ray
88 lines
3.1 KiB
Markdown
88 lines
3.1 KiB
Markdown
# Brother MFC → Paperless: Driverless Scanning with SANE/AirScan
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Getting a Brother MFC printer to deliver scans to a Paperless-ngx consume folder without touching the printer's broken web interface.
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## The journey (what failed)
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### Attempt 1: Scan-to-FTP (vsftpd)
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- Set up vsftpd on the server pointing to Paperless consume folder
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- Brother printer's scan-to-FTP requires creating a profile via the **web interface**
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- Web interface at `http://192.168.50.x/` redirects to HTTPS, requires admin password
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- Brother now uses **unique per-device admin passwords** (printed on a sticker), not shared defaults like `initpass` or `access`
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- If the sticker password doesn't work (or sticker is missing), the web interface is bricked
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### Attempt 2: Scan-to-SMB (Samba)
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- Created a guest-accessible Samba share pointing to Paperless consume folder
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- Brother printer's touchscreen shows "No profile found — set profile from web based management"
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- Same web interface password problem — SMB profiles must be created via the web UI, not the touchscreen
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## What worked: SANE/AirScan (driverless)
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The MFC-J5855DW supports **eSCL/AirScan** — a driverless network scanning protocol. `sane-airscan` on Ubuntu auto-discovers it.
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### Install
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```bash
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sudo apt install -y sane sane-utils sane-airscan
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```
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### Discover
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```bash
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scanimage -L
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# device `airscan:e0:Brother MFC-J5855DW' is a eSCL Brother MFC-J5855DW ip=192.168.50.219
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```
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### Scan (single command)
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```bash
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DEVICE="airscan:e0:Brother MFC-J5855DW"
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CONSUME="/path/to/paperless/consume"
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scanimage --device "$DEVICE" --mode Color --resolution 300 --format pdf \
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-o "$CONSUME/scan_$(date +%Y%m%d_%H%M%S).pdf"
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```
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The scan runs from the **server** — the Brother is a passive network scanner. No printer web interface needed at all.
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### Permissions
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The Paperless consume folder is Docker-mounted and may be root-owned. Use ACLs:
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```bash
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sudo setfacl -m u:ray:rwx /path/to/paperless/consume
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```
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### Production script
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Save as `/usr/local/bin/scan-to-paperless`:
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```bash
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#!/bin/bash
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set -e
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DEVICE="airscan:e0:Brother MFC-J5855DW"
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CONSUME="/mnt/seagate8tb/paperless/consume"
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MODE="Color"
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RES="300"
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SOURCE="ADF"
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# Parse flags: scan-to-paperless [name] [--flatbed] [--gray] [--150dpi]
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NAME=""
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while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; do
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case "$1" in
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--flatbed) SOURCE="Flatbed" ;;
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--gray) MODE="Gray" ;;
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--150dpi) RES="150" ;;
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*) NAME="$1" ;;
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esac
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shift
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done
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SCAN_OPTS="--mode $MODE --resolution $RES"
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[ "$SOURCE" = "ADF" ] && SCAN_OPTS="$SCAN_OPTS --source ADF --batch-count=1"
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FILENAME="${NAME:-scan}_$(date +%Y%m%d_%H%M%S).pdf"
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scanimage --device "$DEVICE" $SCAN_OPTS --format pdf -o "$CONSUME/$FILENAME"
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echo "✅ $FILENAME → Paperless"
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```
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## Key properties
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- **Network scanning is FAST.** A color 300dpi page takes ~3 seconds.
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- **No drivers needed.** `sane-airscan` uses the eSCL protocol — the same one Apple AirPrint uses.
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- **Works with any eSCL-capable scanner** — not just Brother. Most network MFPs from the last 5 years support this.
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- **Duplex scanning** works with `--source "ADF Duplex"` on supported models.
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- **Paperless auto-ingestion** picks up the PDF within seconds of it landing in the consume folder.
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