Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Brother laser printer connectivity

cool11

cool11

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Sep 3, 2006
1,829
224
I have just purchased a new color laser printer, the Brother HL-L3230CDW.
My mac has ventura os.

I have spent many hours in brother support sites, google, changing cables, usb hubs etc, with no luck.
The only way I managed to find in order to print, it is using direct wifi printing.
In brother sites, for ventura, it has almost nothing to download (drivers etc)
I want to be able to print using usb cable.

Brother seems to be invisible for mac. In system settings, anywhere.

I have to usb hubs in my mac, one from anker and the other from satechi.
Both of them, work fine with a number of peripherals.
But Brother is not one of them.

Can you please help me to find out what the problem is and finally be able to make a connection with usb cable?
 
Apple_Robert said:
Connect the USB cable from the printer directly to the Mac and see if it works. If it does, you know there is a problem with Brother and the USB hub for some reason.
Click to expand...

You know, usually, we talk about the classic usb-a cables. So, it can never be attached directly to a any new mac of recent years with usb-c ports.
So, you have to plug it to a usb hub or adapters.
I do not see any signs of active usb cables. For example, my anker usb hub has a small light over each usb port, to indicate that a plugged device or cable, really works.
In case of brother printer, it is not lighted. It is like the usb connection is dead.

I search for any sign that brother or apple has really dropped usb connectivity for such printers, but nowhere is declared clearly something like this.
So, I wonder what is going on.
:(
 
cool11 said:
You know, usually, we talk about the classic usb-a cables. So, it can never be attached directly to a any new mac of recent years with usb-c ports.
So, you have to plug it to a usb hub or adapters.
I do not see any signs of active usb cables. For example, my anker usb hub has a small light over each usb port, to indicate that a plugged device or cable, really works.
In case of brother printer, it is not lighted. It is like the usb connection is dead.

I search for any sign that brother or apple has really dropped usb connectivity for such printers, but nowhere is declared clearly something like this.
So, I wonder what is going on.
:(
Click to expand...
It’s not impossible that you got a faulty printer. USB connectivity for printers still works in macOS.
 
  • Like
Reactions: cool11
chabig said:
Why this is important when wifi works perfectly? AirPrint is powerful technology that frees us from the tyranny of drivers.

About AirPrint

AirPrint is an Apple technology that helps you create full-quality printed output without the need to download or install drivers.
support.apple.com support.apple.com
Click to expand...

I know, I have seen this.

Without drivers, where are all the options to choose, in print settings, like we had with drivers?
Ok, I am new to this airprint printing, so I guess somewhere I should be able to choose print setting on my mac, so please tell me.
 
NoBoMac said:
Brother recommends AirPrint for that model as well with Ventura.

Downloads | HL-L3230CDW | United States | Brother

support.brother.com support.brother.com
Click to expand...

To clarify things, I made a pairing, with Brother's 'wi fi direct'. And I saw that mac used 'airprint'.
So, this is it?

brother-airprint.jpg
 
chrfr said:
It’s not impossible that you got a faulty printer. USB connectivity for printers still works in macOS.
Click to expand...

Oh wait, now I remembered that I had an hp ink tank inkjet in the past, that also denied to properly connect with usb. Dead at all.
And believe me, my anker usb hub and my satechi usb hub, are not faulty.
So, something is going on with newer macs and usb, especially for printers. I think so.
 
chrfr said:
You can just set up the printer to join your regular Wi-Fi network, if you have one. This will be the most trouble-free way to use this printer.
Click to expand...

So you suggest wireless, once again.

Please tell me.
'Wifi direct' give the same or alternative printing options to the user, as the 'wifi-setup' join option?

I still search for printing options and choices, like the days we used drivers, and now with airdrop, wifi direct and so on, I cannot see anything essential!
 
cool11 said:
So, something is going on with newer macs and usb, especially for printers. I think so.
Click to expand...
No, Apple has not removed the ability to connect printers to USB. I did it last about 6 months ago (connected my old Cannon all-in-one to scan in some items and print a photo).
 
  • Like
Reactions: cool11
cool11 said:
So you suggest wireless, once again.

Please tell me.
'Wifi direct' give the same or alternative printing options to the user, as the 'wifi-setup' join option?

I still search for printing options and choices, like the days we used drivers, and now with airdrop, wifi direct and so on, I cannot see anything essential!
Click to expand...
no, wifi direct is not the same as putting your printer on your actual wifi network. Refer to the printer's documentation on how to do that. With my older Brother printer, the AirPrint drivers offer all the features that the older drivers did, but the macOS Ventura print dialog is pretty terrible for finding any of the settings.
 
  • Like
Reactions: cool11
Apple_Robert said:
Connect the USB cable from the printer directly to the Mac and see if it works. If it does, you know there is a problem with Brother and the USB hub for some reason.
Click to expand...
Good advice! USB hubs are often the problem. It's one reason I've stayed away from them as much as I can. They are a PITA to manage when not working properly.
 
Help me with a clarification.

Wifi direct (1) and the wifi (as a network printer) setup (2),
both use airprint?
Both give the same options for printing?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back