Optic Drive HL-DT-ST DVDRW GX50N not working with Mac Mini (late edition 2014)

I've updated the OS every year since purchasing new (in 2014) so I'm presently at macOS Monterey 12.0.1 but the Optic Drive stopped functioning understandably several years ago. Sometimes I have put in a DVD and it has played but more times, not. Now I am trying to burn a DVD in it of photos: the response from the computer has a disconnect and I don't understand the process. When I go to "eject" icon on the desktop functions bar, the drive is listed as HL-DT-ST DVDRW GX50N. What can I do? Please tell me it is a simple firmware update and where to find a secure place to download it from. :)