Epson Workforce 520

English Hardware
1

This is a current model but I cannot determine that there is a Linux driver for this printer. Anyone know whether it is actually supported or not or how to definitively find out?

Thanks.

Epson WorkForce 520 All-in-One Printer - Product Information - Epson America, Inc.

2

Yes, your model is supported by an open source driver

Printer: Epson WorkForce 520 Series | OpenPrinting - The Linux Foundation

and a proprietary driver too

All-in-Ones (Multifunction Inkjet Printers) | AVASYS CORPORATION

Scroll down the page until you find your model

	Epson Stylus Office BX320FW/TX525FW,WorkForce 520/525

Choose the correct distribution and version, then download/install the required RPM package(s).

3

Ok. Thanks. I must not have looked hard enough.

4

how did you do this? Printer: Epson WorkForce 520 Series | OpenPrinting - The Linux Foundation

I cannot find this one on that site at all: Canon U.S.A. : Support & Drivers : PIXMA MP280

5

In general, you can search

Printer List | OpenPrinting - The Linux Foundation

for open source driver support (by manufacturer and model),

However, that Canon ‘All-in-one’ looks like a recent model, so it is very unlikely that their will be any Linux driver support. If you’re lucky, a foomatic driver for another pixma model may be ok, although, usually the functionality will be limited.

6

TurboPrint offer ‘paid-for’ drivers for a number of Canon models, which helps improve the support that might otherwise be available if left to Canon and the open source community themselves.

7

Thanks Deano. As you may have surmised I don’t actually have either of these printers. I’m pricing them online and trying to find the best deal.

There actually seem to be drivers for this one at Canon sites in other countries but I can’t find them for Linux in the U.S. I don’t suppose it makes any difference as long as it’s in English right?

But that brings up another problem. I downloaded a driver from one of those sites and installed the rpms into the system and the package manager shows it as installed but the model still does not show up when I search for it using the “find more” button under printers in Yast.

I don’t want to go out and pick up one of these units if it isn’t actually useable even though the drivers are installed. Can you shed any light on what is happening here for me?

Thanks.

8

It is good that you’re doing your research fist. I doubt whether the Canon will be supported for some time, of at all.

But that brings up another problem. I downloaded a driver from one of those sites and installed the rpms into the system and the package manager shows it as installed but the model still does not show up when I search for it using the “find more” button under printers in Yast.

The Epson Workforce 520 is supported ‘out-of-the-box’ by printer drivers included with CUPS. However, the Avasys drivers I pointed you to, will almost certainly yield a better result (better printing quality, functions etc).

I never use YaST install printers. I fie up my browser, and go straight to the internal CUPS web interface:

http://localhost:631/admin

While configuring the attached-printer, you can browse for the ppd file. IIRC, the Avasys RPM installs the drivers in /opt directory. (For example, I have installed drivers for a NX420 and the relevant ppd is located at/opt/epson-inkjet-printer-nx420/ppds/Epson/). As long as you point to the correct ppd file, it will find the libraries too.

If you remember the name of the RPM, you can get a list of files installed (with root privileges using the ‘su -’ command first) by typing something like

# rpm -ql rpm -ql epson-inkjet-printer-nx420

/opt/epson-inkjet-printer-nx420/cups
/opt/epson-inkjet-printer-nx420/cups/lib
/opt/epson-inkjet-printer-nx420/cups/lib/filter
/opt/epson-inkjet-printer-nx420/cups/lib/filter/epson_inkjet_printer_filter
/opt/epson-inkjet-printer-nx420/doc
.
.
/opt/epson-inkjet-printer-nx420/ppds
/opt/epson-inkjet-printer-nx420/ppds/Epson
/opt/epson-inkjet-printer-nx420/ppds/Epson/Epson-ME_OFFICE_560W_Series-epson-driver.ppd.gz
/opt/epson-inkjet-printer-nx420/ppds/Epson/Epson-Stylus_NX420_Series-epson-driver.ppd.gz
/opt/epson-inkjet-printer-nx420/ppds/Epson/Epson-Stylus_SX420W_Series-epson-driver.ppd.gz
/opt/epson-inkjet-printer-nx420/ppds/Epson/Epson-Stylus_TX420W_Series-epson-driver.ppd.gz
/opt/epson-inkjet-printer-nx420/ppds/Epson/Epson-TX420_NX420_Series-epson-driver.ppd.gz
.
.

9

I have an Epson Workforce 60 and find the Avasys driver extremely buggy. OK for single pages but an ugly mess with multiple pages and duplex. Bug reports elicit no replies or updates.

10

just to clarify: yes, there are rpm and .deb linux drivers for the MP280

here is a thread from Ubuntu on the Canon MP280

[ubuntu] driver for canon pixma mp280 printer - Ubuntu Forums](http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1582497) (Sept 2010)

“works out of the box”

software in this case was downloaded from the NZ canon site …

MP280 series IJ Printer Driver Ver. 3.40 for Linux (debian Packagearchive)

11

Oops…my mistake, I transposed the ‘8’ and ‘2’ while searching the Canon site, looking for MP820 drivers instead. Yes, the MP280 is supported with both proprietary drives from Canon and via gutenprint drivers (supplied with CUPS).