Create a headless Cloudprint server on Debian for MFC-7360N
Create a headless Cloudprint server on Debian for MFC-7360N
Android Apache Chrome Cloudprint CUPS Debian MFC-7360N Printing

I have a Brother MFC-7360N printer at home and there is also one at work. I wanted to to get Cloudprint working with Android devices rather than use the Android app Brother provide, which is great when it works but deeply frustrating (for my wife) when it doesn’t.

What I describe below is how to Cloudprint enable “Classic printers” using Debian Wheezy.

Install CUPS

Install CUPS and the Cloudprint requirements.

sudo apt-get install cups python-cups python-daemon python-pkg-resources

Install the MFC-7360N Drivers

I used the URL below to access the .deb files required.

If you’re running a 64-bit Debian, then install ia32-libs first.

sudo apt-get install ia32-libs

Download and install the MFC-7360N drivers.

wget -c http://download.brother.com/welcome/dlf006237/mfc7360nlpr-2.1.0-1.i386.deb
wget -c http://download.brother.com/welcome/dlf006239/cupswrapperMFC7360N-2.0.4-2.i386.deb
sudo dpkg -i --force-all mfc7360nlpr-2.1.0-1.i386.deb
sudo dpkg -i --force-all cupswrapperMFC7360N-2.0.4-2.i386.deb

Configure CUPS

Edit the CUPS configuration file commonly located in /etc/cups/cupsd.conf and make the section that looks like this…

# Only listen for connections from the local machine.
Listen localhost:631
Listen /var/run/cups/cups.sock

…is changed to look like this:

# Listen on all interfaces
Port 631
Listen /var/run/cups/cups.sock

Modify the Apache specific directives to allow connections from everywhere as well. Find the follow section in /etc/cups/cupsd.conf:

<Location />
# Restrict access to the server...
  Order allow,deny
</Location>

# Restrict access to the admin pages...
<Location /admin>
  Order allow,deny
</Location>

# Restrict access to the configuration files...
<Location /admin/conf>
  AuthType Default
  Require user @SYSTEM
  Order allow,deny
</Location>

Add Allow All after each Order allow,deny so it looks like this:

<Location />
# Restrict access to the server...
  Order allow,deny
  Allow All
</Location>

# Restrict access to the admin pages...
<Location /admin>
  Order allow,deny
  Allow All
</Location>

# Restrict access to the configuration files...
<Location /admin/conf>
  AuthType Default
  Require user @SYSTEM
  Order allow,deny
  Allow All
</Location>

Add the MFC-7360N to CUPS

If your MFC-7360N is connected to your server via USB then you should be all set. Login to the CUPS administration interface on http://yourserver:631 and modify the MFC7360N printer (if one was created when the drivers where installed) then make sure you can print a test page via CUPS before proceeding.

Install Cloudprint and Cloudprint service

wget -c http://davesteele.github.io/cloudprint-service/deb/cloudprint_0.11-5.1_all.deb
wget -c http://davesteele.github.io/cloudprint-service/deb/cloudprint-service_0.11-5.1_all.deb
sudo dpkg -i cloudprint_0.11-5.1_all.deb
sudo dpkg -i cloudprint-service_0.11-5.1_all.deb

Authenticate

Google accounts with 2 step verification enabled need to use an application-specific password.

Authenticate cloudprintd.

sudo service cloudprintd login

You should see something like this.

Accounts with 2 factor authentication require an application-specific password
Google username: you@example.org
Password:
Added Printer MFC7360N

Start the Cloudprint daemon.

sudo service cloudprintd start

If everything is working correctly you should see your printer the following page:

Printing from mobile devices

Android

Add the Google Cloud Print app to Android devices and you’ll be able to configure your printer preferences and print from Android..

Chrome and Chromium

When printing from within Google Chrome and Chromium you can now select Cloudprint as the destination and choose your printer.

References

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