I'm getting the Brother HL2040 laser printer. I'm wondering if it's better if I install the provided driver from the site, or just use the Brother printer drivers that comes on the OS X install DVD?
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Getting Brother HL2040 Laser Printer, install or use included driver?
- Thread starter ravenvii
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Um, anyone? This could apply to nearly any printer. Is it better to use the drivers included with OS X, or forgo installing any drivers with OS X, and installing the printer-specific driver yourself?
I don't know if their site is going to have a version newer than what comes with the OS, but installing Brother's driver certainly won't hurt. If you're not on a really restricted internet connection or something, might as well just to be sure you've got the latest--at worst you'll waste five minutes installing something you already have.
I'll also note that I've never had trouble with Brother-supplied drivers so far.
I'll also note that I've never had trouble with Brother-supplied drivers so far.
I bought an HL2070N earlier this year and had all kinds of heck getting it installed on my 1.67ghz Powerbook. I finally discovered that the HP Cups driver worked for it. None of the Brother drivers would install on my computer for some odd reason. I'm printing wirelessly now, though!
I use the same printer (H2040) on a PB and an iMac CD (attached to AExpress, accessed via Bonjour).
Installed the drivers from the Brother CD and haven't had a problem.
Installed the drivers from the Brother CD and haven't had a problem.
When I checked out their site, they had CUPS printer drivers as the recommended drivers for the Brother HL2040.
I'm not really clear on what CUPS is, but isn't that what Apple recently acquired? And does that mean I already have CUPS installed? Or do you still need printer-specific drivers for CUPS?
I'm not really clear on what CUPS is, but isn't that what Apple recently acquired? And does that mean I already have CUPS installed? Or do you still need printer-specific drivers for CUPS?
The drivers that are included with OS X are generally just the versions of the manufacturer's drivers that were current at the time of the OS X release, without any supplemental utilities etc. Try them, and if they are not to your liking, try the manufacturer's driver. I have an HL-2070N and had no problem with the manufacturer driver. I didn't try the built-in one, if indeed there was one.
What kind of computer do you have, and what version of OS X did you have when you installed your printer?
I have a G4 Powerbook and was running Tiger 10.4.8 or 9 when I had my problems. The driver wasn't included in the OS, and neither the Brother CD nor driver download worked. As I stated above, the HP Cups driver worked for me. Apple support and Brother support were both stumped.
thanks
I have the Brother 2070n too (over lan/wlan), i installed the cups driver from brothers homepage and added the printer with bonjour. I believe i was running 10.4.8. Still works fine 
I'm using the printer's Ethernet interface with OS X 10.4.8-9-10 (iMac Core 2 Duo). USB also worked too when I tried it once. Never had any problems, it always worked fine. I'm using this driver: http://welcome.solutions.brother.co...070n_all&type2=1&os=26&flang=4&dlid=dlf002175
I wonder if it had to do with my owning a PPC Powerbook!?
Oh, well, it works now!