I’ve installed cups on Debian/Ubuntu based systems. Meaning you click a button and a guided install of some type appears and you click through it and it is done with little user input.
This OK because I always had a printer that was compatible with Linux.
NOW I have this: Brother_MFCL8900CDW
– not a local shared printer
–configured as a network printer, accessed through a switch on my home network
The printer comes with RPM/DEB’s for Linux.
Because of the above I did not install the CUP system; I figured the drivers would do that when I installed them.
I also thought the source to compile was available but apparently it is not.
Sigh, so now I find myself needing to install CUP’s and wanted to know if these page are up to date before I begin: also, any tips would be MUCH appreciated.
Listen to these two responders ^^: do not be concerned with the cups crap–be more concerned about the Driver. The AUR has my brother package as well and it’s a godsend people upkeep these proprietary drivers on their own time. Welcome. Don’t stop asking questions.
I’ve been at home for a bit over a week now, sick with flu and COPD complications due to the flu so figured got time lets do it on my personal desktop. BUT, I forgot the email address I used to create yodaminium and so created nvexper for my home PC account.
I am planning on getting the email/password from work, when I go back, and deleting the nvexper user but it is serving it’s purpose very well.
brscan should in theory handle the scanner but I would not install the package without installing sane or sane-backends for that push over the edge. (superstitious?)
When working with windows sometimes it’s just a wild “throw the book at it and hope something sticks” kinda last ditch troubleshooting effort.So, yeah right there with ya.
Not sure if I am doing something wrong for scanner though. I did the bracan4 install:
Here is snippet from term:
Validating source files with md5sums...
brscan4-0.4.11-1.x86_64.rpm ... Passed
agree.html ... Passed
mk-udev-hwdb ... Passed
==> Removing existing $srcdir/ directory...
==> Extracting sources...
-> Extracting brscan4-0.4.11-1.x86_64.rpm with bsdtar
==> Sources are ready.
==> Making package: brscan4 0.4.11_1-2 (Wed 05 Mar 2025 04:53:17 PM)
==> Checking runtime dependencies...
==> Checking buildtime dependencies...
==> WARNING: Using existing $srcdir/ tree
==> Starting build()...
==> Entering fakeroot environment...
==> Starting package()...
==> Tidying install...
-> Removing libtool files...
-> Purging unwanted files...
-> Removing static library files...
-> Stripping unneeded symbols from binaries and libraries...
-> Compressing man and info pages...
==> Checking for packaging issues...
==> Creating package "brscan4"...
-> Generating .PKGINFO file...
-> Generating .BUILDINFO file...
-> Adding install file...
-> Generating .MTREE file...
-> Compressing package...
==> Leaving fakeroot environment.
==> Finished making: brscan4 0.4.11_1-2 (Wed 05 Mar 2025 04:53:21 PM)
==> Cleaning up...
loading packages...
resolving dependencies...
looking for conflicting packages...
Package (1) New Version Net Change
brscan4 0.4.11_1-2 0.33 MiB
Total Installed Size: 0.33 MiB
:: Proceed with installation? [Y/n] y
(1/1) checking keys in keyring [------------------------------------------] 100%
(1/1) checking package integrity [------------------------------------------] 100%
(1/1) loading package files [------------------------------------------] 100%
(1/1) checking for file conflicts [------------------------------------------] 100%
:: Processing package changes...
(1/1) installing brscan4 [------------------------------------------] 100%
Find additional documentation about scanner driver install at:
http://welcome.solutions.brother.com/bsc/public_s/id/linux/en/instruction_scn1.html
For a network installation run the following as root:
brsaneconfig4 -a name="Brother" model="YOURMODELHERE" ip=YOUR.SCANNER.IP.HERE
Optional dependencies for brscan4
gtk2: for using brscan_gnetconfig [installed]
:: Running post-transaction hooks...
(1/2) Updating udev hardware database...
(2/2) Arming ConditionNeedsUpdate...
[me2@mercbox ~]$ brscan4
bash: brscan4: command not found
[me2@mercbox ~]$ brscan_gnetconfig
bash: brscan_gnetconfig: command not found
[me2@mercbox ~]$ su-
bash: su-: command not found
[me2@mercbox ~]$ su -
Password:
[root@mercbox ~]# brsaneconfig4 -a name="Brother" model="MFCL8900CDW" ip=192.168.175.235
[root@mercbox ~]# exit
logout
[me2@mercbox ~]$
Now I can’t seem to find the scanner software to test it.
brscan4 DID install no errors, I also ran the enable network scanning by the running the suggest command at the end of the brscan4 setup as you can see.
Do I know have to install simple-scan or some other scanning gui and then test?
ANSWERED my own question: “Install a scanner program such as simple-scan”
Printing working perfectly.
Printing working as perfectly as I can expect.
It double side scanned all the documents when only 1 of them had stuff on both sides. SO I ended up with 8 pages printed but only needed 4 with one being double sided.
no big deal if I have to put three blank pages back into the tray.
I do not print out hundreds of pages at home usually, once in a awhile only and same with scanning so an annoyance, but I live with WAY more than this on Windows 11 (pfffttt!)…Windows, since WIndows 10 release has ahd this nasty copy/paste bug–I mean, it is a core kernel fucntion and MS F77ked it up and has never fixed it.
Just another of the hundreds of reasons I am just ditching Windows for everything except what I can’t make Linux do for me.
So far, Linux is doing everything for me, but, I am not an idiot, I KNOW some stupid game dev will do SOMETHING that will make their game only p[playable on Windows.
NOW, I do not know which solution to pick, but I DID use Pudges directions the most so I guess thats it.
You are MOST welcome my friend! Welcome to the forums. You’ll never find a nicer bunch of people. Pudge has only called me ding-dong 200 times! Welcome to Endeavour! Best. Distro. In. The. Universe.
Maybe one more step left to go. If you haven’t done so yet, make some notes in a physical or virtual note book so if needed in the future it will be close at hand.
“Maybe one more step left to go. If you haven’t done so yet, make some notes in a physical or virtual note book so if needed in the future it will be close at hand.”
Already done.
I like good old text files.
If I decide to I can even upload them to some “future” webs server I “might” create just for that purpose.
Private of course, that would be for me and my home setup. THIS website is for the rest of the world
I figured out what I was doing wrong when scanning and getting the white page in between all printed pages: I had it set to double-side scanning (slaps face into hand) - I set that to one side and voila no more blank pages (rofl). My ADHD makes me do some pretty stupid things for a fairly smart guy.
All works out in the end is my favorite saying
as soon as you said double-sided a few posts above I thought ‘simple setting somewhere’–but that’s 50% of the time . I will never blame adhd if it makes me thorough. As it does not do enough on my end…
PS–congrats on being made whole with the all-in-one unit. If I have found one Linux Truism since I left windows all those years ago it’s this: No Matter The Distro, Printers and Scanners will always be a Headache at First.–that’s everyone.
Welcome to Endeavour! Best. Distro. In. The. Universe. 
