Getting a Muratec MFX-3535 working from a Mac

[britechguy]

Has anyone ever done this and have any advice?

This printer is dead simple to set up using the Windows PCL6 network driver for the device found on this support page: https://muratec.net/ce/apma/support/dr_mfx-3530.html. There is also a page for US Support (handled by Konica-Minolta, but for Windows only: https://onyxweb.mykonicaminolta.com...productId=2223&categoryId=1&subCategoryId=ft0).

I downloaded the Windows PCL6 Network Printer Driver (64-bit) and had zero issue setting things up under Windows 10 and 11.

The situation using the download for Mac 10.8 or later was distinctly different. I can step through the install and get the Mac speaking to the printer, but clearly not in the right way. Even a 1 page word document prints out blank and takes at least 2 pages. I tried to print 1 page of a website that said it should print as 3 pages, total, and the MFX-3535 went wild printing probably 35 pages before I got to it most of which were blank but many of which had random character sequences in blocks.

I've followed all the instructions I can find via Web search about this, but that got the result above. Before I try contacting Konica-Minolta I though I'd ask here if anyone here has ever set up one of these machines which is directy connected to the modem-router, not any individual machine on the network, on a Mac?

 

[Markverhyden]

Just noticed this. Have you tried looking at the printer via the CUPS interface?

In a new browser window enter > http://localhost:631/printers
If it says disabled it'll give you instructions.

open a terminal window then enter > cupsctl WebInterface=yes

The localhost command will now load the printer interface. When you got it installed what did it pick for the driver? Did it auto detect? Have you tried resetting the printing system, right/control click in the printers pane? When you re-install it can you manually pick a different driver?

That all being said KM is not the friendliest printer OEM when it comes to printer drivers and Apple.

 

[NJW]

The linux driver is just a .ppd file, which should be all you need to add the printer in the CUPS interface.

If CUPS detects the printer on the network, you can add it and then point to the (unzipped) .ppd file when CUPS wants a driver (at the Make & Model selection page).

That only covers the printer part, of course.

Edit: add link to driver page.

 

[britechguy]

Thanks to you both. I actually wrote to Konica-Minolta and they responded. I have tossed this back to my client, for the time being, as information was being asked for that I did not have.

I will report back as to whether any solution is reached, or not. Since all of the Windows machines in the office can print, that's still a major step forward from only the receptionist's machine being able to print.

 

[Markverhyden]

The linux driver is just a .ppd file, which should be all you need to add the printer in the CUPS interface.

If CUPS detects the printer on the network, you can add it and then point to the (unzipped) .ppd file when CUPS wants a driver (at the Make & Model selection page).

That only covers the printer part, of course.

Edit: add link to driver page.

CUPS is what's behind the scenes of macOS Printer utility as I understand it. It's always running in the background. Enabling the web interface just gives access to all of the printer options. The macOS interface is what the OEM allows to be seen which can be very limited. I've had to use CUPS web interface on a number of KM, Ricoh, etc business class machines to address a number of print quality/function issues.

 

[britechguy]

open a terminal window then enter > cupsctl WebInterface=yes

Mark, I'm circling back to this. Am I safe in assuming you mean via a simple CMD + N command? In looking on the web for "open terminal MacOS," there seem to be a number of options that don't have exact analogs to opening Windows command prompt or PowerShell.

 

[Markverhyden]

Mark, I'm circling back to this. Am I safe in assuming you mean via a simple CMD + N command? In looking on the web for "open terminal MacOS," there seem to be a number of options that don't have exact analogs to opening Windows command prompt or PowerShell.

One way is very similar in both OS's. In the lower left you usually have the Search input box. So you would type in cmd and it'll bring up available items with CMD being the first on the list. In macOS there's Spotlight, the magnifying glass in the upper right corner. Open Spotlight, type terminal <CR>, and it'll launch Terminal. Personally, on my hardware, I have everything I normally in the Dock. But that's a quick way to access other utilities. Such as Console, which is where you look at the logs. Terminal is located in the Utilities folder in the Applications folder.

 

[britechguy]

Thanks.

 

[britechguy]

This printer setup is going to be the death of me yet. I tried the CUPS interface, using ipp:, and with the PPD file that should work - nada. Communication is established but if you try to print, the printer not responding message is what you get.

If I choose Muratec MFX-3535 PS (which I imagine is Post Script) from the list of options that shows up rather than the PPD file, trying to print a one-line test file triggers heaven only knows how many pages to print.

I've also tried, at the suggestion of CUPS, setting this up via lpadmin using the "everywhere" driver. Again, we get the device recognized and the Mac saying it's idle, but when you send anything it's "printer not responding" again.

Installing this thing as a PCL 6 printer under Windows takes mere moments and works the first time. I just don't get what's going on (or not going on) here! I will try the Mac 10.8 and later driver from the support page again to see if that gets me anywhere.

 

[britechguy]

I have tried everything I can possibly think of. I even downloaded a fresh copy of the Mac install ZIP file that contains the PKG installer from Muratec again and tried it on a different Mac.

The installer goes through fine, but with no printer showing afterward. So, I think, this must be much like setting up the PCL printer under Windows where I still have to go in and add using the printer's IP address. So I do.

Using the same IP address that's being used on the raft of Windows machines that are connecting sans issue, I keep getting the message from both Macs that they cannot communicate with the printer. Yet, if I have terminal open and ping the printer, that gives me back endless "packets of success" until I hit CTRL + C to stop it.

The PKG file shows the printer identification as Muratec MFX-3535 PS PPD. Tried adding the printer using the resulting MFX-3535 PS as a generic post script printer and (after deleting) using the option for MFX-3535 PS, still nada.

Tried CUPS and that did not work any better.

Windows is having no problem with address 10.1.10.109 using TCP IP.

One of the Macs is less than a year and a half old, the other is a MacBook Air 13-inch from 2017 running MacOS Monterey version 12.6.2.

I am at a complete loss as to why these freakin' machines cannot quickly and easily connect to the same printer that all the Windows machines can see and use with ease and that take all of 5 minutes to set up from driver installation to pointing to the correct IP on the network.

I've set up wireless printers before on Macs that were as fast and easy as on Windows. But not this time!

 

[timeshifter]

I am at a complete loss as to why these freakin' machines cannot quickly and easily connect to the same printer that all the Windows machines can see and use with ease and that take all of 5 minutes to set up from driver installation to pointing to the correct IP on the network.

Probably because the manufacturer has given up on new Mac driver releases. The newest Mac OS they mention is 10.14 which has been out of support by Apple for more than a year. Even then they say it's the same as 10.11 and 10.12 - which seems to indicate they haven't updated the driver since then. 10.11 and 10.12 were out of support 4 and 3 years ago.

I also noticed that the first Mac OS they supported is 10.2, which shipped in 2002. And XP was the first Windows version. This sucker is OLD.

Maybe if there are other computers on the network, you could share the printer from a system that is compatible?

 

[britechguy]

@timeshifter

Who knows, but I would have expected that drivers stated to have worked on MacOS versions that recent should just keep chugging along since the equipment hasn't changed.

Ultimately, I may have to either punt to something like you suggest or just give up. The entire office, save one computer in reception, had been unable to print to that printer until I got all the Windows machines (which are the majority in use by the staff members) all able to do so. There was lots of "on USB drive and walk down to reception" going on and it may have to continue.