[cups] Arch Linux, networked Brother j625dw "Unable to locate printer"

[Johannes Meixner]

Hello,

On Jun 22 17:21 Aaron Laws wrote (excerpt):
> ... archlinux ...
> Brother j625dw ... IP address ...
> ... ping -c 4 brother ... pings successfully. I've installed
> https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/brother-mfc-j625dw/ -- actually it
> didn't work ...
...
> The logs don't show anything interesting:
...
> E ... [Job 2] Unable to queue job for destination "home-brother".
> E ... [Job 9] Unable to queue job for destination "brotherviasnmp".

I have neither Arch Linux nor a Brother MFC-J625DW device or similar.

Nevertheless some generic info:

The above CUPS log messages do not show a reason why cupsd
is "Unable to queue job". Usually you must enable CUPS debug
messages to get more interesting information, cf.
https://en.opensuse.org/SDB:How_to_Report_a_Printing_Issue

Brother's specifications for that device at
http://www.brother-usa.com/MFC/ModelDetail/4/MFCJ625DW/spec#.VYlWSUqrHKE
contain (excerpt):
------------------------------------------------------------------
Print
...
Emulation(s)    GDI
.
.
.
Connectivity & Compatibility
...
Standard Interface(s)    Hi-Speed USB 2.0, Wireless
...
Supported Network Protocols (IPv4)    ... Port/Port9100 ...
------------------------------------------------------------------

The "Emulation(s) GDI" means that this device does not support
a standard printer language so that you need a special driver
that makes the special proprietary model-specific data format
that lets this special device print, cf.
https://en.opensuse.org/SDB:GDI_Printers

Often so called "GDI printers" do not behave as normal printers.
For example it might be required that such a printer is directly
connected to the computer where its special driver runs or access
via network - in particular access via wireless network - may
even more require this or that special stuff to be set up
to use such a printer.

In the end this means that for a so called "GDI printer" you
have to use only the special driver software of the printer
manufacturer and in case of issues you can basically only
ask there for help and support.

For example standard testing by using a command like
# echo -en "\rHello\r\f" | netcat brother 9100
will very likely not at all work for this special device, cf.
https://en.opensuse.org/SDB:Installing_a_Printer

When you have a file with the special proprietary model-specific
data format that lets this special device print, then you can use
# cat file | netcat brother 9100
to send the file to port 9100 at the printer device to test
if it prints this way via network.

In general regarding accessing a printer via network cf.
https://en.opensuse.org/SDB:Printing_via_TCP/IP_network
(excerpts):
------------------------------------------------------------------
A connection is specified as so called Device URI, see
https://en.opensuse.org/SDB:CUPS_in_a_Nutshell
the section "The Backends".

...

TCP Port (AppSocket/JetDirect)

The IP address and a port number is needed to access it.
Often the port number 9100 is the right one. It is the simplest,
fastest, and generally the most reliable protocol.
The matching device URI is:

socket://ip-address:port-number

For example a network printer with IP 192.168.100.1 which is
accessible via port 9100 may have a device URI like:
socket://192.168.100.1:9100

...

In case of problems

Connect the printer device directly via USB and configure the
printer as local printer for testing purposed to exclude problems
regarding the network.
------------------------------------------------------------------

Accordingly:

First and foremost set it up as USB printer and make sure
it prints this way.

Then on the same computer where printing via USB works
set it up as network printer using a device URI like
socket://brother:9100
or try other device URIs that seem to work for that device.

Finally you can set it up as network printer on other
computers - but because it is a so called "GDI printer"
you may have to also install and use the printer's special
driver software on the other computers.

Usually this is only the plain printing part.
The other functionalities of that multifunction device
(scanning, faxing, whatever else...) may need separated
further special setup actions.

In case of issues ask Brother for further help and support.


Kind Regards
Johannes Meixner
-- 
SUSE LINUX GmbH - GF: Felix Imendoerffer, Jane Smithard,
Dilip Upmanyu, Graham Norton - HRB 21284 (AG Nuernberg)