HP PhotoSmart Printer: Wireless Printing?

[MatthewSchenker]

Hi Everyone,
OK, I have been trying to solve this problem on my own and I'm getting nowhere...

I have an HP PhotoSmart 8250 printer, which I configured very easily to run on my Kubuntu desktop. It's connected via USB port and works great.

I also have a laptop running Kubuntu, and it gets Internet access through the wireless network. But I can't figure out how to let the laptop share the HP printer.

I ran System Settings > Printers > Add Printer/Class, then I try to install a Network printer (TCP). It asks me for a Printer address and a Port.

I don't know what these are, and I'm not even sure I'm running the correct procedure. Can someone give me some basic pointers?

Thanks,
Matt

[Snowhog]

Re: HP PhotoSmart Printer: Wireless Printing?

Are both machines using a wireless connection to the 'Net? Assuming yes, then the printer must also be connected to the wireless router. If it's connected to the desktop directly, but both machines connect wireless via the router, then you are going to have to setup a print server on the desktop machine.

[MatthewSchenker]

Re: HP PhotoSmart Printer: Wireless Printing?

Are both machines using a wireless connection to the 'Net? Assuming yes, then the printer must also be connected to the wireless router. If it's connected to the desktop directly, but both machines connect wireless via the router, then you are going to have to setup a print server on the desktop machine.

Thanks for the reply. Here are the details:
I'm using a wireless router.
The desktop is connected to the router via a cable.
The printer is connected to the desktop via USB port.
The laptop gets Internet access via the router with a wireless connection.

The router I'm using does not have a connector for the printer. Are you saying that if I get a new router that allows me to connect the printer directly, that I'll get access to it from the laptop?

Is there some way to use Samba for this?

By the way, I had this up and running when I had Windows XP on my laptop, so I know it will work in Kubuntu!

Thank you for your help!

Matt

[Snowhog]

Re: HP PhotoSmart Printer: Wireless Printing?

I'm using a wireless router.
The desktop is connected to the router via a cable.
The printer is connected to the desktop via USB port.
The laptop gets Internet access via the router with a wireless connection.

The router I'm using does not have a connector for the printer. Are you saying that if I get a new router that allows me to connect the printer directly, that I'll get access to it from the laptop?

No. As I suspected, and as you confirm, the printer is connected to your desktop. That means, that in order for your laptop to have access to it, a print server is needed on the desktop. That is a very simple statement, I know. Do I know how to do it? No. But I know that that is what is going to be required.

[Snowhog]

Re: HP PhotoSmart Printer: Wireless Printing?

This NetworkPrintingWithUbuntu may help you.

[MatthewSchenker]

Re: HP PhotoSmart Printer: Wireless Printing?

Snowhog,
Thanks for the tip. But those instructions are for Gnome (Ubuntu).

Can someone "translate" them into Kubuntu?

Here they are:
1. On the server machine (the one the printer is attached to) open up printer manager with

sudo gnome-cups-manager

Or System->Administration->Printing.

2. Under Server Settings check, i.e, turn on, the Share published connected to this system printers.

3. Click on the Apply button;

[nilsA]

Re: HP PhotoSmart Printer: Wireless Printing?

Can someone "translate" them into Kubuntu?

Here they are:
1. On the server machine (the one the printer is attached to) open up printer manager with

sudo gnome-cups-manager

Or System->Administration->Printing.

2. Under Server Settings check, i.e, turn on, the Share published connected to this system printers.

3. Click on the Apply button;

I think you can skip the first, and go straight to "Or (b) ...:

System->Administration->Printing.

2. Under Server Settings check, i.e, turn on, the Share published connected to this system printers.

3. Click on the Apply button;

"System" refer to the application started from the lower part of the "start menu"

[MatthewSchenker]

Re: HP PhotoSmart Printer: Wireless Printing?

I think you can skip the first, and go straight to "Or (b) ...:

System->Administration->Printing.

2. Under Server Settings check, i.e, turn on, the Share published connected to this system printers.

3. Click on the Apply button;

"System" refer to the application started from the lower part of the "start menu"

Can you tell me where you see "System > Administration > Printing" in Kubuntu?

I see "System Settings > Printers" but there is no option there for "Server Settings" and nothing about "Share published connected to this system."

I must be missing something really obvious here.

This seems like something a lot (or almost all) Kubuntu users need to do. It's got to be in there somewhere.

Matthew

[Snowhog]

Re: HP PhotoSmart Printer: Wireless Printing?

K Menu | System Settings | Printers | Print Server | Configure Server

[MatthewSchenker]

Re: HP PhotoSmart Printer: Wireless Printing?

Snowhog,
I'm sorry to be persistent on this, but that still doesn't seem to do it.

I've tried to follow that path before. When I get to the CUPS Server Configuration window, there are a lot of options, but nothing about sharing a printer. Well, at least nothing I can interpret that way!

Matt

[Snowhog]

Re: HP PhotoSmart Printer: Wireless Printing?

Is this your post over on Ubuntu Forum: [SOLVED] Print Server Instructions - Kubuntu? Seems you found the solution.

[MatthewSchenker]

Re: HP PhotoSmart Printer: Wireless Printing?

Everyone,
Someone over on the Ubuntu forum gave me this link, which is exactly what I was looking for:
http://localhost:631/admin/

Here are the steps to make the printer accessible to a wireless computer:
1. On the main computer (the one attached to the printer), open up this Web page and check "Share published printers connected to this system." Click "Change Settings."
2. On the wireless computer, go to the same Web page and check "Show printers shared by other systems." Click "Change Settings."

Now, when you try to print from the wireless computer, you will see your printer show up as an option.

It worked for me -- now my printer is shared wirelessly.

It seems a little awkward to have to access this through a Web page. Why isn't it available through a Kubuntu menu of some sort? It seems like an operation that so many Kubuntu users need to do.

Maybe it is available and I just haven't found it. That's quite possible, as I am still learning a lot every day.

Thanks,
Matt

[Snowhog]

Re: HP PhotoSmart Printer: Wireless Printing?

Well I'm glad that you have the printer accessible as you wanted. The solution may not be the only way, but it is a way.

[MatthewSchenker]

Re: HP PhotoSmart Printer: Wireless Printing?

Well I'm glad that you have the printer accessible as you wanted. The solution may not be the only way, but it is a way.

Thanks. But I'm kind of picky about these sorts of details! I'd like an easy way to access these CUPS options from the K menu or something, rather than having to get it through my browser.

But then again, maybe I'm missing something here.

Learning at least one new Linux thing every day!

Matt

[Snowhog]

Re: HP PhotoSmart Printer: Wireless Printing?

Learning at least one new Linux thing every day!

And that is a good thing! As we all get older, one of the muscles we need to exercise is our mind. Linux is a good piece of equipment for that!!