Brother MFC-685CW stopped working after move. [Solved]

[Puppus Dogfellow]

my previously working (all that changed was the room it's in--connections are fine) Brother MFC-685CW has stopped working. How do I find out why and repair it? it's given me trouble in the past, but this setup was a solid one for quite some time (running under precise 5.6.1).

Also, what's the best way to get it functioning as a networked printer? I was never actually able to sort that out, although between a cloud service and rcrsn51's debbi script and instructions, i wasn't missing the feature that much. however, the advantages seem that much greater at the moment, and since i'm here asking for help anyway, i figure giving myself another shot to learn how to do it is in order.

my failed fixes so far included redoing the debbi deal and trying every available port on the machine.

Thanks in advance.

[rcrsn51]

my previously working (all that changed was the room it's in--connections are fine) Brother MFC-685CW has stopped working.

Is this the same Puppy on the same computer with the same USB printer connection just moved to a different location?

I would boot Puppy with a temporary clean install using the CD and the "puppy pfix=ram" boot option. Install the Brother driver and test. For your convenience, I have packaged the MFC-685CW driver as a PET here.

Also, what's the best way to get it functioning as a networked printer?

The first and hardest step is to set up networking on the printer's own control panel so it gets an IP address from your network.

You can test this by running PeasyPort and scanning for port 9100.

Once the printer is visible to Puppy, CUPS should be able to auto-detect and install it.

[Puppus Dogfellow]

my previously working (all that changed was the room it's in--connections are fine) Brother MFC-685CW has stopped working.

Is this the same Puppy on the same computer with the same USB printer connection just moved to a different location?

I would boot Puppy with a temporary clean install using the CD and the "puppy pfix=ram" boot option. Install the Brother driver and test. For your convenience, I have packaged the MFC-685CW driver as a PET here.

Also, what's the best way to get it functioning as a networked printer?

The first and hardest step is to set up networking on the printer's own control panel so it gets an IP address from your network.

You can test this by running PeasyPort and scanning for port 9100.

Once the printer is visible to Puppy, CUPS should be able to auto-detect and install it.

thanks, rcrsn51! (for both the response and the pet).

yeah, same machine and puppy, but perhaps not exactly the original usb port. i know i've moved it from the front of the tower to the back before without incident.

once i get a little rest, i'll get on it and let you know how it goes. thanks again.

[rcrsn51]

The simplest thing to try would be to delete the printer in CUPS (select the printer and pull down the Administration list). Then re-discover and add it.

[greengeek]

(all that changed was the room it's in--connections are fine)

Is it just the printer that has been moved or the whole PC/printer setup? If you have moved the printer and added a usb extension or longer usb cable that can cause problems. I have encountered a few printers that work fine on a 5m cable, but when I added a 2m extension they stopped working. The PC still knew that there was a device there but could not correctly identify the usb ID of the device so it never came ready.

Using the extension with a 3m cable (total of 5 meters) was fine. Just seemed like the printers usb interfaces could not drive beyond 7 meters of cable length.
.

[Puppus Dogfellow]

The simplest thing to try would be to delete the printer in CUPS (select the printer and pull down the Administration list). Then re-discover and add it.

okay, will do that next (this evening).

(ran peasyport with the full name "what ip" gave me and scanned for 9100--blank box, which i guess is better than "invalid ip," the message that popped up after using the address that comes with the gui, so to speak.)

greengeek
PostPosted: Today, at 15:30 Post subject: Re: How Do You Troubleshoot A Printer?
Puppus Dogfellow wrote:
(all that changed was the room it's in--connections are fine)
Is it just the printer that has been moved or the whole PC/printer setup? If you have moved the printer and added a usb extension or longer usb cable that can cause problems. I have encountered a few printers that work fine on a 5m cable, but when I added a 2m extension they stopped working. The PC still knew that there was a device there but could not correctly identify the usb ID of the device so it never came ready.

Using the extension with a 3m cable (total of 5 meters) was fine. Just seemed like the printers usb interfaces could not drive beyond 7 meters of cable length.
.

the whole set up has been moved but the cables are the same.

i've had similar experience with long cables. i think i can even remember reading a caution against them in a printer pamphlet somewhere.

[rcrsn51]

Are you currently running your tests on USB or WIFI?

If it's on USB, then PeasyPort won't show anything.

ran peasyport with the full name "what ip" gave me and scanned for 9100

??????

You should be scanning your subnet range. Read the Help.

[Puppus Dogfellow]

Are you currently running your tests on USB or WIFI?

If it's on USB, then PeasyPort won't show anything.

ran peasyport with the full name "what ip" gave me and scanned for 9100

??????

You should be scanning your subnet range. Read the Help.

a little of both.

here's the update: more or less on my way out the door, i installed your pet then messed around with the PupMenu program, somehow losing control and track of the mouse in the process, so i shut down, never quite getting around to deleting the old cups connections (it appears i've tried reinstallation at least three times before, prior to the two most recent). upon my return, i left that machine alone for a bit longer and decided to give the wireless aspect of it a go and print from a machine on the same network, not expecting anything from the action--it's never worked before. the rebooted machine was up and running by now, but was itself sort of inexplicably having trouble connecting to the internet (i recently moved and frisbee and the simple wizard seem to work better with WEP than WPA2, though Simple usually is pretty instant with it--took about five attempts to get online rather than the usual one extra or simply automatically as it's set to. i'm not sure if anyone else has this type of network connectivity issue, but frisbee was flawless for me with WEP but has proven useless with WPA2). while it was struggling to connect, it started spitting out all the tests successfully, including the one sent from the remote computer. (?! as i said, that's never before worked on any of the many setups and variations).

i'll get it working all nice and neat at some point in the future (i don't really need the header telling me which computer sent it to the printer), but this is really more than i was expecting given the rush job i did "configuring" it. not sure why it's working or what magic your pet has that my .debs lacked, but--thanks, man. it's working better than before.

darren.

(and yes, i should read the help. i tend to only notice the printer when i need it for something and then rush to get it working in any possible way. "scanning the subnet"--yup, i should read manual. thanks again for your patience and help.)

if that's the cups manual you're referring to, i've never successfully been able to reach that page for some reason. i originally took it to mean your detailed instructions, which i'm sure are on a nearby thread. winging my way through linux with a "'scanning for subnet'--that must mean the last digits in the address"-type understanding of what's going on with these things...my posts must make experts cringe.