BROTHER Printer Problem MFC-420CN
Posts: 475
I have a Brother MFC-420CN. Linux doesn't have a Brother driver built in for that printer. I checked the Brother's website and they do not provide a linux driver. So here are my questions.
Is there a similar driver that will work for this printer? I've tried a few other models but they still don't work with the MFC-420CN.
Is there a website that specializes in Brother printer drivers for Linux? If so please provide a link.
If there is a programmer reading this is there any way you could compile some MFC-420CN drivers?
MORE INFO:
I downloaded the Brother drivers in windows (the ones that come with an inf file for windows drivers) and it came with an INI file as well as a PPD file. Now I tried using that same PPD file in MEPIS but MEPIS said it was the wrong format so I'm stumped.
I am running SimplyMEPIS PRO 6 i386 final.
Thank you for any help you may give.
Printer Support
Posts: 475
They also have great support for HP printers but I spent a pretty penny on the Brother before I encountered SuSE and MEPIS and buying another printer is simply not cost effective. Thanks for the tip on ndiswrapper I will attempt to learn how to use that, in the mean time if there are more suggestions keep 'em comin!!!
BROTHER DRIVER INFO
Posts: 475
I don't know if this will help with compiling a driver but here are the driver specs. I just don't know what to do with them...
[General]
Signature=BRTWAIN
TwdsName=Brother MFC-420CN LAN
StiName=Brother MFC-420CN LAN
[Device]
Model=22
NoUseCM=1
NoUseQcmd=1
MaxDocWidth=8500
MaxDocHeight=14000
ScanOriginX=116
ScanOriginY=118
MinScanWidth=16
MaxScanWidth=8268
MaxScanHeight=13780
LeftMargin=0
TopMargin=118
ScanCmdVer=3
DocHandling=3
CompJpegTC=1
[Driver]
StiMode=1
RxWaitTime=0
Inqueue=32000
QcmdTimeout=5000
StartTimeout=195
ScanTimout=60
CancelTimeout=10
[UiSetting]
MaxReso=13
FaxReso=0
Fast24bit=0
HelpName=BrS04
HelpContext=101
[Log]
LogSw=0
NewLog=0
DbgLog=0
[PaperPort]
DiskWarning=6
[Photoshop]
DiskWarning=6
XferRdyState6=1
BROTHER PRINTER DRIVERS SOLVED
Posts: 475
Brother now supports printer drivers for linux. Simply visit http://solutions.brother.com/linux/en_us/ and find your model.
You must download the RedHat/SuSE RPM driver (not debian) and then use alien to convert it to the MEPIS debian format.
Good tips for finding printer drivers:
Go to www.google.com
Search for "[Printer Manufacturer] and linux"
For example I was looking for Brother Printer Drivers so I searched for "brother and linux"
You can find printer drivers for other printer manufacturers using this search method such as Canon Printers, Hewlett-Packard (HP) Printers, and many more!!!
You might be able to buy a driver.
Posts: 316
You might be able to buy a printer driver at TurboPrint. However, the cost of such a driver might go a long ways toward buying a new, Linux-friendly printer. I like Epson's support for Linux.
Edit: Drivers are created to intertact with a single OS like windows, Mac, or Linux. To make a driver work with another OS than it was created for rquires a wrapper. Someone on this forum may know how to use ndiswrapper to run a Windows driver in Linux.