I’m more of a casual/newbie Linux user and I want to know if a specific Brother model is compatible with it. For reference, it’s the HL-L2465DW monochrome laser printer.

  • monkeyman512@lemmy.worldEnglish
    17·
    3 months ago

    I just googled that model number and “Linux support”. The first result was the Brother website for driver downloads, which does include packages for linux.

    • Anivia@feddit.org
      4·
      3 months ago

      They are already included in the kernel, no installation needed. Every Brother printer made in the last two decades is plug and play on Linux.

  • mystic-macaroni@lemmy.ml
    11·
    3 months ago

    I had a harder time setting up a brother printer on my dad’s computer running windows than I did on my mom’s running Mint

  • StrawberryPigtails@discuss.tchncs.de
    10·
    3 months ago

    Brother Printers have a well deserved reputation. They work. You will probably need their proprietary drivers (which you can get from their website), but after that they just work.

    I know they make a .deb available, but I think there’s also a .rpm if you’re repping Redhat land.

    • queerlilhayseed@piefed.blahaj.zoneEnglish
      2·
      3 months ago

      I’ve never had this particular model, but I’ve had pretty good success printing off Brother printers with the generic print drivers, I don’t think I’ve used the proprietary downloads in a while.

      Of note: I don’t have occasion to do scans all that often, so I can’t say if that works. Ditto the fax function, if that’s important all I can say is you have my pity. But I’ve used the print function to good success on a couple different machines.

      Still I’d recommend testing it before committing to permanent changes, if possible. Printers are mysterious and capricious.

  • pinball_wizard@lemmy.zip
    5·
    3 months ago

    With Linux Mint, I haven’t had to install any drivers for printers in the last few years. Your mileage may vary.

    Remember that you can boot to a Linux Mint USB stick to try it out, and just remove the stick and reboot to go back to Windows, afterwards.

  • unwarlikeExtortion@lemmy.ml
    3·
    3 months ago

    CUPS is the UNIX (i.e. both Linux AND Mac) print software. For some reason it’s maintained by Apple.

    So chances are if a printer works on Mac (which it will), it’ll also work on Linux (which it does).

    You only need to find the right “print driver” which is actually just a preset for CUPS. Scrolling the list can be quite annoying if you don’t know where to look, as it’s highly unlikely to find your exact model listed (which doesn’t mean others won’t work - they will. It’s just hit or miss sometimes if the autodetect doesn’t work).

    That being said, if you’re shopping for a printer and have the ability to choose, try checking the manufacturer support website for “Linux drivers” (i.e. ppd files). Most should turn something up.

  • Pommes_für_dein_Balg@feddit.org
    1·
    3 months ago

    Brother’s HL-printers are fully compatible with Linux.
    In Mint, it’ll just show up as installed as soon as you connect it to the network.

  • ejs@piefed.socialEnglish
    11·
    3 months ago

    That printer probably supports AirPrint, which Mint supports without any extra tinkering. Connect the printer to your network, and try going through linux mint and adding the printer through the settings. If it doesn’t show up, then you can try using drivers (install using below command) and then re-adding the printer

    Install by pasting this into your terminal. Enter your password when prompted.

    TMP_DEB=$(mktemp --suffix=.deb) && curl -sSL "https://support.brother.com/g/b/downloadend.aspx?c=us&lang=en&prod=hll2465dw_us&os=128&dlid=dlf106036_000&flang=4&type3=10283" -o "$TMP_DEB" && sudo apt install -y "$TMP_DEB" && rm -f "$TMP_DEB"

    Explanation if you want to learn:

    • Brother offers drivers online
    • Download the “linux printer driver (.deb package)”
    • Then, to install onto your system, use your package manager and tell it to install the package you downloaded sudo apt install ./Downloads/package_name.deb
    • softotteep@pawb.socialEnglish
      5·
      3 months ago

      Please don’t encourage Linux noobs to paste random shit into their terminal and type in their password. It’s the absolute easiest way to get hacked on Linux.

      • ejs@piefed.socialEnglish
        1·
        3 months ago

        I certainly wasn’t trying to “encourage” anything. I agree, blindly trusting commands is dangerous.

        In this context I present a specific explanation of how the install works. This adds to the novice’s knowledge, and allows them to begin to understand what my one-liner does.

        I think that without the context of instructions on how to do it manually, yes, you could make the case i’m enabling beginners to form/reinforce bad habits.

        • steel_for_humans@piefed.socialEnglish
          1·
          3 months ago

          As a Linux noob I like your oneliner but I agree with @solxix@pawb.social

          A more approachable way to do that would be to use wget and then manually run apt install with the downloaded file. That’s what I’ve been doing. :) Yours is “magic” ;)

          • ejs@piefed.socialEnglish
            1·
            3 months ago

            Fair enough. Let me quickly go through the one-liner, command-by command

            # Joined by `&&`, bash runs these commands in sequence (as if run individually in shell), but exits/stops execution early if any command fails (return nonzero)
TMP_DEB=$(mktemp --suffix=.deb) && curl -sSL "https://support.brother.com/g/b/downloadend.aspx?c=us&lang=en&prod=hll2465dw_us&os=128&dlid=dlf106036_000&flang=4&type3=10283" -o "$TMP_DEB" && sudo apt install -y "$TMP_DEB" && rm -f "$TMP_DEB"  

# Going command by command:

# First, we create a local variable in the shell, named `TMP_DEB`
# We assign the value to `$(...)`. This stores the string output (to stdout) of running the command `mktemp ...` to `TMP_DEB`
# `mktemp` creates a temporary file and prints its name, which uses the name template `tmp.XXXXXXXXXX`
# `--suffix=.deb` flag appends `.deb` to the name template
TMP_DEB=$(mktemp --suffix=.deb)

# At this point, we've created a temporary file, and saved the name to a variable in bash
# Next, we download the file using curl. `-s` makes output silent, `-S` shows errors in output, and `-L` follows redirects
# note the url doesn't end in `.deb`, implying that we will be redirected by the web server to the file path. without -`L` curl will download a page that stores the redirection response from the web server, not the .deb package
# `-o "$TMP_FILE"` forces curl to store the downloaded file to the tmp file we created
# note the quotes around the variable expansion. `$TMP_FILE` would also resolve the string stored in the variable, but we use quotes to avoid string globbing (google this)
curl -sSL "https://support.brother.com/..."

# Next, we install the package with apt
# note: we use the string stored in the variable `TMP_DEB`, the filepath to the temp file we created, and downloaded the deb package
# `-y` flag skips the confirmation question "install package [y/n]: `
sudo apt install -y "$TMP_DEB"

# Finally, to clean up we delete the tmp file
rm -f "$TMP_DEB"