Brother MFC-8950DW User manual

1
Start Here MFC-8950DW(T)
Quick Setup Guide
USA/CAN Version 0
Thank you for choosing Brother, your support is important to us and we value your business. Your Brother product
is engineered and manufactured to the highest standards to deliver reliable performance, day-in and day-out.
Please read the Product Safety Guide first, then read this Quick Setup Guide for the correct setup and installation
procedure.
To view the Quick Setup Guide in other languages, please visit http://solutions.brother.com/.
1
Unpack the machine and check the components
Note
Not all models are available in all countries.
Drum Unit and Toner Cartridge
Assembly
(pre-installed)
Product Registration Sheet
(USA only)
AC Power Cord Installer CD-ROM Quick Setup Guide
Telephone Line Cord Product Safety Guide Basic User's Guide

2
WARNING
• Plastic bags are used in the packing of your machine. Plastic bags are not toys. To avoid the danger
of suffocation, keep these bags away from babies and children and dispose of them correctly.
• When moving the machine, grasp the side handholds firmly from the front of the machine. The side
handholds are located under the scanner. DO NOT carry the machine by holding it at the bottom.
• This machine is heavy and weighs more than 39.7 lb. (18.0 kg) including paper. To prevent possible
injuries at least two people should lift the machine by holding it from the front and back.
• If you use a Lower Tray, DO NOT carry the machine with the Lower Tray as you may be injured or cause
damage to the machine because it is not attached to the Lower Tray.
WARNING indicates a potentially hazardous situation which, if not avoided,
could result in death or serious injuries.
CAUTION indicates a potentially hazardous situation which, if not avoided, may
result in minor or moderate injuries.
WARNING
CAUTION

3
Note
• Keep a minimum gap around the machine as shown in the illustration.
• The components included in the box may differ depending on your country.
• We recommend that you save the original packaging.
• If for any reason you must ship your machine, carefully repack the machine in the original packaging to avoid
any damage during transit. The machine should be adequately insured with the carrier. For how to repack
the machine, see Packing and shipping the machine in the Advanced User's Guide.
• Illustrations in this Quick Setup Guide are based on the MFC-8950DW.
• The interface cable is not a standard accessory. Buy the appropriate interface cable for the connection you
want to use (USB or Network).
USB cable
• It is recommended to use a USB 2.0 cable (Type A/B) that is no longer than 6 feet (2 meters).
• DO NOT connect the interface cable at this time. Connecting the interface cable is done during the MFL-Pro
Suite installation process.
Network cable
Use a straight-through Category 5e (or greater) Shielded Twisted-Pair (STP) cable for 10BASE-T,
100BASE-TX Fast Ethernet Network or 1000BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet Network. When you connect the
machine to a Gigabit Ethernet Network, use network devices complying with 1000BASE-T.
6.00 in.
(150 mm)
6.00 in.
(150 mm)
6.00 in.
(150 mm)
15.70 in. (400 mm)

4
2
Remove the packing
material from the
machine
aRemove the packing tape from the outside of
the machine and the film covering the scanner
glass.
bOpen the MP tray a, and remove the packing
tape bfrom the MP tray support, then close
the MP tray.
cPress the front cover release button and open
the front cover. Remove the silica gel pack a.
CAUTION
CAUTION
DO NOT eat the silica gel pack. Please throw
away. If ingested, seek medical attention
immediately.
dTake out the drum unit and toner cartridge
assembly.
eRemove the orange protective material from
the drum unit and toner cartridge assembly.
fHold the drum unit and toner cartridge
assembly level with both hands and gently
shake it from side to side several times to
distribute the toner evenly inside the cartridge.
Important
DO NOT connect the AC power cord yet.

5
gPut the drum unit and toner cartridge assembly
firmly back in the machine.
hClose the front cover of the machine.
3
Load paper in the paper
tray
aPull the paper tray completely out of the
machine.
bWhile pressing the green paper-guide release
lever a, slide the paper guides to fit the paper
size you are loading in the tray. Make sure that
the guides are firmly in the slots.
Note
For Legal or Folio size paper, press the release
button ain the bottom of the paper tray and then
pull out the back of the paper tray.
(Legal or Folio size paper are not available in
some regions.)

6
cFan the stack of paper well to avoid paper jams
and misfeeds.
dPut the paper in the tray and make sure:
The paper is below the maximum paper
mark (bbb)a.
Over filling the paper tray will cause paper
jams.
The side to be printed on is face down.
The paper guides touch the sides of the
paper so it will feed properly.
ePut the paper tray firmly back in the machine.
Make sure that it is completely inserted into the
machine.
fLift up the support flap ato prevent paper from
sliding off the face-down output tray.
4
Connect the power cord
and telephone line
aConnect the AC power cord to the machine and
then plug it into an AC power outlet.
bTurn the machine’s power switch on.
cConnect the telephone line cord. Connect one
end of the telephone line cord to the jack on the
machine marked LINE and the other end to a
modular wall jack.
For more information about recommended
paper, see Recommended paper and print
media in the Basic User's Guide.
Important
DO NOT connect the interface cable
yet.
Important
DO NOT touch the Touchscreen immediately
after plugging in the power cord or turning the
machine on. Doing this may cause an error.
Important
The telephone line cord MUST be connected to
the jack on the machine marked LINE.

7
WARNING
The machine must be grounded using a
3-prong plug.
Since the machine is grounded through the
power outlet, you can protect yourself from
potentially hazardous electrical conditions on
the telephone network by keeping the power
cord connected to your machine when you
connect it to a telephone line. Similarly, you
can protect yourself when you want to move
your machine by disconnecting the telephone
line first and then the power cord.
Note
If you are sharing one telephone line with an
external telephone, connect it as shown below.
Before you connect the external telephone,
remove the protective cap cfrom the EXT. jack
on the machine.
aExtension telephone
bExternal telephone
cProtective cap
Note
If you are sharing one telephone line with an
external telephone answering machine, connect it
as shown below.
Before you connect the external telephone
answering machine, remove the protective cap c
from the EXT. jack on the machine.
aExtension telephone answering machine
(not supported)
bExternal telephone answering machine
cProtective cap
Set the receive mode to External TAD if
you have an external answering machine.
See Choose the correct Receive
Mode on page 9. For additional details, see
Connecting an external TAD (telephone
answering device) in the Basic User's Guide.

8
5
Choose your language
(if needed)
aPress Menu.
bPress aor bto display Initial Setup.
Press Initial Setup.
cPress aor bto display Local Language.
Press Local Language.
dPress your language.
ePress Stop/Exit.
6
Wireless setup
(if needed)
aDo one of the following:
If you are using a Macintosh computer or a
mobile device on a wireless network, you
can configure the wireless settings by
pressing the button at the top right on
the Touchscreen. Go to b.
If you are using a Windows®computer, want
to connect your Macintosh using USB or
wired network, or want to change the initial
settings on your machine first, skip this step
and go to step 7. You will be able to
configure the wireless settings later.
bPress the button on the Touchscreen.
Then go to step 19 on page 25 to continue the
wireless setup.
After finishing the wireless setup you will need
to return to step 7to finish the machine setup.

9
7
Choose the correct Receive Mode
The correct Receive Mode is determined by the external devices and telephone subscriber services (Voice Mail,
Distinctive Ring, etc.) you have (or will be using) on the same line as the Brother machine.
aPress Menu.
bPress aor bto display Initial Setup.
Press Initial Setup.
cPress aor bto display Receive Mode.
Press Receive Mode.
dPress your receive mode.
ePress Stop/Exit.
Will you be using a Distinctive Ring number for receiving faxes?
Brother uses the term “Distinctive Ring” but telephone companies may have other names for this service such
as Custom Ringing, RingMaster, Personalized Ring, Teen Ring, Ident-A-Call, and Smart Ring. See Distinctive
Ring in the Basic User's Guide for instruction on setting up your machine using this feature.
Will you be using Voice Mail on the same telephone line as your Brother machine?
If you have Voice Mail on the same telephone line as your Brother machine, there is a strong possibility that
Voice Mail and the Brother machine will conflict with each other when receiving incoming calls. See Voice Mail
in the Basic User's Guide for instructions on setting up your machine using this service.
Will you be using a Telephone Answering Device on the same telephone line as your Brother machine?
Your external telephone answering device (TAD) will automatically answer every call. Voice messages are
stored on the external TAD and fax messages are printed. Choose External TAD as your receive mode. See
the instructions below.
Will you be using your Brother machine on a dedicated fax line?
Your machine automatically answers every call as a fax. Choose Fax Only as your receive mode. See the
instructions below.
Will you be using your Brother machine on the same line as your telephone?
Do you want to receive voice calls and faxes automatically?
The Fax/Tel receive mode is used when sharing the Brother machine and your telephone on the same line.
Choose Fax/Tel as your receive mode. See the instructions below.
Important Note: You cannot receive voice messages on either Voice Mail or an answering machine when
choosing the Fax/Tel mode.
Do you expect to receive very few faxes?
Choose Manual as your receive mode. You control the telephone line and must answer every call yourself.
See the instructions below.
For details, see Using receive modes in the Basic User's Guide.

10
8
Set the LCD brightness
(if needed)
If you are having difficulty reading the LCD, try
changing the brightness setting.
aPress Menu.
bPress aor bto display General Setup.
Press General Setup.
cPress aor bto display LCD Settings.
Press LCD Settings.
dPress Backlight.
ePress Light, Med or Dark.
fPress Stop/Exit.
9
Set the date and time
The machine displays the date and time, and if you
set up the station ID, the date and time will be added
to each fax you send.
aPress Menu.
bPress aor bto display Initial Setup.
Press Initial Setup.
cPress aor bto display Date&Time.
Press Date&Time.
dPress Date&Time again.
eEnter the last two digits of the year using the
buttons on the Touchscreen, and then press
OK.
(e.g. Enter 1, 2for 2012.)
fEnter the two digits for the month using the
buttons on the Touchscreen, and then press
OK.
(e.g. Enter 0, 3for March.)
gEnter the two digits for the day using the
buttons on the Touchscreen, and then press
OK.
(e.g. Enter 2, 5for 25th.)
hDo one of the following:
If you want to use the 24-hour clock, press
24h Clock. Go to step i.
If you want to use the 12-hour clock, press
12h Clock. Go to step j.
iEnter the time in 24-hour format using the
buttons on the Touchscreen, and then press
OK. Go to step l.
(e.g. Enter 1, 5, 2, 5for 15:25.)
jEnter the time in 12-hour format using the
buttons on the Touchscreen.
(e.g. Enter 0, 3, 2, 5for 3:25.)
kPress AM or PM, and then press OK.
(e.g. Choose PM for 3:25 P.M.)
lPress Stop/Exit.

11
10
Set your Station ID
The machine displays the date and time, and if you
set up the Station ID, it will add it to each fax you send.
aPress Menu.
bPress aor bto display Initial Setup.
Press Initial Setup.
cPress aor bto display Station ID.
Press Station ID.
dEnter your fax number (up to 20 digits) using
the buttons on the Touchscreen, and then
press OK.
eEnter your telephone number (up to 20 digits)
using the buttons on the Touchscreen, and
then press OK. (If your telephone number and
fax number are the same, enter the same
number again.)
fUse the buttons on the Touchscreen to enter
your name (up to 20 characters), and then
press OK.
gPress Stop/Exit.
Note
• To enter numbers or special characters, press
repeatedly until the character you want
to enter appears, then press the character you
want.
• If you entered a character incorrectly and want
to change it, press dor cto move the cursor to
the incorrect character, then press .
• To enter a space, press the space key button
or c.
For more details, see Entering text in the
Basic User's Guide.
Note
If you make a mistake and want to start again,
press Stop/Exit and go back to step a.
(USA only) The Telephone Consumer Protection
Act of 1991 makes it unlawful for any person to
use a computer or electronic device to send any
message via a telephone fax machine unless
such messages clearly contain, in a margin at the
top or bottom of each transmitted page, or on the
first page of the transmission, the date and time it
is sent and an identification of the business or
other entity or other individual sending the
message and the telephone number of the
sending machines or such business, other entity
or individual. To program this information into
your machine, see Set the date and
time on page 10 and Set your Station
ID on page 11.

12
11
Fax Transmission Report
Your Brother machine is equipped with a
Transmission Verification Report that can be used as
confirmation that you sent a fax. This report lists the
name or fax number of the receiving party, the date,
time and duration of the transmission, the number of
pages transmitted, and whether or not the
transmission was successful. If you want to use the
Fax Transmission Report feature see Printing reports
in the Advanced User's Guide.
12
Set tone or pulse dialing
mode (Canada only)
Your machine comes set for a Tone dialing service. If
you have a Pulse dialing service (rotary), you need to
change the dialing mode.
aPress Menu.
bPress aor bto display Initial Setup.
Press Initial Setup.
cPress aor bto display Tone/Pulse.
Press Tone/Pulse.
dPress Pulse (or Tone).
ePress Stop/Exit.
13
Set the telephone line
compatibility
If you are connecting the machine to a VoIP service
(over the Internet) you need to change the
compatibility setting.
aPress Menu.
bPress aor bto display Fax.
Press Fax.
cPress aor bto display Miscellaneous.
Press Miscellaneous.
dPress Compatibility.
ePress Basic(for VoIP).
fPress Stop/Exit.
Note
If you are using an analog telephone line you can
skip this step.

13
14
Dial Prefix
The dial prefix setting will automatically dial a
predefined number before every fax number you dial.
For example: If your phone system requires a 9 to dial
an outside number this setting will automatically dial 9
for every fax you send.
aPress Menu.
bPress aor bto display Initial Setup.
Press Initial Setup.
cPress aor bto display Dial Prefix.
Press Dial Prefix.
dPress On.
ePress Dial Prefix.
fEnter the prefix number (up to 5 digits) using
the buttons on the Touchscreen, and then
press OK.
gPress Stop/Exit.
15
Automatic Daylight
Saving Time
You can set the machine to change automatically for
Daylight Saving Time. It will reset itself forward one
hour in the Spring and backward one hour in the Fall.
aPress Menu.
bPress aor bto display Initial Setup.
Press Initial Setup.
cPress aor bto display Date&Time.
Press Date&Time.
dPress Auto Daylight.
ePress On (or Off).
fPress Stop/Exit.
16
Set the Time Zone
You can set the time zone (not summer time but
standard time) on the machine for your location.
For example, the time zone for Eastern Time in the
USA and Canada is UTC-05:00.
aPress Menu.
bPress aor bto display Initial Setup.
Press Initial Setup.
cPress aor bto display Date&Time.
Press Date&Time.
dPress Time Zone.
ePress +or -to set your time zone.
Press OK.
fPress Stop/Exit.
Note
• You can use the numbers 0 to 9, #, land !.
• You cannot use ! with any other numbers or
characters.
• If your telephone system requires a timed break
recall (hookflash), press ! on the Touchscreen.
• If the pulse dialing mode is on, # and lare not
available to use. (Canada only)

14
17
Send in the Product
Registration and Test
Sheet (USA only)
You can also register your product online using the
On-Line Registration link from the installer CD-ROM
or visit
http://www.brother.com/registration/.
aFill out the Product Registration and Test
Sheet.
bPut the sheet face up in the ADF (Automatic
Document Feeder) or face down on the
scanner glass.
cMake sure you have pressed the Fax button.
dEnter the toll-free fax number: 1-877-268-9575.
ePress Start.
Note
You will receive a confirmation fax of your Product
Registration.

15
Windows®
USB
Macintosh
Windows®Macintosh
Wired Network
Wireless Network
Windows®Macintosh
18
Choose your connection type
These installation instructions are for Windows®XP Home/Windows®XP Professional, Windows®XP
Professional x64 Edition, Windows Vista®, Windows®7, and Mac OS X (versions 10.5.8, 10.6.x and 10.7.x).
Note
• For Windows Server®2003/2003 x64 Edition/2008/2008 R2 and Linux®, visit your model page at
http://solutions.brother.com/.
• You can visit us at http://solutions.brother.com/ where you can get product support, the latest driver updates
and utilities, and answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) and technical questions.
For USB Interface Users
Windows
®
, go to page 16
Macintosh, go to page 18
For Wired Network
Windows
®
, go to page 20
Macintosh, go to page 23
For Wireless Network
Windows
®
and Macintosh,
go to page 25
Note
To connect your iOS or Android™ device or Windows®Phone to your Brother machine using Wi-Fi Direct™,
please download the Wi-Fi Direct™ Guide at http://solutions.brother.com/.

16
Windows®
USB
For USB Interface Users
(Windows
®
XP/XP Professional x64 Edition/Windows Vista
®
/
Windows
®
7)
19
Before you install
aMake sure that your computer is ON and you
are logged on with Administrator rights.
bTurn off the machine and make sure the USB
interface cable is NOT connected to the
machine. If you have already connected the
cable, disconnect it.
20
Install MFL-Pro Suite
aPut the installer CD-ROM into your CD-ROM
drive. If the model name screen appears,
choose your machine. If the language screen
appears, choose your language.
bClick Install MFL-Pro Suite, and click Yes if
you accept the license agreements.
cChoose Local Connection (USB) and then
click Next.
Important
• If there are any programs running, close them.
• The screens may differ depending on your
operating system.
Note
The installer CD-ROM includes Nuance™
PaperPort™ 12SE. This software supports
Windows®XP (SP3 or greater), XP Professional
x64 Edition (SP2 or greater), Windows Vista®
(SP2 or greater) and Windows®7. Update to the
latest Windows®Service Pack before installing
MFL-Pro Suite.
Note
If the Brother screen does not appear
automatically, go to My Computer (Computer),
double-click the CD-ROM icon, and then
double-click start.exe.
Note
• If the installation does not continue
automatically, open the top menu again by
ejecting and then reinserting the CD-ROM or
double-click the start.exe program from the
root folder, and continue from step bto install
MFL-Pro Suite.
• For Windows Vista®and Windows®7 users,
when the User Account Control screen
appears, click Allow or Yes.
Note
If you want to install the PS driver (BR-Script3
printer driver), choose Custom Install and then
follow the on-screen instructions.

17
Windows®
USB
Windows®
USB
Macintosh
dFollow the on-screen instructions until this
screen appears.
eConnect the USB cable to the USB port
marked with the symbol on your machine
and then connect the cable to your computer.
fTurn the machine on.
The installation will automatically continue. The
installation screens appear one after another. If
prompted, follow any on-screen instructions.
gWhen the On-Line Registration screen
appears, make your selection and follow the
on-screen instructions. Once you have
completed the registration process, click Next.
hWhen the Setup Complete screen appears,
check the box of the action you want to
perform, and then click Next.
21
Finish and restart
aClick Finish to restart your computer. After
restarting the computer, you must log on with
Administrator rights.
Important
DO NOT cancel any of the screens during the
installation. It may take a few seconds for all
screens to appear.
Note
For Windows Vista®and Windows®7 users,
when the Windows Security screen appears,
click the check box and click Install to complete
the installation correctly.
Note
• If an error message appears during the
software installation, run the Installation
Diagnostics located in
Start/All Programs/Brother/MFC-XXXX
(where MFC-XXXX is your model name).
• Depending on your security settings, a
Windows®Security or antivirus software
window may appear when using the machine or
its software. Please allow or permit the window
to continue.
Finish
The installation is now
complete.
Note
XML Paper Specification Printer Driver
The XML Paper Specification Printer Driver is the
most suitable driver for Windows Vista®and
Windows®7 when printing from applications that
use the XML Paper Specification. Please
download the latest driver by accessing the
Brother Solutions Center at
http://solutions.brother.com/.

18
Macintosh
USB
For USB Interface Users
(Mac OS X 10.5.8 - 10.7.x)
19
Before you install
aMake sure your machine is connected to the
power and your Macintosh is ON. You must be
logged on with Administrator rights.
bConnect the USB cable to the USB port
marked with the symbol on your machine
and then connect the cable to your Macintosh.
cMake sure your machine's power switch is on.
20
Install MFL-Pro Suite
aPut the installer CD-ROM into your CD-ROM
drive.
bDouble-click the Start Here OSX icon. If
prompted, select your model.
cChoose Local Connection (USB) and then
click Next. Follow the on-screen instructions.
dChoose your machine from the list, and then
click OK.
eWhen this screen appears, click Next.
Important
For users of Mac OS X 10.5.7 or lower, upgrade
to Mac OS X 10.5.8 - 10.7.x. (For the latest
drivers and information for the Mac OS X you are
using, visit http://solutions.brother.com/.)
Note
If you want to add the PS driver (BR-Script3
printer driver), please go to the Brother Solutions
Center at http://solutions.brother.com/ and visit
FAQ's on your model page for instructions.
Important
DO NOT cancel any of the screens during the
installation. It may take a few minutes for the
installation to complete.
The installation of MFL-Pro Suite is now
complete.
Go to step 21 on page 19.

19
Macintosh
USB
Windows®
USB
Macintosh
21
Download and install
Presto! PageManager
When Presto! PageManager is installed OCR
capability is added to Brother ControlCenter2. You
can easily scan, share and organize photos and
documents using Presto! PageManager.
aOn the Brother Support screen, click
Presto! PageManager and follow the
on-screen instructions.
Finish
The installation is now
complete.

20
Windows®
Wired Network
For Wired Network Interface Users
(Windows
®
XP/XP Professional x64 Edition/Windows Vista
®
/
Windows
®
7)
19
Before you install
aMake sure that your computer is ON and you
are logged on with Administrator rights.
bRemove the protective cap from the Ethernet
port marked with a symbol.
cConnect the network interface cable to the
Ethernet port and then connect it to a free port
on your hub.
dMake sure your machine's power switch is on.
20
Install MFL-Pro Suite
aPut the installer CD-ROM into your CD-ROM
drive. If the model name screen appears,
choose your machine. If the language screen
appears, choose your language.
bClick Install MFL-Pro Suite, and click Yes if
you accept the license agreements.
Important
• If there are any programs running, close them.
• The screens may differ depending on your
operating system.
Note
• The installer CD-ROM includes Nuance™
PaperPort™ 12SE. This software supports
Windows®XP (SP3 or greater), XP
Professional x64 Edition (SP2 or greater),
Windows Vista®(SP2 or greater) and
Windows®7. Update to the latest Windows®
Service Pack before installing MFL-Pro Suite.
• Disable all personal firewall software (other
than Windows®Firewall), anti-spyware or
antivirus applications for the duration of the
installation.
Note
If the Brother screen does not appear
automatically, go to My Computer (Computer),
double-click the CD-ROM icon, and then
double-click start.exe.
Note
• If the installation does not continue
automatically, open the top menu again by
ejecting and then reinserting the CD-ROM or
double-click the start.exe program from the
root folder, and continue from step bto install
MFL-Pro Suite.
• For Windows Vista®and Windows®7 users,
when the User Account Control screen
appears, click Allow or Yes.