CUPS vs Airprint ?

[s66]

As I have one of them M1 mac mini on the way to be delivered RSN, I started to look if I could find the drivers I might need for that machine (being a new architecture, I sort of expect 3rd parties to need more time to catch up).

When checking for a printer driver, I noticed Brother seems to tell their customers to use AirPrint instead of offering a CUPS printer driver anymore on their download page (at least for the MFC-L9570CDW) [ https://support.brother.com/g/b/downloadlist.aspx?c=us&lang=en&prod=mfcl9570cdw_us_eu_as&os=10065 ]

Over the years I've avoided AirPrint completely on my macs. CUPS drivers for various Brother printers always worked better for me.

In fact on upgraded machines there's still the old CUPS driver that seems to work nicely under Big Sur AFAIK.

Anybody got experience on one them new M1 macs and or done a more in-depth / recent comparison of AirPrint vs. CUPS ?

 

[larrylaffer]

When was the last time you tried AirPrint? I've had pretty good luck with it and Brother printers over the last few years.

 

[s66]

When was the last time you tried AirPrint? I've had pretty good luck with it and Brother printers over the last few years.

Years ago. Results back then were total crap, so I never tried again and only considered it something for getting a printout from a phone or so, not for something for when you need control over the page layout.

I will try again once the M1 arrives as I'll have little choice I'm afraid.

It's a machine to learn about the M1 in the first instance. After that, it will become an entertainment center mac (to replace a 2014 mac mini that's lacking badly in H.265 in 4K) so even if the printer isn't working great, it's not a big deal for that machine.

In the end I'm more worried about the change at Brother dumping drivers and opting for AirPrint only instead than anything else.

 

[chrfr]

Years ago. Results back then were quite crappy, so I never tried again.
Will ty once the M1 arrives as I'll have little choice I'm afraid.

AirPrint has worked fine for years with my Brother laser. I doubt you have anything to worry about.

 

[davehutch]

I tried AirPrint for my Brother laser printer but didn’t like it. So, based on replies around t’internet I installed the Catalina driver (not the Scan and Print software) on my wife’s M1 MBP. Works perfectly

 

[s66]

I tried AirPrint for my Brother laser printer but didn’t like it. So, based on replies around t’internet I installed the Catalina driver (not the Scan and Print software) on my wife’s M1 MBP. Works perfectly

Great to know the M1 can still run the Intel printer drivers for Catalina.

Hopefully Brother wakes up and makes a version for Big Sur that supports both the M1 and Intel platforms natively

 

[Ritsuka]

What's wrong with AirPrint? On my Brother laser printer every feature works with AirPrint.
iOS UI shows only a fraction of the AirPrint features.
Cups deprecated the printer drivers. IPP (the standard implemented by AirPrint) will be the only way to print in the future.

 

[halofan56]

When was the last time you tried AirPrint? I've had pretty good luck with it and Brother printers over the last few years.

Same here. It takes less a minute, between installing the printer from native apple drivers and printing a test sheet.

 

[Janeilfen]

Can anyone recommend an AirPrint printer/scanner for use with Big Sur? I don't need a professional type unit. Just something for my limited personal use.
Thanks

 

[larrylaffer]

Can anyone recommend an AirPrint printer/scanner for use with Big Sur? I don't need a professional type unit. Just something for my limited personal use.
Thanks

Quite a few of the low priced (less than $100) consumer offerings from HP, Brother, Lexmark, etc support AirPrint. Take your pick

 

[Janeilfen]

I already have a low priced AirPrint Samsung, albeit its a few years old now. It prints OK in BS but will not scan.

 

[Vlad Soare]

My DCP-series Brother works perfectly via AirPrint with two Macs, four iPhones and three iPads. And with a Windows 10 computer for that matter, though in that case I think it may be using a different protocol.
I love AirPrint - best invention since sliced bread. 🥰

 

[emac82]

My printer (HP LaserJet) doesn't have Wireless printing built-in, and I didn't have a Wireless router etc in that room, so I've had it on USB for the last 5 years (cum-ber-sommmmeeeee)...My ISP sent me a wifi pod (for other reasons) and I put it in the room with the printer, plugged it in ethernet, and has been working like a charm on AirPrint.

Soooo convenient. I only printer 1-2 times a month but I've already printed 5 things since yesterday LOL..I use Image Capture for Scanning, have had good luck with that too.

 

[ayres]

Hi all, I'd like to tap this brain trust with a Brother printer/M1 Big Sur question... My Brother 2270DW printer is not being recognized by Big Sure when plugged in. It doesn't support AirPrint - instead using the WPS 'thing' to print wirelessly, but I never got around to setting it up in the 6 years I've had the printer!

Does the printer need AirPrint to work with Big Sur on the M1 MBP?

 

[ayres]

Hi again, just to add that I manually downloaded and installed the Brother Catalina driver on my M1 MBP. I have a discontinued 2270DW printer, which doesn't support AirPrint, but does connect via WPS. I can't recall the last time I had to download a printer driver on a Mac! Anyway, after fetching the Catalina driver from Brother's website, the printer works when connected via USB.

Also, I can print wirelessly via the iprint app on my phone and iPad, but the iprint app on my MBP does not recognize the printer. Oh well.

 

[emac82]

Hi again, just to add that I manually downloaded and installed the Brother Catalina driver on my M1 MBP. I have a discontinued 2270DW printer, which doesn't support AirPrint, but does connect via WPS. I can't recall the last time I had to download a printer driver on a Mac! Anyway, after fetching the Catalina driver from Brother's website, the printer works when connected via USB.

Also, I can print wirelessly via the iprint app on my phone and iPad, but the iprint app on my MBP does not recognize the printer. Oh well.

I don't know if this will make a difference - but does your printer have an Ethernet port? Maybe plug it into your router and maybe AirPrint will pick it up that way?

 

[chrfr]

I don't know if this will make a difference - but does your printer have an Ethernet port? Maybe plug it into your router and maybe AirPrint will pick it up that way?

That printer doesn't support AirPrint so it won't matter if it's wired or wireless.

 

[southerndoc]

Reviving an old thread. With CUPS drivers, I could use the CUPS printing system to default the printer to duplex. I can't find a way to do this with the Airprint driver for my Brother MFC-L8900CDW.

 

[tuckerdogavl]

Here's what I'm trying to figure out. I have both CUPS and Airprint showing up for two printers on a home network. I have them set for airprint. Do I still need the CUPS there? As a backup maybe? But, what I would like to be able to do, is have the drop down printing menu actually let me choose a draft mode rather than the default that sucks up 3x as much ink. Back in the olden days (2005-2010) I could do this. Now I get color, b/w, both sides, one side ... but where's draft? It also seems to depend on whether I'm attempting to print from the web or from the word.docx. Anyone know the secret now? Thanks.

 

[wilberforce]

Here's what I'm trying to figure out. I have both CUPS and Airprint showing up for two printers on a home network. I have them set for airprint. Do I still need the CUPS there? As a backup maybe? But, what I would like to be able to do, is have the drop down printing menu actually let me choose a draft mode rather than the default that sucks up 3x as much ink. Back in the olden days (2005-2010) I could do this. Now I get color, b/w, both sides, one side ... but where's draft? It also seems to depend on whether I'm attempting to print from the web or from the word.docx. Anyone know the secret now? Thanks.

The (Brother) CUPS driver generally provides more options (which can vary from machine to machine) than the standard Apple Airprint driver.
I suggest just try it out. Download the latest CUPS driver from Brother website specific to you machine and OS (or the latest, if it there is not one for MacOS 11 or 12).
Remove the printer from the list of printers ("-" at bottom left of list in System Preferences, Printers and Scanners), and add again being sure to select the CUPS driver.
If you don't like it, remove and re-add again using the Airprint driver.
You may need to restart machines, routers, etc. to get everything recognized.
On my Mac I use the CUPS driver (more options), on my wife's she uses the Airprint driver (easier).
The Airprint driver typically gives a drop-down menu for "Media and Quality," whereas the CUPS driver typically gives drop-down menus for "Print Settings" and other things

 

[Slartibart]

I already have a low priced AirPrint Samsung, albeit its a few years old now. It prints OK in BS but will not scan.

check the latest software from HP or try Image Capture on BS.