so desire, or to some other location in the file system.


Network Installation

Please note: Contributions to help with network setups are detailed below. I do not have the MFC as an independent part of the network so I cannot test the following instructions. However these links are offered in hope of problem-free configuration.

ubu69 has had success with a network setup. He's using a Debian system and believes this should prove helpful [click here].

shawndoggie notes success with the MFC attached to an XP box [click here].

stalefries has put together a nicely detailed howto in this thread. Network scanning! I just love the layout. [click here]


Other Brother Products

Please note: If you have a different Brother product don't go away dejected. There may be hope. Here's a list of some related success stories. With a bit of tweaking it seems this tutorial has proven helpful.

Jose Catre-Vandis has a mini tutorial on the for the DCP-540CN in an Edgy HowTo [click here]

Gray. notes success with the MFC-620CN [click here]

ubu69 notes success with the MFC-420CN in Debian [click here]

crhooker notes success with the MFC-3220C [click here]

shawndoggy notes success with the MFC-5440CN [click here]

thedavis notes success with the DCP-115C [click here]

Mack1 notes success with the MFC-425CN [click here]

bigken notes success with the MFC-3820CN [click here]

Bucanero notes success with the MFC-5440N [click here]

Jasman and Boelcke both note success with the Brother HL-2040
[click here] and [click here]


Other distros:

bigken notes success on SuSE 10.0 [click here]


_________________________

Found an error? Lemme know. Errors will be replaced with your astute observations and you'll be credited.

Got a question? I'll explain the best I can.

History: This tutorial was designed for Ubuntu/Edubuntu (Breezy, then updated for Dapper) to help me remember what steps I took in the first place. It exploded with the help of posters and onlookers like you. Thanks!!

Xubuntu/Kubuntu:
It may not work with other Ubuntu-based releases (Xubuntu, Kubuntu, etc.) - searching for a Kubuntu/Xubuntu-related tutorial recommended.

Variations from the Brother website instructions reflect the difference between Ubuntu and a pure Debian system.

Brother® is a Registered Trademark.

(This HOWTO comes with absolutely no warranty, to the extent permitted by applicable law. However, the author will return on a regular basis to ensure the Brother files are still available and up-to-date and that the tutorial looks prettier and prettier.)

[Nightwind]

Quick question, since my brother MFC210C is set up as a network printer, not attached to any machine, will these instructions work or will I need to do something different?

[BobSongs]

Quick question, since my brother MFC210C is set up as a network printer, not attached to any machine, will these instructions work or will I need to do something different?

Excellent question, Nightwind. If you've got the printer correctly installed on a network box then I suppose it won't hurt at all to have the drivers set up on your machine.

I'm a new Ubuntu user myself. In the Windows world you need the drivers set up on all PCs that will access the network printer(s). At this point I haven't quite figured out how to "share" my printer on my LAN (not that I'm in a hurry: my three-year-old son would end up printing every other image... in colour... from each TuxPaint screen he'd create... not cool). Once I figure that out I'll let you know.

Keep the questions coming.

[Nightwind]

Excellent question, Nightwind. If you've got the printer correctly installed on a network box then I suppose it won't hurt at all to have the drivers set up on your machine.

I'm a new Ubuntu user muhself. In the Windows world you need the drivers set up on all PCs that will access the network printer(s). At this point I haven't quite figured out how to "share" my printer on my LAN (not that I'm in a hurry: my three-year-old son would end up printing every other screen... in colour... from each TuxPaint screen he'd create... not cool). Once I figure that out I'll let you know.

Keep them questions coming.

Well I can say there is something missing, I followed the instructions to the letter, thanks for being so straighforward with them I wish all the instructions were as clear. I can see the printer, but cannot print to the printer. I told it to do a test page but that failed. There was no error message.
So I am trying to figure it out. If you have any clues for a newborn newbie please advise.
Thanks again
Trish

[Nightwind]

Well I can say there is something missing, I followed the instructions to the letter, thanks for being so straighforward with them I wish all the instructions were as clear. I can see the printer, but cannot print to the printer. I told it to do a test page but that failed. There was no error message.
So I am trying to figure it out. If you have any clues for a newborn newbie please advise.
Thanks again
Trish

One thing I forgot to mention, I have 6 of the "W machines as well as 1 IMac, plus an Intergraph server, everything else is seeing and using the printer at this point. I did manage to share an HP printer that is phsically installed on a Win XP Pro box. So that was good.

[BobSongs]

One thing I forgot to mention, I have 6 of the "W machines as well as 1 IMac, plus an Intergraph server, everything else is seeing and using the printer at this point. I did manage to share an HP printer that is physically installed on a Win XP Pro box. So that was good.

Yeah. Sharing a printer on a Windows XP box is fairly easy. It think right-clicking it and selecting "Share" is about how complex it gets.

Okay. Let me get to work investigating. I'll "share" this printer on my PC and see if I can get it printing. Then I'll get back to you asap.

thanks for being so straighforward with them I wish all the instructions were as clear.

Thank you, thank you. I've had my hand held in the past in areas where I was completely lost. I've also had vague & ambiguous instructions. I know which I prefer. I don't feel insulted in the least to have a clear set of instructions where some part of it seems a bit "overdone" in its simplicity. The tutorial was done for the uber new user to feel quite at home.

[BobSongs]

<snip> I can see the printer, but cannot print to the printer. I told it to do a test page but that failed. There was no error message.
So I am trying to figure it out. If you have any clues for a newborn newbie please advise.
Thanks again
Trish</snip>

Yes: this tutorial is obviously for the MFC210C attached directly to the PC in question. Your ability to see the printer and yet not be able to print to feels like it might be just a bit beyond my abilities at the moment.

I saw this link in another thread, but I believe that allows for Ubuntu to Ubuntu printing, and not necessarily through a server.

Which box is your printer connected to? Or is it connected directly to the server? (Okay. I'm stalling. But I'm still investigating.)

[Nightwind]

Hi Merry Christmas!
Stalling is ok I have learned to do that myself. It's not attached to any machine. It's networked in from the switch. Network setup is as follows.
Sat modem/router to switch CAT 5 to all the units. Really simple set up.
All the Windows boxes have the software installed and do not share per say the printer.
The server does not print to it or any other printer (have 3) as it's a SME 6.5 (Linux) box, Raid 0 set up as a file server/backup machine that I am STILL working on. That's another long story. It might become a Ubuntu server before long if I can't get the raid issue corrected. I will check out the link and report back.
One more ? Is there a simple way to install any type of driver or does each flavor require it's own little installation gig? So much to learn so little brain power.

[BobSongs]

<snip>One more ? Is there a simple way to install any type of driver or does each flavor require it's own little installation gig? So much to learn so little brain power.</snip>

Depends on how old each printer is. Before buying equipment for your machines you may wish to investigate whether they are Linux friendly. In my mind running Ubuntu is a bit like running a Mac in terms of what I buy.

My Logitech Clicksmart 820 completely locks my PC when I try to do anything more than copy out the photos. Same with the MFC210C's scanner features. But I bought them before doing any investigation. At that time I wasn't as committed to Linux as I am now.

In future I'll be much more careful. If it isn't very Linux compatible... I'll keep hunting.

Meanwhile, have you tried this on the Ubuntu box?

(Note, this link is no longer valid. DavidJr's blog is now here.)

On the Ubuntu or Linux boxes where you want to share your printer, open to edit /etc/cups/client.conf:

sudo gedit /etc/cups/client.conf

And add the following:

ServerName hostname (hostname or IP of the printer server)

Once this is all setup, you should be able to go to: System -> Administration -> Printing and in the top tool bar you’ll see: Global Settings. You’ll want to make sure the following is checked:

Detect LAN Printers

On the Windows boxes, just add the printer server as you normally do.

To make your printer browseable in a LAN network, edit your /etc/cups/cupsd-browsing.conf:

sudo gedit /etc/cups/cupsd-browsing.conf

Simply replace the word “Off” with “On” (without the “”), don’t worry…that file has only one line so you won’t ever have difficulties finding it. I guess you have to do a “sudo /etc/init.d/cupsys restart” after this.

So that’s it!

[Nightwind]

Depends on how old each printer is. Before buying equipment for your machines you may wish to investigate whether they are Linux friendly. In my mind running Ubuntu is a bit like running a Mac in terms of what I buy.

My Logitech Clicksmart 820 completely locks my PC when I try to do anything more than copy out the photos. Same with the MFC210C's scanner features. But I bought them before doing any investigation. At that time I wasn't as committed to Linux as I am now.

In future I'll be much more careful. If it isn't very Linux compatible... I'll keep hunting.

Meanwhile, have you tried this on the Ubuntu box?

Hi there!
All the printers/copiers here are a year old or less. 3 of them. I was asking not just about printer drivers, but ALL drivers and programs in general. Is there a hard fast rule on that?
I read that post and it would probably work. I'm going to try it, I'll let you know how it goes. I was going to attach the brother to the 5.10 box physically just for the heck it , but decided I really didn't want to mess with the layout here. Printers are in a case that's all printers, computers are EVERYWHERE.
I figured out that I was going to have to set up a server to handle this any way for the time being.The one server I have setup is a toy really, just to learn on. My S.O want's it short and to the point, no stress. So that's what I'll do. He's not the adventurous type when it comes to changing things except he wants me to build a system to handle server duties as well as run the cameras outside and the media here. That will be an adventure, prob take a year as slow as I am. Pray for me. I think it's time for a UNIX class.