New to cups: help installing please

[roj]

I'm relatively new to Linux (running Kubuntu 10.10) and using a Brother MFC-6490CW printer with cups 1.1 on a small home wired network with a Broadband router. No-one else using the network yet.
Everything was OK until a few days ago and then suddenly it all stopped printing.
Not even a test page - just a page feed. Somehow I've managed to get the Ubuntu test page to print using the printer configuration in software settings. But nothing else will print from any app'. The printer applet shows the job as 'processing' but it never prints.
So today I've downloaded cups 1.4.6 but then what? How do I install it to replace v1.1? The documentation appears to be highly convoluted and more suitable for experts. I just want my printer to work!
Can anyone please help with a solution? And thanks in advance to any and all responders.