Brother Printer Commands for Generic/Text Printer Driver

[forge13]

I have a Brother MFC-J435w multi function Printer attached to a Vista machine. The printer works fine. I have a Windows 98 machine and I would like to be able to print to the printer. Brother does not have a Windows 98 driver for that printer. I want to use the Generic Printer Driver in 98 to print to the MFC-J435w printer. I believe I just need to add a few printer commands into the Genric driver to accomplish this (like Begin Print Job and End Print Job,etc.). I contacted Brother's customer service department and asked for these printer commands, but they would not help. Does anyone know how the Generic Printer driver should be configured to print to this Brother printer? Thank you.

Generic Driver.doc

Edited January 11, 2012 by forge13

[jds]

According to http://welcome.solutions.brother.com/bsc/public_s/id/us/us_ot/en/colormfc/mfcj435w_us/spec/index.html your printer has both a USB and a WiFi interface.

So your main problem is to either find a suitable driver for the USB interface, or get a W98SE-compatible WiFi adaptor and set up a network connection to your printer that way. For the former option, I'd search for earlier models of Brother printers with a USB interface, it's possible their USB driver could be compatible (or adapted by adding the appropriate USB ID entry to an INF file).

Once the interface issue is resolved, you will find a number of Brother printer drivers come with W98SE, no doubt one or more of these will be compatible with yours.

Joe.

[forge13]

My post may have not been clear. I plan to leave the Brother printer attached to a Vista computer, but I would like to be able to set the printer up as a network printer from my Windows 98 computer. I have tried to use drivers from dozens of earlier Brother printers, but none have worked. I tried a bunch of drivers from other printer companies as well. If anyone knows of a driver that will work with this MFC-J435w printer please let me know. I finally gave up and figured I could at least use the Generic/Text Only driver, but I cannot get that to work either. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.

[bpalone]

This isn't a direct answer to your request, but are some alternative thoughts you may or may not of thought of.

I'm assuming that there is some output from a program you are needing to have printed out. So... how about hitting the local thrift stores or pawn shops to find an old printer that is supported by 98se? Or, another option would be to get an older version of Adobe Acrobat or another PDF creator that supports 98se, then just print to a PDF and then move the file to the other machine and print it out?

These may allow you to keep more of the hair on your head. Not the neatest way to get the job done, but gets it done none the less.

Good luck.

Edited January 12, 2012 by bpalone

[submix8c]

If I get a chance to, I'll find the method I used to Print from DOS (utilizing "Net Use") to a USB Printer. Although I doubt it will help...

Not sure, but you may be able to "attach" it to an LPTx.

Sorry, it's been a couple of years since I played with it but there must be a method without actually installing the drivers but "routing" the request to the non-9x PC.

(thought SURE I had the method - will search around, time permitting)

[forge13]

Thank you!

[forge13]

I have tried Net Use, but no luck.

[submix8c]

Still haven't had time to "dig into" my past success. BUT, did you "Add" a printer and force it to a non-existent (physical) LPTn (n=#)and THEN use "Net Use" against that non-existent LPTn? Note that you must have the Microsoft Network User-ID/Password (and using it) on the Win9x AND have that same User/Pwd on the Vista (NOT logged on with it). Remember that all machines have to be in the same Workgroup ID.

When I get a chance, I'll check into it... I KNOW I had it working at one time - just don't remember how...

edit - Additionally, you MUST give the "share" name on the Vista with a SHORT name valid for 9x/DOS and use THAT in the "net use".

Edited January 19, 2012 by submix8c

[forge13]

Yes, I used Net Use to map the non-existent LPT2 port to the printer attached to the Vista machine, and then I added a local printer and forced it to the non-existent LPT2 port. When I try to print a test page the command gets to the printer attached to the Vista machine, because the screen on the printer changes to look like it is receiving a print job, but nothing prints. I even tried changing the Share Name to something short, but that did not help. When you do have time your help would be appreciated. Thank you. Both machines are in the same Workgroup.