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Installing and using a Brother printer driver into a Linux based system using the LPD service (lpr)

A wide range of Brother printers are able to print on a Linux based system using the LPD service. To learn how to install a driver on a Linux based system which uses LPR commands, please refer to the following document.

Note:

  • For cups users:
    If you plan to install the CUPS Wrapper driver later, you DO NOT have to edit the "/etc/brprintcap" file.
  • For 64 bit users:
    lib32stdc++6 or ia32-libs is required to use our driver for 64 bit environment.
    Also please copy the files which named start with "brlpdwrapper" in " /usr/lib/cups/filter" to "/usr/lib64/cups/filter" after the installation.
  • Ignorable error message:
    If you see error message "/var/spool/lpd/ the folder or file doesn't exist". Please ignore it.
  1. Make a temporary directory on your HDD and download the LPR driver to that directory.
  2. Log in as root user or use the "su" command.
  3. When the driver has been downloaded run the relevant rpm/dpkg file from the command prompt:

    rpm -ihv --nodeps xxxx.rpm* (for rpm Users)
    dpkg -i --force-all --force-architecture xxxx.deb* (for dpkg Users)

    *where xxxx.rpm/xxxx.deb is the name of the RPM/DEB file.



    This will install the Brother printer driver onto your computer and configure it to use the USB interface.

    NOTE:
    If you are plainning to use cups, you do not need to make any further modifications. Please go to cupswrapper installation instruction for next steps. (Instruction pages differ between models.)


  4. (Red Hat)
    If you are using the parallel port on your computer, or your computer is connected over a network you MUST edit the /etc/printcap.local file. DO NOT edit the /etc/printcap file.

    (Other distributions)
    If you are using the parallel port on your computer, or your computer is connected over a network you MUST edit the /etc/printcap file.



  5. Parallel Port Users:

    Ensure that the :lp line reads as follows:

    :lp=/dev/lp0

    In the example screenshot, you can see that the HL-1440 printer is configured to print to the parallel port.


    When you edit the printcap.local file you MUST restart the lpd service. To do this enter:

    /etc/init.d/lpd restart
    or
    /etc/init.d/lprng restart

    at the command prompt.

  6. Network Users:

    Ensure that the :rm and :rp lines read as follows:

    :rm=xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx\
    :rp=lp\

    In the example screenshot, you can see that the HL-1670N printer is configured to print to an IP address of 192.0.0.145


    ( Red Hat )
    When you edit the /etc/printcap.local file you MUST restart the lpd service.

    ( Other distributions )
    When you edit the /etc/printcap file you MUST restart the lpd service.

    To do this enter:
    /etc/init.d/lpd restart

    at the command prompt.

    USB Users:

    Ensure that the :lp line reads as follows:

    :lp=/dev/usb/lp0

    In the example screenshot, you can see that the HL-5070N printer is configured to print to the USB port.

    ( Red Hat )
    When you edit the /etc/printcap.local file you MUST restart the lpd service.

    ( Other distributions )
    When you edit the /etc/printcap file you MUST restart the lpd service.

    To do this enter:

    /etc/init.d/lpd restart

    at the command prompt.

Note:

  • Make sure your Linux applications are set to use the LPD print system for their "Print system currently used" as shown in the screenshot below:

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