network printing with cups

[piltdown]

We have a kubuntu only network and are trying to share a printer via cups. The printer works fine on the PC it is physically connected to. But we just can't share it.

Some Google articles seem to indicate that sharing via cups is broken in kubuntu - is this the case? If not, just how can we share the printer?

Thanks.

[penguin.ch]

Re: network printing with cups

Piltdown,

to cut a long story short: although CUPS is buggy, there is a solution to your problem 8) I have to admit that it took me a few hours to find out what and how this could be done. Therefore, if I missed something in the following instructions, please exuse me - but keep asking until your "printer network" works the way mine does now.

First of all, make sure that on all machines the kdeprint package is installed (resulting in the display of the module Printers as part of the System Settings), and that the IPP protocol won't get blocked by any local firewall. Furthermore, edit the file(s) /etc/cups/cups.d/ports.conf ("doing as root does", of course) and comment out or delete the line Listen /var/run/cups/cups.sock. FInally, restart the CUPS daemon (sudo /etc/init.d/cupsys restart) - again: on all machines (may be redundant - just want to stay on the safe side ...).

After that, on the "print server" (read: the machine hosting the real printer) enter http://localhost:631/admin in your browser's adress bar in orde rto open up the CUPS configuration interface. There, activate the Share published printers connected to this system option. By the way: this might be a good moment to print out another test page (originating from the CUPS interface - just want to make sure we are still having a finger in the pie ...).

Having done this, it is about time to (re-) boot one of the "client" machines, open up it's System Settings - Hardware - Printers and try to Add Printer ... the KDE Print Wizard, which is to be displayed as a result, should be self-explanatory. Just two final remarks: if the option to scan the network for available printers or the option to print out a test page fails to succeed, there is no point in moving on.

HTH
Birdy

[lec2004]

Re: network printing with cups

after installing the driver for the host machine, I installed smbfs and then cupsys* in the terminal using apt-get, create a user account in the host and in samba reboot the host and clients and most of the time everyone can connect to the printer by going through the print wizard using the new user log in. It can be tricky sometimes but it does work. You must be patient.

[penguin.ch]

Re: network printing with cups

lec2004,

I have to admit that - due to one remaining (and, for the sake of security, virtual) Windoze system being part of my own small network - I make use of Samba for local file as well as printer sharing, and it works flawlessly.

However, different from you, I implemented a "guest and guest only" approach to printer sharing, just to keep things simple (while, in exchange, I prefer "personal log-ins" prior to file sharing):

[global]
log file = /var/log/smb.log
interfaces = lan0 eth0 vmmon0
workgroup = ARLEKIN.CH
unix charset = ISO8859-1
security = user
map to guest = bad user
guest account = nobody

[desktop]
path = /home/birdy/Desktop
browseable = no
wide links = no
writeable = yes
username = birdy
create mask = 0644
directory mask = 0755

[printer]
printing = cups
path = /var/tmp
browseable = yes
printable = yes
guest ok = yes
guest only = yes

Birdy

[michellembrodeur]

Re: network printing with cups

I get an error presing save changes after selecting "Share published printers connected to this system".

So what can I do to fix this.

[penguin.ch]

Re: network printing with cups

I get an error presing save changes after selecting "Share published printers connected to this system".
So what can I do to fix this.

For starters, you can tell us what kind of error you're getting. The more precise you describe it, the more detailed the answer will be (hopefully, as I have to admit).

Birdy

[michellembrodeur]

Re: network printing with cups

The error is

"error"

That at it said when I was saving the seetings. It went to another page and said that.

[penguin.ch]

Re: network printing with cups

The error is "error".

That's a cool one, isn't it :P

But I have to admit that I'm not able to reproduce this error on my machine(s): as "feedback" to clicking on Change Settings, all I get is the (expected) request to identify myself (read: "log in as de-facto superuser") ... very strange; I'm sorry.

Addenum, one hour later: another machine, another version of CUPS, and bingo - now I get the same mistake you do ... maybe I'll find out what's going wrong

Another addenum, another hour later: not really a solution, but - hopefully - a valid workaround to the "mysterious error" problem should be to manually change the appropriate configuration file, which is /etc/cups.d/browse.conf and is supposed to read Browsing on (instead of "off").

Please let me know if this one does the trick (until the next update, at least ...).

Birdy

[sister_clamp]

Re: network printing with cups

Hi all--

Had the same error when trying to commit the "Share published printers" page; i.e. the screen asked me to login then, regardless of which user I used (me or root), it told me I didn't have required permissions.

The configuration file on my machine was /etc/cups/cups.d/browse.conf not /etc/cups.d/browse.conf. Only one entry which I switched to Browse on.

Now, onto the KDE Print Wizard. I'm sorry but it's not as obvious as it apparently should be. What kind of printer should I choose?

* Local printer - I don't think so, it's local to my other desktop in the next room.
* Remote LPD queue - I know the host name but what's the Queue name?
* SMB shared printer - no, because I have Kubuntu currently running on my other machine and can print from it locally through CUPS
* Network printer - Tried to Scan for it; no luck. Maybe wrong subnet setting Port number (Tried default & 631)
* Remote CUPS server - my favourite choice. Try Anonymous > enter desktop host name & port of 631. No luck. Same host-name with ports 9100, 9101, 9102. No luck. Okay. Try Normal account > enter desktop host name & port of 631/9100/9101/9102. No luck.
* Network printer w/IPP - Use default subnet setting of 127.0.1.[0-255] for ports 631/9100/9101/9102. Scan. No luck. Hmmm. After interrogating Printers through Settings on the other machine, tried again with a URI of ipp://localhost:631/printers/<printer-name> (LaserJet-1300 in my case). Got the driver. Installed. Tried test page. Nothing.

I know through Avahi that my laptop can see the desktop. Any suggestions anyone?

S_C

[sister_clamp]

Re: network printing with cups

Had a Duh! moment. Tried a URI of

ipp://my-desktop:631/printers/LaserJet-1300

during configuration instead.

Screen tells me "No printer found at this address/port."

S_C

[penguin.ch]

Re: network printing with cups

The configuration file on my machine was /etc/cups/cups.d/browse.conf not /etc/cups.d/browse.conf.

Sorry for the typo of course, you're right.

Now, onto the KDE Print Wizard. [snipped]

Unless you're using SMB, I would suggest to give the Remote CUPS Server a try, with "printer addresses" similar to ipp://[ComputerName]/printers/[PrinterName], e.g. (in my case) ipp://FAKE/printers/Lexmark.

HTH
Birdy

[lec2004]

Re: network printing with cups

Another thing you can still try using SMB is rather than looking for a host name manually enter the IP of the pc. I have had to do this to connect using cups with SMB.

[sister_clamp]

Re: network printing with cups

Hey there Birdy--

You'd think that would work, wouldn't you? Nope. Tried string "ipp://my-desktop:631/printers/LaserJet-1300". Told "Unable to connect".

OK. How about "ipp://my-desktop/printers/LaserJet-1300" (as the Port is already set to 631). Ditto.

OK. How about just "my-desktop/printers/LaserJet-1300". Ditto.

And last, but certainly not least, "//my-desktop/printers/LaserJet-1300".

I have also previously tried just "my-desktop" and "//my-desktop" with no luck.

Damn but I'm determined to get this poxy thing working although I'm fast running out of inspirational iterations.

S_C

PS Just in case anyone was wondering, yes the other machine IS on and visible through Avahi.

[penguin.ch]

Re: network printing with cups

Sister_Clamp,

I'll try to "reword" my suggestions: when the KDE Print Wizard comes up, select Remote Cups Server as Backend and the name of the printer's host as Host (presumed that this name is "defined" in /etc/hosts - otherwise put in the "server" machine's IP).

If all went well, you should get a selection of remote printers on the next screen. As long as this selection stays empty, the "client" machine is not able to identify the "served" printer(s) - which leads to the question if the printer works on the "server" machine and has been published via Cups as discussed before ...

HTH
Birdy

[sister_clamp]

Re: network printing with cups

Birdy, you're a genius! One step closer but still not there yet. My observations (for future readers as much as for myself):

* All the options on the KDE Print Wizard are backend selections. There is no explicit "Connect to CUPS...through Backend" option.

* I connected as a named user not as Anonymous.

* After interrogating /etc/hosts, I provided the name "localhost" (in my case) with a Port of 631.

You're correct, the "Remote IPP Printer Selection" displays next. Unfortunately, it is empty as you surmised. Yes, the printer works on my desktop via CUPS but only as a "Local printer". If I try to connect it in the same fashion as my laptop Wizard (through CUPS), although the Printer shows up in the "Printer Selection" screen and I choose it, I am unable to successfully print to it. That is, I have to reconfigure it back to a "Local" printer for it to print. I will need to do some more reading...

S_C