NETserver, mDNSResponder, syslogd using up large processing power, why?

Here's the English version of that page in case you don't read German:

http://welcome.solutions.brother.com/BSC/public/agreement2.aspx?c=en&lang=Englis h&prod=mfc490cw_all&osname=mac103&viewmode=0&guid=f19bc62e-7a10-4d07-902b-c82040 00be2e&dlid=dlf002793&flang=4&dlfileseq=1

Updating the firmware on the printer did not immediately resolve the CPU utilization of the NETserver process, but perhaps it will avoid causing the conditions that trigger this bug in the future?

Also of note:

The NETserver, USBserver and LOGINserver processes actually come from the TWAIN driver installation, not the ControlCenter app, so even if you avoid installing the ControlCenter, you still get these processes with just the TWAIN driver.

( you can see them for yourself inside the Archive.pax.gz that's in the BrotherTWAIN.pkg )

I called Brother today about not being able to scan from the device to my mac. The lady insisted there was something on my network blocking traffic in that direction, but there is nothing. My firewall is turned off, and I don't have any 3rd party firewalls, etc.

I'm almost positive this problem is due to their poorly written NETserver application for the mac.

Here are screen captures of the error messages I get when trying to initiate a scan from my MFC-7840W:

http://s806.photobucket.com/albums/yy348/jclagreca/Brother%20NETserver%20problem s/

My problem has been escalated, and I'm expecting a call back tomorrow. However after reading everything about this problem on the internet, I'm not really expecting a fix.

Yep, another case here. My wife's MB had fans screaming an a load average of 3.8 or so. Using top, I was able to pin it down to the NETserver process, and then realized that the (software) difference between her MB and my Mac Pro was the Brother stuff, as she has an MFC and I just use one of their color lasers.

That's when I stumbled on this thread, and gleefully killed the NETserver process & zipped the application up. Fans are normal, load average is down below 1.0, and the only pig in sight is Firefox.

I sincerely hope Brother fixes this and stops trying to do the "reinstall" game. Both her machine and mine got totally clean loads of 10.6 very recently, along with the latest drivers from their site and Apple. Didn't even carry over preferences when I upgraded them, just data.

I finally found why I was unable to scan from my MFC to my macbook. LONG story short, their crappy NETserver app was binding to my ethernet address, but telling the MFC to send the scan to my airport address.

Shutting of my airport, logging off and logging back on, then power cycling the MFC, I was able to successfully send a scan to my macbook.

Brother also sent me an updated NETserver app today. This was BEFORE I figured out what the problem was (so it does NOT solve my current problem), and it came with NO changelog, but I figured I would make it available for others who were having problems with their poorly written software:

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=K2W3Y0HY
or
http://localhostr.com/files/bb84c7/NETserver%2002.22.10.zip

Good luck!

well after reading this thread - and spending a week trying to figure out what was totally killing my mac processes (i knew which ones were misbehaving but couldn't find the culprit - thanks everyone)... i have a 400 mfc6890 - the Business machine -- this is unbeleivable that they would sell this to businesses w/ such buggy software

anyways after reading the ip address suggestions -- and brainstorming w/ the other half - we went in to my hosts file (hidden on the mac under etc)... and added this

<printer name> (as seen in the printer set up area) ip address as found in the printer

Ie

brother mfc-6890cdw 199.0.0.50
(just an example)

saved - authenticated the save - (you can back up the file to your desktop first if you like)

rebooted

so far so good.

i need the scanning functionality - both from the scanner and from the mac - heck it was a main factor in buying it...

will keep you updated -- but so far not a peep out of either of these misbehaving processes

ml

ok after several days -- its back to 55% netserver and 35% mDNSresponder...

this is nuts... gonna back up and try the new netserver.app that was posted here..

Hi all,
Yesterday apple release a new update for the brothers printers and scanners for the multifunction printer, i think that is possible that this can fix the issue

P.s. I Use a MFC-490CW via wifi network

Bad news... after two days at normal values the NETserver process is newly arrived at 85% of CPU USAGE.... it's a frustrations situation...

I had the same problem as everyone, almost daily. NETServer >65% CPU with mDNSResponder running as well. Firewall was turned off.

The problem was apparently Bonjour.

I set the printer up with a static IP the ran /Macintosh HD/Library/Printers/Brother/Utilities/Device Selector/Device Selector.app and changed "Specify your machine by name" to "Specify your machine by address". No problem since.

This morning, Apple Software Update just came up with "Brother Printer Software 2.3" so maybe the fix is in there.

I had the same problem with the processes. It seems like the problem for me is after the recent Brother driver upgrade. On my wife's Macbook (which is identical to mine except she has not upgraded the Brother driver), she is not having the process issue.

After zipping the NETserver and killing the process, problem fixed for me. Fortunately for me I don't need to scan from the printer.

This problem still exists with the latest brother drivers. My new MacBook Pro battery is trashed due to the nearly constant high-drain. Very very frustrating. Still looking for a solution before i replace my battery.

{quote:title=iphoneSF wrote:}
I set the printer up with a static IP the ran /Macintosh HD/Library/Printers/Brother/Utilities/Device Selector/Device Selector.app and changed "Specify your machine by name" to "Specify your machine by address". No problem since.

{quote}
Same thing here: specifying the printer by its address seems to have solved the problem of NETserver eating up CPU cycles (the other processes don't show up in the process list). For me, the NETserver problem used to present itself not on a fresh boot but after a first sleep/resume cycle. Systematically. It slowed all the Java programs I use at work, servers, IDE, everything, to the point where I has to kill the process. Today, for the first time in months, the process sits there at 0,0% of CPU utilization.
Thank you iPhoneSF.

Yep, Same for me.
That was really a nice one iPhoneSF ! 😀
Though : I'm surprise the /etc/hosts trick did not work...

<<Trashing NETserver.app seems to be a totally effective fix>>

I concur. The NET.server app was taking up 65% of CPU cycles on three different computers. I simply tossed this file in the trashcan then reboot so that I can empty trash and it completely fixes the overheating problem. I can still print and scan to the Brother multifunction and in addition the scanner now shows up under ImageScan.