Ubuntu
avahi package

How do I get a wireless Brother MFC-J450DW to successfully print?

Asked by Bruce MacAlister

I am unable to get a Brother MFC-J450DW to successfully print wirelessly from my Ubuntu 12.04 computer. On the other hand, my HP 6500 709n works well from this Ubuntu machine. The Brother prints wirelessly from the Windows XP machine. The Brother driver and CUPS was downloaded from the Brother site with the Ubuntu Software Center installing them (with a complaint about their structure).

I used the printer app to "Add Printer". I selected the network printer and did a find and it found two instances of it. I have an screen shot of that. So Ubuntu seems to "see" the printer. I used the defaults to finish the add process. But it fails to print.

Searching through the Ubuntu material and using a general Internet seach I found advice to put the IP address in instead of letting it default. It did that and it failed. That is not surprising given that the "find" process while adding the printer did find it on the network.

I also found this bug on one of the Ubuntu sites:

#987212 Wireless printer "Processing - Unable to locate printer." avahi (Ubuntu)

That seems to be specific to avahi which, I understand, has more to do with connecting to Apple gear than anything else. What that has to do with a Brother printer is not clear.

Here are the logs. What do you suggest I do next to get this printer working with Ubuntu?
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error_log (/var/log/cups)

W [30/Dec/2013:16:13:54 -0500] failed to CreateProfile: org.freedesktop.ColorManager.AlreadyExists:profile id 'Brother-MFC-J450DW-RGB..' already exists
W [30/Dec/2013:16:13:54 -0500] failed to CreateDevice: org.freedesktop.ColorManager.AlreadyExists:device id 'cups-Brother-MFC-J450DW' already exists
W [30/Dec/2013:16:13:54 -0500] failed to CreateProfile: org.freedesktop.ColorManager.AlreadyExists:profile id 'Brother-MFC-J450DW-Gray..' already exists
W [30/Dec/2013:16:13:54 -0500] failed to CreateProfile: org.freedesktop.ColorManager.AlreadyExists:profile id 'Brother-MFC-J450DW-RGB..' already exists
W [30/Dec/2013:16:13:54 -0500] failed to CreateDevice: org.freedesktop.ColorManager.AlreadyExists:device id 'cups-Brother-MFC-J450DW' already exists
W [30/Dec/2013:16:13:54 -0500] failed to CreateProfile: org.freedesktop.ColorManager.AlreadyExists:profile id 'Brother-MFC-J450DW-Gray..' already exists
W [30/Dec/2013:16:13:54 -0500] failed to CreateProfile: org.freedesktop.ColorManager.AlreadyExists:profile id 'Brother-MFC-J450DW-RGB..' already exists
W [30/Dec/2013:16:13:54 -0500] failed to CreateDevice: org.freedesktop.ColorManager.AlreadyExists:device id 'cups-Brother-MFC-J450DW' already exists
W [30/Dec/2013:16:13:54 -0500] failed to CreateProfile: org.freedesktop.ColorManager.AlreadyExists:profile id 'Brother-MFC-J450DW-Gray..' already exists
W [30/Dec/2013:16:13:54 -0500] failed to CreateProfile: org.freedesktop.ColorManager.AlreadyExists:profile id 'Brother-MFC-J450DW-RGB..' already exists
W [30/Dec/2013:16:13:54 -0500] failed to CreateDevice: org.freedesktop.ColorManager.AlreadyExists:device id 'cups-Brother-MFC-J450DW' already exists
W [30/Dec/2013:16:14:18 -0500] [Job 18] The printer is unreachable at this time.
W [30/Dec/2013:16:14:26 -0500] [Job 18] The printer is unreachable at this time.
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access_log (/var/log/cups)

localhost - - [30/Dec/2013:16:06:56 -0500] "POST / HTTP/1.1" 401 123 CUPS-Get-Devices successful-ok
localhost - bmac [30/Dec/2013:16:06:56 -0500] "POST / HTTP/1.1" 200 1881 CUPS-Get-Devices -
localhost - bmac [30/Dec/2013:16:06:57 -0500] "POST / HTTP/1.1" 200 1261 CUPS-Get-Devices -
localhost - bmac [30/Dec/2013:16:09:25 -0500] "POST / HTTP/1.1" 200 186 Renew-Subscription successful-ok
localhost - - [30/Dec/2013:16:12:00 -0500] "POST / HTTP/1.1" 200 4868223 CUPS-Get-PPDs -
localhost - - [30/Dec/2013:16:13:25 -0500] "POST / HTTP/1.1" 200 4868223 CUPS-Get-PPDs -
localhost - - [30/Dec/2013:16:13:46 -0500] "POST / HTTP/1.1" 200 30695 CUPS-Get-PPD -
localhost - - [30/Dec/2013:16:13:54 -0500] "POST /admin/ HTTP/1.1" 401 30770 CUPS-Add-Modify-Printer successful-ok
localhost - bmac [30/Dec/2013:16:13:54 -0500] "POST /admin/ HTTP/1.1" 200 30770 CUPS-Add-Modify-Printer successful-ok
localhost - bmac [30/Dec/2013:16:13:54 -0500] "POST /admin/ HTTP/1.1" 200 134 Resume-Printer successful-ok
localhost - bmac [30/Dec/2013:16:13:54 -0500] "POST /admin/ HTTP/1.1" 200 134 CUPS-Accept-Jobs successful-ok
localhost - bmac [30/Dec/2013:16:13:54 -0500] "POST /admin/ HTTP/1.1" 200 134 CUPS-Set-Default successful-ok
localhost - bmac [30/Dec/2013:16:13:54 -0500] "POST /admin/ HTTP/1.1" 200 171 CUPS-Add-Modify-Printer successful-ok
localhost - bmac [30/Dec/2013:16:13:54 -0500] "POST /admin/ HTTP/1.1" 200 170 CUPS-Add-Modify-Printer successful-ok
localhost - - [30/Dec/2013:16:14:05 -0500] "POST /printers/Brother-MFC-J450DW HTTP/1.1" 200 419 Print-Job successful-ok
localhost - - [30/Dec/2013:16:18:36 -0500] "POST /admin/ HTTP/1.1" 401 181 CUPS-Add-Modify-Printer successful-ok
localhost - bmac [30/Dec/2013:16:18:36 -0500] "POST /admin/ HTTP/1.1" 200 181 CUPS-Add-Modify-Printer successful-ok
localhost - bmac [30/Dec/2013:16:18:36 -0500] "POST /admin/ HTTP/1.1" 200 159 CUPS-Add-Modify-Printer successful-ok
localhost - - [30/Dec/2013:16:19:01 -0500] "POST / HTTP/1.1" 200 341 Create-Printer-Subscription successful-ok
localhost - - [30/Dec/2013:16:19:01 -0500] "POST / HTTP/1.1" 200 341 Create-Printer-Subscription successful-ok
localhost - - [30/Dec/2013:16:19:32 -0500] "POST / HTTP/1.1" 200 152 Cancel-Subscription successful-ok
localhost - - [30/Dec/2013:16:19:32 -0500] "POST / HTTP/1.1" 200 152 Cancel-Subscription successful-ok
localhost - bmac [30/Dec/2013:16:23:25 -0500] "POST / HTTP/1.1" 200 186 Renew-Subscription successful-ok
localhost - - [30/Dec/2013:16:29:15 -0500] "POST / HTTP/1.1" 200 152 Cancel-Subscription successful-ok
localhost - bmac [30/Dec/2013:16:37:25 -0500] "POST / HTTP/1.1" 200 186 Renew-Subscription successful-ok
localhost - - [30/Dec/2013:16:39:05 -0500] "POST / HTTP/1.1" 200 252 Create-Printer-Subscription successful-ok
localhost - - [30/Dec/2013:16:39:50 -0500] "POST / HTTP/1.1" 200 152 Cancel-Subscription successful-ok
localhost - - [30/Dec/2013:16:50:57 -0500] "POST / HTTP/1.1" 200 341 Create-Printer-Subscription successful-ok
localhost - - [30/Dec/2013:16:50:57 -0500] "POST / HTTP/1.1" 200 341 Create-Printer-Subscription successful-ok
localhost - - [30/Dec/2013:16:51:12 -0500] "POST / HTTP/1.1" 200 152 Cancel-Subscription successful-ok
localhost - - [30/Dec/2013:16:51:12 -0500] "POST / HTTP/1.1" 200 152 Cancel-Subscription successful-ok
localhost - bmac [30/Dec/2013:16:51:25 -0500] "POST / HTTP/1.1" 200 186 Renew-Subscription successful-ok
localhost - bmac [30/Dec/2013:17:05:25 -0500] "POST / HTTP/1.1" 200 186 Renew-Subscription successful-ok

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Bruce MacAlister
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Revision history for this message
actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said : 		#1

Delete the printer you have added then reboot, log back in and remap the printer. Be sure you can ping it's IP address.

Revision history for this message
Bruce MacAlister (w4bru) said : 		#2

I'll get to it. Before I start, however, how do I dependably deal with the IP address that's dynamic, reassigned by the router on start-up, etc? It's seldom the same from one startup to another. With the HP printer as I remember it, there is a server address (URL) so it's not so dependant on the dynamic IP address.

Revision history for this message
actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said : 		#3

Set it to a static IP for fewer issues.

Revision history for this message
Bruce MacAlister (w4bru) said : 		#4

Good advice, it worked. The process changed two variables so I don't know which worked. 1. I deleted the Brother printer instances under the "Printing" GUI as you suggested. 2. Then I booted Ubuntu. 3. Using the "Printing" GUI I did an "Add", picked "network." 4. Instead of clicking the "find printer" option as I had in the past, I did nothing and let the Brother printer appear. With that I continued clicking the "forward" buttons until I got the "test page" button. That worked. By the way, the URI contructed by the process is completely different from the one contructed in the prior process. So, first variable was deleting the printer and booting. The second variable as NOT picking the "find printer" option and let the printer process find it. Whatever, it worked.

As to the static IP, that causes too much conflict (complaint) from the other devices connected to the router. I'll have to experiment to see if it works with a dynamic IP address.

Thanks for the help.

Revision history for this message
Bruce MacAlister (w4bru) said : 		#5

It didn't take long to go from solved to still a problem. I followed the process to connect the printer on my new Ubuntu machine. I tried the GUI (Printers) method that worked on the first Ubuntu machine. Failure.

Deleted everything, booted Ubuntu, did it again installing all the Brother drivers directly via the Ubuntu Software Centre, then used the Printers GUI again. Failure again.

Deleted everything, booted Ubuntu then used the terminal command process from http://welcome.solutions.brother.com/bsc/public_s/id/linux/en/faq_prn.html#f00104. Another failure.

I went to the Ubuntu machine that "succeeded" printing earlier. Guess what? It too indicates it cannot connect to the printer.

Given that the HP printer is error-free on Ubuntu and Wiindows XP and the Brother printer never fails on the Wiindows XP machine, this is seeming like a Brother driver problem. Do you agree? If so, do you have any good Brother printer contacts?

Revision history for this message
Bruce MacAlister (w4bru) said : 		#6

The problem is fixed. One way worked, the others did not. This from Brother worked:

I would recommend removing the printer driver and re-installing using our install utility that will automate the download/install process. You may access this installation utility at the following location: http://welcome.solutions.brother.com/bsc/public_s/id/linux/en/faq_prn.html#f00104

On two of my Ubuntu machines it took two tries following the instructions to uninstall then install and, when that didn't work, uninstall and install again. Finally it wsorked. I have turned on and off the printer and the computers twice to make sure the computer could find the printer again and it appears to work with the same dependability as the HP printer.

CAUTION: there are YouTube video on installing a Brother printer and several Brother web pages give DIFFERENT procedures for installation. I tried most of the others and they didn't work or didn't survive a power on, power off. When those didn't work I put out the call for help to Brother. The instructions in the web page referenced above seem to be the only ones to follow.