How to Scan with Epson L3110 on Linux: A Manjaro Guide

Having a multi-function printer like the Epson L3110, which combines printing, scanning, and copying, is incredibly convenient. When my old printer and scanner stopped working, opting for a multi-function device seemed like the most practical choice, especially considering the reasonable ink costs and space-saving design of the Epson L3110.

However, one aspect I overlooked was the driver compatibility with my Linux distribution, specifically Manjaro. I had seen that Epson offered Linux drivers for printing and scanning, but didn’t delve into the specifics. It turned out that while drivers were available for OpenSUSE, RedHat/Fedora, and Debian, direct support for Manjaro Linux or Arch Linux was missing.

This is the challenge I encountered in setting up my Epson L3110 multi-function printer on Manjaro. After some research and consulting various online resources, here’s how I managed to get the scanning function working:

1. First, access your software management application (in Manjaro, this is typically Pamac, which is AUR-enabled). Search for epson-inkjet-printer-escpr and install it. Proceed with adding your printer through the system settings and perform a test print to ensure the printing function is working correctly.

2. Next, to enable the scanning capability of your Epson L3110, you need to install specific packages. Search for and install the following packages: iscan, iscan-data, and imagescan. Once the installation is complete, a few more configuration steps are required to finalize the scanner setup:

   1. Verify that the xsane application is installed on your system. This scanning software is often used with Linux.
   2. Ensure your Epson L3110 printer is powered on and properly connected to your computer via USB.
   3. Open a terminal window and execute the command lsusb. This command lists USB devices connected to your system. Look for your Epson L3110 in the output to identify its USB identifier. In my case, it was 04b8:1142. Note down your identifier as it might be slightly different.
   4. Modify the dll.conf file. This file is located in the /etc/sane.d/ directory and configures the scanner drivers. Open this file with administrative privileges using a text editor. Add the line epkowa to this file. I placed epkowa below the existing lines for epson and epson2. You can also uncomment the epson line by removing the # symbol at the beginning of the line if it’s commented out.
   5. The final step is to edit the epkowa.conf file, which is also located in /etc/sane.d/. Open epkowa.conf with administrative privileges and add the line usb 0x04b8 0x1142 (replace 04b8 0x1142 with the USB identifier you obtained from the lsusb command) under the section that contains the words SEIKO EPSON.

With these steps completed, it’s recommended to reboot your computer to ensure all configurations are properly loaded. After rebooting, you should be able to launch imagescan from your applications menu. This should now successfully detect and operate your Epson L3110 scanner, allowing you to scan documents and images directly on your Manjaro Linux system. Your multi-function printer should now be fully functional, both for printing and scanning.