Ubuntu – Printing to a printer connected to a wireless router

This is potentially a custom/proprietary protocol used by your router and the software designed by the manufacturer.

However, USB over IP is a thing and it can be used on Ubuntu. Assuming your router is using the standard USB over IP and not a custom protocol, this page (paraphrased below for anyone who finds this through google) should help you set it up.

1. Install usbip

   sudo apt-get install usbip

2. Load the vhci-hcd kernel module

   modprobe vhci-hcd

3. Check if it really got loaded

   lsmod | grep vhci_hcd

   (Your out should be similar to below)

   root@client1:~# lsmod | grep vhci_hcd
   vhci_hcd               19800  0
   usbip_common_mod       13605  1 vhci_hcd
   root@client1:~#
   

4. (optional) Add module to load on boot

   sudo echo vhci-hcd >> /etc/modules

5. Connect to the server (your router) and get a list of devices.

   usbip -l serverip

   Replace serverip with the IP address of your router.

   Example output:

   root@client1:~# usbip -l 192.168.0.100
   - 192.168.0.100
        1-1: SanDisk Corp. : Cruzer Micro Flash Drive (0781:5151)
           : /sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:07.2/usb1/1-1
           : (Defined at Interface level) (00/00/00)
           :  0 - Mass Storage / SCSI / Bulk (Zip) (08/06/50)
   

   Note the designation of the USB device you want to use (1-1 in this example).

6. Attach the remote device to the local computer.

   usbip -a serverip designation
   

   e.g.

   usbip -a 192.168.12.34 1-1
   

   The remote device should now be attached locally to your computer. You should see it listed if you execute lsusb from the terminal.

This has worked for me following the tip of technical support of Brother:

I would recommend removing the printer driver and re-installing using our install utility that will automate the download/install process. You may access this installation utility at the following location.

After running the Brother install utility, I was offered these choices:

0: ipp14
1: socket
2: https
3: ipp
4: ipps
5: lpd
6: http
7: serial:/dev/ttyS0?baud=115200
8: smb
9: hp
10: parallel:/dev/lp0
11: hpfax
12 (I): Specify IP address.
13 (A): Auto. (usb://dev/usblp0)

At first, I tried number 12 and didn't work. So, I created another printer with the URI: lpr://192.168.1.131 instead of socket://192.168.1.131 and it works now. :-)