How to share a printer installed on linux with a Windows XP machine

[connel8]

HI, my brother has a Windows XP based PC. I have a Kubuntu / Windows XP dual boot PC. However when my borther wants to print his home work for example i have to reboot into XP which is quite annoying. How can i share a printer that is connected to a Linux Machine with a XP machine. What packages do i need to install and how do i use them. Sorry you must have loads of questions like this but all the other guides i have seen have the printer connected to the windows machine. Thnx in advance Connel.

[Detonate]

Re: How to share a printer installed on linux with a Windows XP machine

You must have the computers networked first, use samba. If you already have the network set up, At the CLI do:

sudo cupsaddsmb -a

then add the following to your smb.conf file and restart samba.

In your [global] section add these two lines

printing = cups
printcap = cups

Then add these sections

[PRINTERS]
comment = All Printers
path = /var/spool/samba/
printable = yes
guest ok = yes
case sensitive = no
strict locking = no
read only = no

[print$]
comment = Printer Drivers
path = /var/lib/samba/printers

RESTART SAMBA

sudo /etc/init.d/samba restart

Your brother should then be able to see the printer on the network. He may have to install the printer. I know he already has it installed but that's for the windows network, so he may have to have to install a second version for the samba. If your security level is user, he will also have to first click on the printer icon in the network folder and enter a samba user name and password to use the printer. He will only have to do this once per session, until he restarts windows, or you restart samba.

[connel8]

Re: How to share a printer installed on linux with a Windows XP machine

thnx 4 the really fast reply! when you say networked what exactly to do you mean? The computers have no links what so ever (ie shard folders if tht is wot u mean) if tht is not what u mean, how to i network my linux machine usin samber? thnx

[Detonate]

Re: How to share a printer installed on linux with a Windows XP machine

You have to get samba up and running first. Lots of threads here on how to do that. Read everything you can find before you start, to avoid common problems.