THelentjaris

Q: minor problem with printer dialog box

I added a Brother printer to my IMac recently and ran into a minor issue.  When I set it up using my WiFi and AirPrint, the dialog box had a convenient check box for black/white that I could check in one easy step to override and just print in color.  However, the wake-up and response time is a bit slow.  So, I then connected a cable and added this version of the printer.  Now the check box is missing and nothing I have been able to do, in deleting and re-adding the printer has allowed me to bring that back?  Any ideas as to how I can get this convenient feature to show up in the dialog box with the cable-connected printer?  Thanks.

iMac, OS X El Capitan (10.11.6), Brother MFC-9130CW

Posted on Sep 2, 2016 8:44 AM

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Q: minor problem with printer dialog box

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  • by John Galt,Helpful

    John Galt John Galt Sep 2, 2016 9:25 AM in response to THelentjaris
    Level 8 (48,431 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 2, 2016 9:25 AM in response to THelentjaris

    As I understand it, you now have two separate entries for that printer in Print & Scan? That's OK, although AirPrint is preferable for a variety of reasons.

     

    I understand the printer is taking an unacceptable amount of time to wake up when choosing the AirPrint printer, and you want to avoid that.

     

    If you added a separate entry – the one for the USB-connected printer – how did you do that? Did you let the Print & Scan install that printer automatically on its own, or did you download and install a driver from Brother separately?

  • by THelentjaris,

    THelentjaris THelentjaris Sep 2, 2016 9:24 AM in response to John Galt
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 2, 2016 9:24 AM in response to John Galt

    Thanks, John.  Yes, I have two separate entries for the same printer, no big deal, one on my WiFi and the other linked by cable.  Would keep the cable connection to my IMac, since it is faster, but I really like having the convenient toggle box to select b/w only that is only showing up on the AirPrint version.

    How did I install?  First with the AirPrint, I just used the control panel on the printer to find my WiFi and it was done pretty quickly.  For the second cable connection, I just let the Print & Scan add the printer once I had connected it by cable, again pretty easy. 

    I assume the slow response time on the AirPrint is a function of the printer, how often it looks for the WiFi signal?  Not sure I can do anything about it, just a minor annoying point, as is the difference in the Printer Dialog boxes for the two entries, but if there is an easy solution, I certainly would take it.

  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt Sep 3, 2016 12:23 PM in response to THelentjaris
    Level 8 (48,431 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 3, 2016 12:23 PM in response to THelentjaris

    Is the slow response time related to the Print dialog box, or is the delay related to how long it takes for the printer to start doing anything?

     

    What is the printer's model number?

  • by THelentjaris,

    THelentjaris THelentjaris Sep 3, 2016 1:05 PM in response to John Galt
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 3, 2016 1:05 PM in response to John Galt

    Slow response is totally with the printer and in the AirPrint mode.  It seems to be entirely connected to a slow sake-up time for the computer when waiting for a WiFi signal.  The cable connection is quite fast in waking up from sleep mode.  Perhaps this makes it a bit more energy efficient, I don't know. 

     

    Model number is Brother MFC-9130CW, a three-in-one color laser printer.  Otherwise very happy with the set-up and this is pretty minor, suspect it has something to do with the set-up and the OS?

  • by John Galt,Helpful

    John Galt John Galt Sep 4, 2016 9:18 AM in response to THelentjaris
    Level 8 (48,431 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 4, 2016 9:18 AM in response to THelentjaris

    You're exactly right about that. The EU imposes ridiculous energy efficiency demands on practically every product manufacturer. They won't be satisfied until "printers" are reduced to stone tablets and chisels. The lack of a simple power supply often results in a product that becomes useless junk when its delicate power-saving electronics break.

     

    Nevertheless, that shouldn't have any effect on the lack of a B&W option. I suggest manually downloading and installing Brother's latest printer driver and updating its firmware. The firmware update may address its apparently slow wake up time, and the print driver software may address the lack of a B&W option.

     

    Use this link:

     

    http://support.brother.com/g/b/downloadlist.aspx?c=us&lang=en&prod=mfc9130cw_us& os=10018

     

    The firmware update utility requires installing Oracle's Java Virtual Machine, which they erroneously refer to by its predecessor's name.

     

    Here is the link to it: https://www.java.com/en/download/

     

    I don't like leaving such things installed, so I recommend uninstalling it when you no longer need it – in other words immediately following updating your printer's firmware.

     

    Here are Oracle's uninstallation instructions:

     

    https://www.java.com/en/download/help/mac_uninstall_java.xml

     

    Always satisfy yourself that you are comfortable with uninstalling system modifications such as this prior to installing them. Along those lines, it's a good idea to create a backup prior to doing any of the above: Use Time Machine to back up or restore your Mac - Apple Support.

  • by THelentjaris,

    THelentjaris THelentjaris Sep 4, 2016 9:20 AM in response to John Galt
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 4, 2016 9:20 AM in response to John Galt

    Thanks, John, for taking the time to put down this information.  Went through the process, and learned that I already have the latest firmware version and driver.  So, I guess this is just a quirk that was included in the AirPrint driver but not the cabled version.  Not terrible, so I will just live with it, but I do appreciate the effort.