Can't print using USB Printer connected to Tomato Router

[mbwd1]

I have tried this every which way but Sunday, and I just can't figure out the problem. This printer works via the network on the three Macs that are in the house. I'm trying to do a full switch over to Kubuntu, but just can't get the printing (and some other minor issues).

I am on the latest stable Kubuntu, on a wireless network using a Tomato-flashed router, with a USB Printer (Brother 2140) plugged in. Tomato has the printer listed in USB/NAS Support as an "Attached Device."

Printer  lp0	Brother HL-2140 series

I have added a new printer at least 20 ways via both the GUI and in CUPS (http://localhost:631). I tried the default "AppSocket/HP Jet Direct" setup (10.0.1.2:9100), which works on my Macs. I downloaded the latest driver from Brother, and choose it in the proper place.

When I try to print, I get no errors but nothing prints. The CUPS jobs page says:

Appsocket_MBWD-45  	Unknown  	Withheld  	284k  	Unknown  	completed at
Sat 21 Dec 2013 09:49:11 AM PST

I have also tried via SMB, but I think I am setting that part up wrong, as I am not sure of the name/workgroup/server for this. Below is a picture of Dolphin showing the SMB being recognized by Kubuntu:



And here are the results from smbclient -L localhost :

-NDomain=[WORKGROUP] OS=[Unix] Server=[Samba 3.6.18]

        Sharename       Type      Comment
        ---------       ----      -------
        IPC$            IPC       IPC Service (mbwd-Q501LA server (Samba, Ubuntu))
        print$          Disk      Printer Drivers
        Unknown         Printer   Unknown
Domain=[WORKGROUP] OS=[Unix] Server=[Samba 3.6.18]

        Server               Comment
        ---------            -------
        MBWD-Q501LA          mbwd-Q501LA server (Samba, Ubuntu)
        UNKNOWN              tomato

        Workgroup            Master
        ---------            -------
        WORKGROUP            UNKNOWN

Any help or guidance would be GREATLY appreciated!

[GreyGeek]

I haven't used lp0 in years.

Have you tried to use CUPS web interface. Very nice. Easy to use.

[mbwd1]

Hi -- thanks, but yes -- I tried CUPS using the web interface (its in the post, just a little buried -- I made it a link now). Using the CUPS interface did not change the results.

[Feathers McGraw]

Hi mate.

Just to make sure I understand you correctly: your Brother printer is connected with a USB cable to your Tomato router, and you are trying to print to it from a Kubuntu machine on your LAN?

My setup is very similar, with an HP printer connected to an OpenWrt router via USB cable.

This may be a dumb question, but worth checking: are you sure that 10.0.1.1:9100 is the right IP address?

DD-WRT and OpenWrt use 192.168.1.1, so to connect a printer you would input 192.168.1.1:9100



A tutorial I wrote for adding a printer to DD-WRT:
http://www.samhobbs.co.uk/2013/08/co...d-wrt-via-usb/

Feathers

[mbwd1]

Hi Feathers. Thanks for the post. I am glad to hear I'm not the only one trying this. While the 10.0.1.x. ip is less common, and certainly not the default for any of the open source router firmwares, it is the default for all Macs. I set this all up years ago on a mac network, so I changed everything, including the default IP address for the routers (I have 4 in the house) to 10.0.1.x.

I'm going to go through your tutorial. But quick question: have you tried anything but the "AppSocket/HP Jet Direct" technique? I ask because when I used Samba, the printer received the commands, started to sound like it would print (warmed up and all), but then stopped. Using the AppSocket approach, I get nothing (though, again, CUPS reports that the print job was successful).

[Also, just for information, I tried the old Mac (2005 PowerBook G4) that this laptop replaced, and it still prints using the AppSocket approach. I mimicked these settings on my Kubuntu -- and got the same result. The Mac is using Appsocket with the 10.0.1.2.:9100/?bidi as the socket. I even added the ?bidi to the end of my Kubuntu settings, but no luck.

Another thing: because I have printer sharing set up on the 2005 Mac, when I fire it up, the Mac's printer server comes up in the Kubuntu's printer list and I CAN print from that. This is driving me NUTS!!]

[Feathers McGraw]

4 routers!!

Thanks for clarifying... I have never used a Mac, was using Windows until a year ago when I has a free software revolution and converted my whole network... lol.

So I'm guessing the four routers have IP addresses of 10.0.1.1, 10.0.1.2, 10.0.1.3, and 10.0.1.4? In your first post you said you were connecting to 10.0.1.1:9100, and then later you said your Mac is connecting to 10.0.1.2:9100 ... just make sure you have the right router!

Yeah the AppSocket/HP Jet Direct technique is the one I used, you'll see when you scroll through the tutorial.

when I used Samba, the printer received the commands, started to sound like it would print (warmed up and all), but then stopped. Using the AppSocket approach, I get nothing (though, again, CUPS reports that the print job was successful).

I used to run DD-WRT and then switched to OpenWrt. I set up my HP printer with both of them, and remember having a similar problem myself... I can appreciate the frustration - the ultimate technical tease, like it could print if it wanted to but it decided not to!



Can you post a screenshot of your equivalent window? I got there by going into the KDE printer control module and then selecting "configure". I'm interested in what it says in the driver section.

Have you tried connecting the printer to your Kubuntu machine directly with a USB cable? It would be useful to eliminate a few potential problems: if it prints locally then it's likely to be a network problem.

[mbwd1]

Thanks for the reply. It is SO frustrating -- especially since I know the Router is configured correctly: the same protocol is working fine when called from the Macs (3 of them!).

You are right, the correct IP is 10.0.1.2. I always type that in wrong because 10.0.1.2 is the default - but I left that open for new routers.

Here is the image:



Let me know if you have any ideas? Thanks.

[Feathers McGraw]

Did you try a wired connection from the printer to your computer via USB? It would be nice to know that it works (or not).

It's my bed time, I'm afraid. Will be back in a few hours, good luck!

[mbwd1]

Thanks. It did work via direct USB.

BUT your suggestion led me to the solution: I had not tried the right driver. There are seven drivers listed under my model number (Brother HL-2140), PLUS the one that Brother gives when you go to their website (named HL2150 CUPS) that can't be seen below. Here they are:




I had tried most of them, but not all. And I kept coming back to the driver that I downloaded from Brother directly, thinking it was the "default."

When I plugged in the USB, it recognized the printer immediately, but did not print. So I went through each driver until it did. Turns out the driver that worked for USB was not one that I had tried for AppSocket.

Take aways:
1) always try the direct route first to troubleshot;
2) do NOT pay any attention to the CUPS errors on the jobs page -- they will just lead you astray (I got different errors for the different drivers I tried, and none of the errors stated driver error);
3) use the "Brother HL-2140 Foomatic/hl1250" driver for the Brother HL-2140!

Thanks for your help!

[Feathers McGraw]

Great news, I'm glad you got it sorted!