Printing Overview

Campus Printing Guide: Setup, Usage, and Troubleshooting

Welcome to the Brandeis University campus printing knowledge base article. Brandeis utilizes a centralized Pharos/PaperCut "Follow-Me" print management system. This "pull printing" model allows you to submit jobs to a virtual queue and release them from any physical public printer on campus using your Brandeis ID card, ensuring document security and reducing paper waste.

The campus system supports black and white printing, color printing, and multifunction features (scanning and copying) across campus libraries and computer labs.

Prerequisites: What You Need

Before attempting to print, ensure you have the following ready:

  • Brandeis ID Card: A valid physical card is required to swipe at the printers.

  • Account Balance: A positive balance in your Whoosh/Printing account.

  • Network Connection: You must be connected to the Eduroam Wi-Fi network.

    ⚠️ Note: Printing is not supported on the Brandeis-Guest Wi-Fi network.

  • Off-Campus Access: If you are submitting print jobs from off-campus, you must have an active Brandeis VPN connection.

  • Print Drivers: The official Brandeis print drivers must be installed on your personal device.

Initial Setup: Printer Driver Installation

To print from your personal computer, you must first add the campus print queues:

  1. Visit the Brandeis Printing Website.

  2. Download the driver installer appropriate for your operating system (Windows or macOS).

  3. Run the downloaded installer and follow the prompts to add the Brandeis_BW (Black & White) and Brandeis_Color queues to your machine.

  4. If prompted during installation, authenticate using your full Brandeis username and password.

Daily Usage Instructions

How to Print a Document

  1. Open your document, select File > Print.

  2. Choose either Brandeis_BW or Brandeis_Color from your printer list.

  3. Walk over to any public printer on campus.

  4. Swipe your Brandeis ID card at the attached card reader (or log in manually via the touch screen).

  5. Select the specific print jobs you want to release on the touch screen and press Print.

How to Scan or Copy

  1. Log in to any multifunction campus printer using your Brandeis ID card.

  2. Place your physical document face-up in the document feeder or face-down on the scanner glass.

  3. Select Scan or Copy from the main touch screen menu.

  4. For Scanning: Enter your full Brandeis email address as the destination destination.

  5. Adjust any necessary settings (e.g., Resolution, 2-sided) and press Start.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Issue Resolution Steps
Unable to Print

1. Check Network: Confirm you are on Eduroam or the VPN, not Brandeis-Guest.

 

2. Account Balance: Log into the printing portal to verify you have sufficient funds.

 

3. Reinstall Driver: If the printer shows "Offline," delete it from your system settings and run the driver installer again.
Print Job Stuck in Queue

1. Wait: Large or complex PDFs can take several minutes to process.

 

2. Restart Spooler (Windows): Search your PC for "Services," right-click Print Spooler, and click Restart.

 

3. Print as Image: In Adobe Acrobat, go to Advanced and select Print as Image.
Card Swipe / Auth Failure

1. Orientation: Make sure the magnetic stripe faces the correct direction.

 

2. Manual Login: Use the on-screen keyboard to manually type your Brandeis credentials.

 

3. Clean Card: Wipe the magnetic stripe gently with a soft cloth.
Scanner Not Functioning

1. File Size: Scanned email attachments cannot exceed 20MB.

 

2. Check Spelling: Verify your destination email address is typed flawlessly on the panel.

 

3. Clean Glass: Clean lines or smudges off the glass with a lint-free cloth.
Printer Offline / Error State

1. Paper Jams: Follow the animated guides on the printer screen to clear any stuck paper.

 

2. Low Supplies: If it says "Load Paper" or "Replace Toner," alert library staff or a department admin.

 

3. Power Cycle: If frozen, turn off the main power switch, wait 10 seconds, and turn it back on.

Fix: macOS "Hold for Authentication" Error

If your Mac print queue shows a "Hold for Authentication" status, your saved credentials are likely outdated or missing (often caused by a recent Brandeis password change).

Method 1: The Quick Retry

  1. Click the printer icon in your Mac's Dock to open the print queue.

  2. Locate the stuck job and click the Retry button (circular arrow).

  3. When prompted, fill in:

    • Username: Your full Brandeis email address (e.g., username@brandeis.edu).

    • Password: Your current Brandeis passphrase.

    • (Optional) Check "Remember this password in my keychain" to avoid entering it next time.

  4. Click OK.

Method 2: Clearing Outdated Keychain Credentials

If clicking retry doesn't prompt you for credentials, you need to clear the old ones out manually:

  1. Open Spotlight Search (Command + Space), type Keychain Access, and hit Enter.

  2. In the top-right search bar of the Keychain window, type "PaperCut" or "Brandeis_Printers".

  3. Right-click the problematic entry and select Delete.

  4. Close Keychain Access and send your print job again. Enter your full email and passphrase when prompted.

💡 Important Reminder: The most common cause for authentication failure is forgetting to type your full email address (including the @brandeis.edu domain) into the login prompt.

Need Additional Help?

If you continue to run into technical issues with campus printing, please reach out to the Brandeis ITS Help Desk or visit the Library service desk for in-person support.

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