====== Brother FAQ ======
===== General Questions =====
==== In which **forum** should I ask Brother related questions? ====
Forum: [[http://forums.openprinting.org/list.php?24|Printers from Brother]]
==== Where can I find a **table** of working Brother printers? ====
[[http://www.openprinting.org/printer_list.cgi?make=Brother|http://www.openprinting.org/printer_list.cgi?make=Brother]]
==== Does Brother have a Linux Support Page? ====
[[http://solutions.brother.com/linux/|http://solutions.brother.com/linux/]]
==== What printers have been reported **not working**? ====
* [[http://www.openprinting.org/printer_list.cgi?make=Brother|MFC 3100c]]
* [[http://www.openprinting.org/printer_list.cgi?make=Brother|DCP-1000]]
==== Where can I find the **HL driver** development? ====
[[http://www.amelek.gda.pl/gs-hl1250/|hl1250 Driver Development Page]]
==== Where can I find the **hl7x0 driver** development? ====
[[http://www.cs.wisc.edu/~ghost/doc/printer.htm|hl7x0 Driver Page]]
Documentation for the used printer language (HBP) is avaible [[http://sourceforge.net/projects/hbp-for-brother/|here]].
==== Where can I find the **MFC driver** development? ====
[[http://sourceforge.net/projects/brother-mfc|MFC Development Page]]
The project is not very active, and has not released any files.
===== Brother DCP-1000 =====
==== Does it work with GNU/Linux? ====
No. It has no Page Description Language (PDL). It can only be
connected to a Windows machine that has the proprietary GDI driver
installed.
It may be possible to emulate a postscript printer and share it across
a LAN with SAMBA. See[[:openprinting:database:gettinghelpfaq|Networking the HP LaserJet 3100]]
\\
[[http://www.openprinting.org/show_printer.cgi?recnum=Brother-HL-1240|Brother HL-1230/HL-1240]]
==== Which driver should I use? ====
Use the HL-1250 driver.
==== Why does the printer pause between pages? ====
The parallel port may be misconfigured. Change the parallel port
configuration from **''SPP''** to **''EPP''** in the BIOS.
==== How do I fix incorrect margins? ====
Sometime this is corrected by printing using the[[http://www.openprinting.org/show_driver.cgi?driver=gimp-print|gimp-print]]
driver and not the postscript driver. The output looks slightly
different between the two drivers.
\\
[[http://www.openprinting.org/show_printer.cgi?recnum=Brother-HL-1440|Brother HL-1440]]
==== What alternate drivers can I try? ====
[[http://www.openprinting.org/show_printer.cgi?recnum=Brother-HL-1440|The hl1250 is the recommended driver]].
Alternativly, you can try selecting the**''HP-IIp/IId/III*''**
driver. This should correspond to the[[http://www.openprinting.org/show_driver.cgi?driver=ljet2p|ljet2p]] Ghostscript driver. It only
prints at 300x300, but that is fine for text and the simple graphics.
==== How do I print A4 paper sizes? ====
lpr -J "PageSize=A4" file.ps
lpr -j "PageSize=A4" file.ps
lpr -o "PageSize=A4" file.ps
lpr -Z "PageSize=A4" file.ps
lpr -T "PageSize=A4" file.ps
If this does not work, you have a very weird version of LPD. Try the
following:
Edit**''/usr/local/lib/printer/brother-1440''** searching for a
line like**'''default' => 'Letter',''** and replacing the**'''Letter'''** by **'''A4'''**. Now jobs should be printed in A4
format.
Replace
'default' => 'Letter'
by **'''default' => 'A4'''**
==== Why does **''N-up''** and**''2-Up''** printing give me a blank page? ====
This can happen when duplex printing is specified in both the
input file and the PPD.
==== Why can't I print 1200x600 with RedHat 7.1? ====
Here are the steps to get 600x600 printing working. This has been
tested with CUPS-1.1.6-1, redhat-7.1.
1) Generated a PPD file from[[http://www.openprinting.org/show_driver.cgi?driver=hl1250|PPD-O-Matic]] with **''hl1250''**
driver and save it to **''/usr/share/cups/model''**.
2) Installed the[[:openprinting:database:cupsdocumentation|cupsomatic]] perl script to**''/usr/lib/cups/filter''**. **''cupsomatic''** will be replaced
by [[:openprinting:database:cupsdocumentation|foomatic-rip]] about **''Mar 2003''**. There is
an archived copy available.[[http://www.openprinting.org/torsten/files/cupsomatic|http://www.openprinting.org/torsten/cupsomatic]]
3) **''chmod 755 /usr/lib/cups/filter''**
3) Install [[:openprinting:database:foomaticgswrapper|foomatic-gswrapper]] to **''/usr/bin/''**
3) **''chmod 755 /usr/bin/foomatic-gswrapper''**
4) Install[[http://freshmeat.net/projects/mpage/?topic_id=154%2C849|mpage-2.5.1-5]]
if needed.
5) Setup the printer via CUPS's web interface [[http://localhost:631|http://localhost:631]]
7) Install [[http://www.ghostscript.com/doc/gnu/gnu651.htm|ghostscript-6.51]].
8) Use [[http://www.cs.wisc.edu/~ghost/gv/index.htm|ghostview-3.5.8]]
to open a pdf or ps file and use **''lpr''** from ghostview's print menu.
10) If you are using 600x600, change to 1200x600 from CUPS's web
interface, [[http://localhost:631/printers|http://localhost:631/printers]] and then every thing
should work fine.
\\
[[http://www.openprinting.org/show_printer.cgi?recnum=Brother-HL-1450|Brother HL-1450 (USB)]]
==== Which PPD do I use? ====
To use the [[http://www.openprinting.org/show_printer.cgi?recnum=Brother-HL-1450|Brother HL-1450]]
with CUPS, you will need the PPD from the install CD
called **''/cdrom/Driver/PS/PPD/ENGLISH/BRHL14_1.PPD''**
The file called **''/cdrom/Driver/PS/PPD/ENGLISH/BRHL14_2.PPD''** is for the[[http://www.openprinting.org/show_printer.cgi?recnum=Brother-HL-1470N|Brother HL-1470N]]
. Make sure you have[[http://www.linux-usb.org/USB-guide/x342.html|created the USB device]].
An important thing to do in CUPS is select **''Configure Printer''** and select**''Letter''** as the default media type.**''A4''** is the default, and if you use that
on normal sized paper, your job //will fail//.
\\
===== Brother HL-5030 =====
==== How well does this printer work under Linux? ====
This printer is a GDI printer, and is probably a paperweight.
Untested.
\\
===== Brother HL-5040 =====
==== How well does this printer work under Linux? ====
This printer is not a postscript printer, but should work
similarly to the HL-5050, untested.
\\
===== Brother HL-5050 =====
==== How well does this printer work under Linux? ====
This printer is a postscript printer, and works almost flawlessly.
==== What resolutions correspond with which drivers? ====
PostScript resolution: 1200x1200
pxlmono: 1200x1200
hl1250: 1200x600
==== How do I use the native resolution 2400x600? ====
This resolution is not directly supported by any current free
software drivers.
\\
===== Brother HL-5070N =====
==== How well does this printer work under Linux? ====
This printer is a PostScript printer, it works almost flawlessly.
==== Why does the printer only recognize 144MB of RAM? ====
The printer only supports 144MB, even if you install 256MB.
==== How do I print the settings page? ====
Press the **''Go''** button three times. This is not easy to
accomplish.
==== The top and bottom margins are not correct, how do I set them? ====
Try running [[http://freshmeat.net/projects/xprintingpanel/?topic_id=861%2C154|xpp]]
and save the default margins.
\\
[[http://www.openprinting.org/show_printer.cgi?recnum=Brother-HL-1660e|Brother HL-1660e]]
==== Why do I get **''PostScriptClass: Waiting for device''** trying to print 1200x600? ====
Change the printing language to both PCL and PostScript. This
can be done from the front panel. See Chapter 4-11 of the HL-166e
User's Manual,[[http://www.brother.com/pub/printers/manual/166eengB.pdf|MODE Switch Settings in BR-Script 2 Mode]]
BR-Script is Brother's implementation of PostScript Level 2.
It would be better to use a Brother PPD file, available from the
Windows/Mac driver CD.
\\
===== Brother HL-1850 =====
==== Which driver do I use? ====
This printer supports PostScript printing. The best driver to
PPD file from the manufacturer.
\\
===== Brother MFC-6800 =====
==== Which configuration and driver do I use? ====
It works with the config for an[[http://www.openprinting.org/show_printer.cgi?recnum=Brother-MFC-9050|MFC-9050]], which uses the[[http://www.openprinting.org/show_driver.cgi?driver=hl7x0|hl7x0]] driver.
\\
===== Brother MFC-8500 =====
==== What drivers can I use? ====
* [[http://www.openprinting.org/show_driver.cgi?driver=hl7x0|hl7x0]]
* [[http://www.openprinting.org/show_driver.cgi?driver=ljet4|ljet4]]
The **''ljet4''** give worse quality at 300dpi, and printing at 600dpi
outputs twice the expected size. Please report successes to
the forums Forum: [[http://forums.openprinting.org/list.php?24|Printers from Brother]] .
==== How do I print at 600dpi? ====
gs -sDEVICE=hl7x0 -r600
Foomatic has supported the **''-r600''** option for a year
and a half. See the[[http://www.openprinting.org/show_driver.cgi?driver=hl7x0|hl7x0 driver page]].
==== How do I print at 600dpi with the **''ljet4''** driver? ====
The ljet4 driver sends the correct codes for 600dpi,
but the printer ignores them. The document describing the
codes is called **''LASER_TECH_MN.pdf''** but it disappeared
with Brother's site redesign. The document is 441 pages long,
and the old site was here: [[http://solutions.brother.com/Library/pdf/LASER_TECH_MN.pdf|http://solutions.brother.com/Library/pdf/LASER_TECH_MN.pdf]]
.600dpi was tested working with this filter[[http://www.mit.edu/people/marc/brothermfc8500-filter|http://www.mit.edu/people/marc/brothermfc8500-filter]]
Here is how it works:
The gs filter lines were made into pipe lines, so that the
output would be run through magicfilter again. Then, I changed the
cat line for the PCL reset code to wrap the document with some PJL
commands to set the resolution:
.0 \033E\033 cat "\e%-12345X@PJL\n@PJL SET RESOLUTION = \
.600\n@PJL ENTER LANGUAGE = PCL\n" "\n\e%-12345X"
This seems to work, and even gives better aligned output than the
hl7x0 driver does on my printer.
I'm interested to hear if others can reproduce my results.[[http://www.openprinting.org/mailto:marc@mit.edu|Marc Horowitz]]
\\
===== Brother MFC-9700 =====
==== Which driver do I use? ====
[[http://www.openprinting.org/show_printer.cgi?recnum=Brother-MFC-9600|Brother MFC-9600]],[[:openprinting:database:foomatic|Foomatic]] +[[http://www.openprinting.org/show_driver.cgi?driver=hl1250|hl1250]]
Device URI: **''usb:/dev/usb/lp0''**