# Configuring a Debian testing system to use a Brother MFC-6490CW printer
#
# No warranties of any kind. Use entirely at your own risk.
#
# AYM 2009-11-07


# Make sure you are root, or you will have to run most commands through
# su or sudo.

# Install CUPS
aptitude install cups cups-bsd cups-client cups-common

# Download Brother's drivers. (These are the current versions as of
# 2009-11-07. Check Brother's web site for the latest version.)
u=http://www.brother.com/pub/bsc/linux/dlf/
p1=mfc6490cwlpr-1.1.2-2.i386.deb
p2=mfc6490cwcupswrapper-1.1.2-2.i386.deb
wget $u$p1 $u$p2

# Install the first driver, mfc6490cwlpr. This should work.
dpkg -i $p1

# Install the second driver, mfc6490cwcupswrapper. This should fail with
# an error like
#   lpadmin: bad device URI "usb:/dev/usb/lp0"
dpkg -i $p2

# Save /usr/local/Brother/Printer/mfc6490cw/cupswrapper/cupswrappermfc6490cw
# as the same "-orig".
f=/usr/local/Brother/Printer/mfc6490cw/cupswrapper/cupswrappermfc6490cw
cp -p $f $f-orig

# Modify /usr/local/Brother/Printer/mfc6490cw/cupswrapper/cupswrappermfc6490cw,
# replacing the line "port=usb:/dev/usb/lp0" near the end
#                 by "port=/dev/usb/lp0".
vi $f

# Check your changes
diff -u $f $f-orig

# Make sure /etc/cups/cupsd.conf contains a line "FileDevice yes". It
# doesn't by default. This is important. (It's up to you to make a
# backup of /etc/cups/cupsd.conf first.)
printf '\nFileDevice yes\n' >>/etc/cups/cupsd.conf

# Restart CUPS. Might not be needed but it can't hurt.
/etc/init.d/cups restart

# Re-install mfc6490cwcupswrapper. There should be no errors this time.
dpkg-reconfigure mfc6490cwcupswrapper

# Direct your browser to the CUPS web interface at http://localhost:631/
# Follow the "Manage printers" link. You should see a printer named
# "MFC6490CW". Make sure its device URI is "file:///dev/usb/lp0" and not
# "file:///dev/null". If not, rectify this by editing
# /etc/cups/printers.conf (and possibly restarting CUPS).

# If all went well, you should now be able to print on your Brother
# MFC-6490CW. Have a thought for the Chinese workers who built it for
# you for 150 EUR a month.