Where To Check A Driver Version ?

[Robert4]

Hello,

Have a Brother HL 2140 Printer which I manually switch between a Windows 7 pc and the iMac.
Works fine, but the window that come up on the Windows side offers many more printing options.

Thought it would be a good idea to check and see if Brother has, perhaps, any new
Drivers for this printer (for the Mac).

How do I check on the Mac what the Driver Version is for the Printer ?

And, I assume that revising or loading a new one is to merely go to the Downloads Folder and click on it.
Correct ? I've never done Driver updating before.
Any caveats, etc. ?

Thanks,
Bob

 

[chabig]

You should go to the manufacturer's website to check for new software. It's generally in the support section.

http://support.brother.com/g/b/downloadtop.aspx?c=us&lang=en&prod=hl2140_all

 

[Robert4]

Hi,

Thanks for help.

Where on my Mac do I go to see the Driver version that the Mac is presently using for the Printer ?

Bob

 

[DeltaMac]

You can easily check the driver version in use on your Mac.
Open System Preferences/Printers & Scanners pane.
Select your printer from the list on the left (might be the only printer listed), then click the "Open Print Queue" button.
Click Settings, and the General tab shows the Driver Version.

The Brother HL2140 has drivers that would automatically install from Apple, simply by connecting the printer to your Mac, and power on the printer, that current version from Apple is 4.5.2
With Printer plugged in and turned on, open your App Store, and check in Updates to see what might appear for your Brother printer. If it is already at the 4.5.2 version, then I don't expect you will see anything available, until Brother provides something more updated to Apple.

That is slightly higher (newer?) than the version available directly from Brother through the link that chabig provided - 4.5.1
This is fairly common that Apple would provide a more up-to-date driver than the manufacturer provides on their own web site. I try to check both, if I have the opportunity. I find that some manufacturer's sites are challenging to find latest driver updates. It might be that some printer models have an international distribution, and the drivers sometimes are easier to find on the manufacturer's page that supports other countries.
You are at the whim of the printer manufacturer when trying to match print options between different operating systems.

 

[chabig]

...the window that come up on the Windows side offers many more printing options.

If you look carefully, the options you think you’re missing might actually be there. What are you looking for?

 

[Robert4]

Hi All,

Much thanks for info., suggestions, and help.

The W7 screens if you dig deep, offers an adj for "Print Density".
Really nice to have.

When connected to the Mac, a different set of screens appear.
Absolutely certain that there is no "Print Density" option anymore.

Bob

 

[chabig]

I have a Brother laser printer, and there is no option for Print Density, but if I go to the printer's web control panel I can turn on a "Toner Save" option.