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.
The question is really: How do I check if a specific printer is compatible with CUPS (Common Unix Printing System).
Mint (and most other distros) use CUPS to manage printers and printing. I’d check there.
That said, Brother printers are often supported. The company is proactive on Linux drivers and tools, but I don’t know about your specific device.
Once my HP LJ4 died many years ago, I moved to Brother laserjets and have never looked back. They’re great.
If it’s got a scanner also make sure to check out the GUI scanner tool in Mint/Cinnamon: Document Scanner It has been phenomenal for initiating network-based scanning using our printers, even handling multiplexing and simple page re-ordering issues.
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.
For some reason it’s maintained by Apple.
Hasn’t been for a few years now, the maintained fork is OpenPrinting CUPS.
If you look closely at the front of the printer, there should be a label of some kind. All printers have one, and it shouldn’t be too difficult to find. The one you’ll want will start with a “B”. If the rest of the label is “rother”, then it’ll probably be compatible.
I have two Brother black and white laser printers (L2685 and L2640DW). Linux detected both of them and installed drivers for both of them. Both printers work fine for me (scanners work, too) and I haven’t bothered to download specific driver packages from Brother’s website (they ARE available)
You can also try booting your computer with a Live version of Mint. If Mint detects your printers during the Live session, it will detect them when you install it for real.
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.
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.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
Trust me. It is.
You’re a stranger saying something on the internet, so it must be true.
Look up elsewhere about the reputation Brother has with compatibility. Personal experience: never fails. That’s their jam.
Have printed using a brother printer from linux mint. It was easier than any other time ive done it lol.
I installed another but similar Brother model on Arch recently, so not exactly what you’re asking. But it took 5-10 minutes between finding drivers and printing a test page. I doubt it will be much different in Mint 👍
Don’t have any experience with this particular model, but I have found that with most printers on Mint you don’t have to “do” anything at all - if it’s on the network or plugged into the USB, the system will find it and install a driver automatically. I’ve used MANY printers with Linux over the years, and some were a right PITA to set up, but so far all the printers I’ve tried with mint have “just worked”. The only problem I’ve had recently was that when I updated to the Debian Trixie based LMDE 7, a bug in CUPS misconfigures EPSON ET2860 when automatically discovered, but it still works on stock Mint 22.3 without manual intervention. The fix is to manually add it, rather than accepting the auto discovered one, so it’s a problem with the discovery function, not drivers, and I suspect it’s due to some kind of quirk with this printer’s firmware that defines how it interacts to discovery queries on the local LAN.
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.
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.
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.
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.
You probably won’t need their proprietary drivers, it’ll probably just autodetect and work with CUPS without even setting it up, like my Brother DCP-L2540DW does.
The monochrome and newer color Brother printers usually work fine without installing any drivers. If it supports IPP Everywhere, it will definitely work fine. It’s the older color printers that usually need the proprietary driver for full support.
OP specifies that it’s a monochrome laser
Ask y’all’s mom!
I’m sorry. I’ll see myself out.
The most reliable way to know is to run Mint on a USB stick and try it.
I’m not familiar with Mint but couldn’t OP just boot on a liveUSB and check if it works ?
Yes this is the best way.
On Linux I’ve never had to install drivers for any printers, it comes with a “generic” driver that works for a ton of brands,
Linux (Ubuntu at least) has been more out of the box compatible with printers than any other os I’ve used
Possibly they are looking to buy a printer and don’t yet have it.
Mine just worked. Didn’t install anything extra
