GNOME Files: Networks, Cached Printing Station Location Missing in Ubuntu 18.04
If you've recently upgraded your Ubuntu system to version 18.04 or performed a fresh installation, you might have noticed that the "Networks" and "Cached Printing Stations" locations are missing from the GNOME Files sidebar.
This change was made intentionally by the Ubuntu team to simplify the user interface and reduce clutter. While some users find this decision acceptable, others might find it inconvenient, especially if they relied on the "Cached Printing Stations" location to quickly access their Brother printing station.
Where did the Networks and Cached Printing Stations locations go?
The "Networks" location was removed from the GNOME Files sidebar and replaced with the "Network" option in the GNOME Settings application. This option can be accessed by clicking on the system menu (the three horizontal lines in the top-right corner of the screen), then selecting "Settings", and finally clicking on "Network" in the left sidebar.
The "Cached Printing Stations" location was removed entirely from GNOME Files. There is no direct replacement for this feature in the default Ubuntu 18.04 installation, which might make it more difficult for some users to access their Brother printing station.
How to add the Networks location back to GNOME Files
If you prefer to have the "Networks" location back in the GNOME Files sidebar, you can add it back by modifying the GNOME Tweaks settings. Here's how to do it:
- Install the GNOME Tweaks application by running the following command in a terminal:
sudo apt install gnome-tweaks- Open GNOME Tweaks by clicking on the system menu (the three horizontal lines in the top-right corner of the screen), then selecting "Tweaks".
- In GNOME Tweaks, click on the "Extensions" tab.
- Find the "Network Locations" extension and click on the toggle switch to enable it.
- Close GNOME Tweaks and open GNOME Files. You should now see the "Networks" location in the sidebar.
Accessing the Brother printing station without the Cached Printing Stations location
If you're missing the "Cached Printing Stations" location, there are a few ways to access your Brother printing station without it.
- Connect to the Brother printing station over the network using the IP address. You can find the IP address of the printing station in its documentation, or by using a network scanning tool such as Nmap or Angry IP Scanner.
- Print a test page from the Brother printing station's control panel. This should add the printing station to the list of available printers in the GNOME Printing settings.
The removal of the "Networks" and "Cached Printing Stations" locations from the GNOME Files sidebar in Ubuntu 18.04 might be inconvenient for some users, but it can be easily remedied by using GNOME Tweaks to add the "Networks" location back. Accessing the Brother printing station without the "Cached Printing Stations" location can be done by connecting to it over the network using the IP address, or by printing a test page from the control panel.
References
- Ubuntu release notes for 18.04: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/BionicBeaver/ReleaseNotes
- GNOME Tweaks: https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/3231/gnome-tweaks/
- Nmap network scanner: https://nmap.org/
- Angry IP Scanner: http://angryip.org/