Brother MFC 665CW Printer / Fax / Scanner

[GoodFoodHunting]

Well I checked and there wasn't a thread close enough to my particular printer problem so here I am, asking for help.   I have a Brother MFC 665CW Printer (with fax, scanner, copier) and I want to hook it up even though Brother is notorious for not being cooperative with Linux I still think this can work...

So, I'm going to continue searching for compatible drivers as well as dig around the "how-to's" section.  BUT... if anyone has had success with this kind of Brother printer or one just like it, please, tell me what your trick was.

As always, thanks ahead of time to all who post.

[lagagnon]

...I want to hook it up even though Brother is notorious for not being cooperative with Linux

That's not true. Brother takes great pains to provide good drivers and documentation for Linux. That is why I specifically went out to buy either an HP or Brother machine. I chose a Brother MFC-465CN, possibly also because it was on sale for the ridiculous sum of $50.

Anyways I assume you went to the Brother Linux website? http://solutions.brother.com/linux/en_us/index.html
You need to red the instructions there, install the LPR driver first, go to the /usr/local/Brother/lpd directory and run the applications there (as root), then install the CUPS driver, do same as above, and then you simply set it up exactly as you would any other printer by going to the CUPS server with your browser (http://localhost:631).

[GoodFoodHunting]

Well, I will do what you suggest.  But in other Linux distros that I have tried, HP was listed as easy and Brother was listed as hard.  At least that's how the literature on the site read and my experience with them impressed upon me.  However, I am always glad to admit I was wrong if it means I can move forward on an old problem.  So thank you and I shall see about solving this problem!

[GoodFoodHunting]

When I went there to set up the LPC driver it asked what kind of Linux am I using?  I can factor out some of the versions of Linux but would I select one of these:

a.) Debian Linux

b.) RMP


And once I have the right drives downloaded, with what application do I open them with?  Basically, VL6 keeps asking me what I want to open it with and then proceeds to show a whole list of mostly multi-media applications?  I am confused here?

[lagagnon]

... but would I select one of these:

a.) Debian Linux

b.) RMP

Ah yes, forgot about that extra step. You want the "RPM" packages. Donwload them to an appropriate directory, open a terminal, login as root (using "su"), then type: "rpm2tgz nameofpackage.rpm", for each package. Then: "installpkg nameofpackage.tgz" and then do what I said above.

The reason is Brother provides RPM packages which are not used by slackware and VL, so you must convert the rpm to a tgz package. Then that command "installpkg" installs the drivers.

[GoodFoodHunting]

Houston, we got problems... which I'm sure came about because I missed or added a step.  But here's what I did.  I went to the site you suggested, http://solutions.brother.com/linux/en_us/index.html: Saw the following and..

MFC-665CW
Download   Format   Version   Size   Release Date
lpr driver    rpm    1.0.1-1    1087 KB    2008/02/13
cupswrapper driver    rpm    1.0.1-1    15 KB    2008/02/13
lpr driver    deb    1.0.1-1    1087 KB    2008/02/13
cupswrapper driver    deb    1.0.1-1    13 KB    2008/02/13

# Install Instruction : lpr driver | cupswrapper driver |

Installed the packages in this order:

a.) The lpr driver for MFC-665CW

b.) Then the cupswrapper driver for MFC-665CW

Then I went back to http://solutions.brother.com/linux/en_us/index.html and downloaded the following:

a.) PC-FAX LPR Driver for MFC-665CW

at this location, http://solutions.brother.com/linux/en_us/download_pcf.html .  Where I downloaded these two drivers:

a.) brmfcfax lpr driver

b.) brmfcfax cupswrapper driver

I then went into terminal and initiated what I thought were the correct interpretations of your directions by typing "su" to access root, providing the password and then typing the following commands:

Vector://home/kevin
root:# rpm2tgzmfc665cwlpr-1.0.1-1.i386.rpm
bash: rpm2tgzmfc665cwlpr-1.0.1-1.i386.rpm: command not found


Vector://home/kevin
root:# rpmmfc665cwlpr-1.0.1-1.i386.rpm
bash: rpmmfc665cwlpr-1.0.1-1.i386.rpm: command not found

Vector://home/kevin
root:# installpkgmfc665cwlpr-1.0.1-1.i386 .tgz
bash: installpkgmfc665cwlpr-1.0.1-1.i386: command not found


Hopefully the detailed nature of my response allows you to more quickly ascertain just where the hell I goofed and how many times I goofed...
 

[GrannyGeek]

You need to have a space after rpm2tgz. You can't install anything until you have tgz packages created by rpm2tgz.
--GrannyGeek

[GoodFoodHunting]

Here's what I did then:

Vector://home/kevin
root:# rpm2tgz mfc665cwlpr-1.0.1-1.i386.rpm
Vector://home/kevin
root:# rpm mfc665cwlpr-1.0.1-1.i386.rpm
RPM version 4.2.1
Copyright (C) 1998-2002 - Red Hat, Inc.
This program may be freely redistributed under the terms of the GNU GPL

Usage: rpm [-a|--all] [-f|--file] [-g|--group] [-p|--package] [--specfile]
        [--whatrequires] [--whatprovides] [-c|--configfiles] [-d|--docfiles]
        [--dump] [-l|--list] [--queryformat=QUERYFORMAT] [-s|--state]
        [--nomd5] [--nofiles] [--nodeps] [--noscript] [--addsign]
        [-K|--checksig] [--import] [--resign] [--nodigest] [--nosignature]
        [--initdb] [--rebuilddb] [--aid] [--allfiles] [--allmatches]
        [--badreloc] [-e|--erase <package>+] [--excludedocs]
        [--excludepath=<path>] [--force] [-F|--freshen <packagefile>+]
        [-h|--hash] [--ignorearch] [--ignoreos] [--ignoresize] [-i|--install]
        [--justdb] [--nodeps] [--nomd5] [--noorder] [--nosuggest]
        [--noscripts] [--notriggers] [--oldpackage] [--percent]
        [--prefix=<dir>] [--relocate=<old>=<new>] [--repackage]
        [--replacefiles] [--replacepkgs] [--test]
        [-U|--upgrade <packagefile>+] [-D|--define 'MACRO EXPR']
        [-E|--eval 'EXPR'] [--macros=<FILE:...>] [--nodigest] [--nosignature]
        [--rcfile=<FILE:...>] [-r|--root ROOT] [--querytags] [--showrc]
        [--quiet] [-v|--verbose] [--version] [-?|--help] [--usage]
        [--scripts] [--setperms] [--setugids] [--conflicts] [--obsoletes]
        [--provides] [--requires] [--info] [--changelog] [--triggers]
        [--last] [--filesbypkg] [--fileclass] [--filecolor] [--fileprovide]
        [--filerequire] [--redhatprovides] [--redhatrequires]
        [--buildpolicy=<policy>] [--with=<option>] [--without=<option>]
Vector://home/kevin
root:# installpkg mfc665cwlpr-1.0.1-1.i386 .tgz
ERROR: File not found: mfc665cwlpr-1.0.1-1.i386
ERROR: File not found: .tgz
Vector://home/kevin
root:# installpkgmfc665cwlpr-1.0.1-1.i386 .tgz
bash: installpkgmfc665cwlpr-1.0.1-1.i386: command not found
Vector://home/kevin
root:#


Somehow, I don't know if that worked or not?

[GoodFoodHunting]

Nope, nada.  BUT... the printer clearly recognizes that some connection is taking place since The LCD screen lights up on the printer and it goes through the motions on the computer in the same way as if it was about to print?  When the LCD screen on the printer lights up it says that it is "receiving data" and there are arrows flashing across the screen. 

[nightflier]

root:# installpkg mfc665cwlpr-1.0.1-1.i386 .tgz

Remove the space before .tgz

[GoodFoodHunting]

I am sure it's something my ADD brain is missing.  Some simple step because that didn't work either.


Vector://home/kevin
root:# rpm2tgz mfc665cwlpr-1.0.1-1.i386.rpm
Vector://home/kevin
root:# rpm mfc665cwlpr-1.0.1-1.i386.rpm
RPM version 4.2.1
Copyright (C) 1998-2002 - Red Hat, Inc.
This program may be freely redistributed under the terms of the GNU GPL

Usage: rpm [-a|--all] [-f|--file] [-g|--group] [-p|--package] [--specfile]
        [--whatrequires] [--whatprovides] [-c|--configfiles] [-d|--docfiles]
        [--dump] [-l|--list] [--queryformat=QUERYFORMAT] [-s|--state]
        [--nomd5] [--nofiles] [--nodeps] [--noscript] [--addsign]
        [-K|--checksig] [--import] [--resign] [--nodigest] [--nosignature]
        [--initdb] [--rebuilddb] [--aid] [--allfiles] [--allmatches]
        [--badreloc] [-e|--erase <package>+] [--excludedocs]
        [--excludepath=<path>] [--force] [-F|--freshen <packagefile>+]
        [-h|--hash] [--ignorearch] [--ignoreos] [--ignoresize] [-i|--install]
        [--justdb] [--nodeps] [--nomd5] [--noorder] [--nosuggest]
        [--noscripts] [--notriggers] [--oldpackage] [--percent]
        [--prefix=<dir>] [--relocate=<old>=<new>] [--repackage]
        [--replacefiles] [--replacepkgs] [--test]
        [-U|--upgrade <packagefile>+] [-D|--define 'MACRO EXPR']
        [-E|--eval 'EXPR'] [--macros=<FILE:...>] [--nodigest] [--nosignature]
        [--rcfile=<FILE:...>] [-r|--root ROOT] [--querytags] [--showrc]
        [--quiet] [-v|--verbose] [--version] [-?|--help] [--usage]
        [--scripts] [--setperms] [--setugids] [--conflicts] [--obsoletes]
        [--provides] [--requires] [--info] [--changelog] [--triggers]
        [--last] [--filesbypkg] [--fileclass] [--filecolor] [--fileprovide]
        [--filerequire] [--redhatprovides] [--redhatrequires]
        [--buildpolicy=<policy>] [--with=<option>] [--without=<option>]
Vector://home/kevin
root:# installpkg mfc665cwlpr-1.0.1-1.i386 .tgz
ERROR: File not found: mfc665cwlpr-1.0.1-1.i386
ERROR: File not found: .tgz

[lagagnon]

root:# installpkg mfc665cwlpr-1.0.1-1.i386 .tgz
ERROR: File not found: mfc665cwlpr-1.0.1-1.i386
ERROR: File not found: .tgz

Again, you are not typing the filenames correctly. There is never a space in any Unix/Linux filename (unless you escape the space with "\"). Your command should have been:

installpkg mfc665cwlpr-1.0.1-1.i386.tgz

[no2thesame]

root:# installpkg mfc665cwlpr-1.0.1-1.i386 .tgz
ERROR: File not found: mfc665cwlpr-1.0.1-1.i386
ERROR: File not found: .tgz

Again, you are not typing the filenames correctly.... Your command should have been:

installpkg mfc665cwlpr-1.0.1-1.i386.tgz

GFH,
to make sure you type the file name correctly, especially long filenames , use "tab completion"
So in this case you would just type:

installpkg mfc6<Tab>

and you will see the full filename appear. And it will be right every time..no typos!

[overthere]

no there is a handy tidbit...do you have to have at least 4 characters?

[no2thesame]

do you have to have at least 4 characters?

overthere,
Tab Completion will work with just one letter, but only if there are no other files in the directory starting with that letter. But if you type in the first letter then press Tab twice you will get a list of possible files. You will have to keep typing until you get to the first unique letter before Tab will complete the filename.

It works for directories too when you "cd"

In practice I always "ls" before I do these sorts of things just to be sure what is in the directory.