How to access a school printer[solved]/condensing three partitions to one

[Linkmaster]

Its me again, with my regular good old school issues.

Griping aside, I'd like to know how to access the printers while using Kubuntu. They have server printers I believe, though I know people with Windows 7 can print without being attached to the network, so I know for fact that it is possible. I'm just not sure of the 'how-to' on it. Is there a list of terminal commands that I can punch in that will give me the needed information for you to help me out? Printing straight from my machine would be nice, since I'd be able to at anytime, rather then from a USB and only being able to go down while the library is open. Thanks for the help in advance! If there is any needed information, I can do my best to get it to you.

[GreyGeek]

Re: How to access a school printer

There are only a limited number of ways to print from your PC:
1) Printer directly connected to a local LPTn: port
2) Printer connected directly to a local USB port.
3) Printer connected via a TCP/Internet connection (usually a.b.c.d:9100)
4) Printer is connected to a wireless print server and accessed the same as #3
5) Printer contains a built in wifi and is attached the same as #3
6) PC is using a printer attached to another PC (which is sharing it) because both are on the same network segment.

ALL of them are connected using the same tool:
KGear --> settings --> system settings --> Printer Configuration

[Linkmaster]

Re: How to access a school printer

I couldn't find the KGear, I'm using 10.10..not sure if that makes a difference or not. I went into System Settings, and clicked on 'Printer Configuration'. I don't exactly know what to do, since I'm not sure of the printer settings. I know that the 'school-issue' computer software[openSUSE with Novell..its very complicated]connects to the printers via wireless somehow.

It may or may not be relevant, but I couldn't connect to my home printer either. I know that the home printer has a wireless inside it, so I really don't know if its simple stupidity or overlooking something, or if theres an actual problem with my system[which I doubt, since 10.10 hasn't failed me yet].

Thanks for the speed of the reply, and I hope you can help me out

[GreyGeek]

Re: How to access a school printer

"KGear" is the icon on the extreme left side of the panel at the bottom of your screen.
After you install it the default setting is sort of like the Win7 menu structure. IF you want the standard menu hierarchy structure you can right mouse on it and choose the "classic menu" setting.

[oshunluvr]

Re: How to access a school printer

I know people with Windows 7 can print without being attached to the network

The only way to connect to a printer with a server is via a network connection. If the printers are wireless enabled, you need to know the model numbers and what they required connection settings are.

I don't have anything called Kgear on my install either, but I'd start by installing samba (so you can see windows printers), get the model numbers of the printers and do some searching on the net, go to System Setting > Printer Configuration and tick "Show Printers shared by other systems" under server settings, then click New Printer, New Network Printer, and then try either "Windows Printer..." or Internet Printing Protocal or HP JetDirect (if they're HP printers).

[GreyGeek]

Re: How to access a school printer

Ya you do, unless you've changed the application launch menu icon, a.k.a. "KGear". It a square blue icon with quadrants 2, 3 and 4 of a white gear in the center and a white "K" in the 2nd quadrant.

See /usr/share/icons/crystalsvg/kmenu.png

[Linkmaster]

Re: How to access a school printer

you need to know...what they required connection settings are

I'm not sure how to find this out..I can look at the printers tomorrow, and see the brand names[I believe they are HP, not positive though. Pretty sure though.]. Is there a possible way to tell what the connection settings are through a terminal? Like, scanning or something? I'm not sure if it is possible or not, and what I'd use.

[oshunluvr]

Re: How to access a school printer

If the printers are intended for use by the students, the must have a sysop or admin who can give you some details.

[oshunluvr]

Re: How to access a school printer

Ya you do, unless you've changed the application launch menu icon, a.k.a. "KGear". It a square blue icon with quadrants 2, 3 and 4 of a white gear in the center and a white "K" in the 2nd quadrant.

See /usr/share/icons/crystalsvg/kmenu.png

I've never heard of the Kmenu icon referred to as "Kgear" before, and yes I've replaced it with lancelot and additionally, it's not in the lower left corner of my desktop either....

[GreyGeek]

Re: How to access a school printer

....
I've never heard of the Kmenu icon referred to as "Kgear" before, and yes I've replaced it with lancelot and additionally, it's not in the lower left corner of my desktop either....

What can I say? I'm a trend setter!
As newbie I'll wager he hasn't learned how to change the location of his panel ... yet!



(P.S. -- sorry about inadvertently editing your posting. I clicked modify instead of quote and didn't catch my mistake till I saved.)

[oshunluvr]

Re: How to access a school printer

Good point on the panel location... :P

I'm currently using the "Start Here" icon rather than the default.

No particular reason except that I can - ahhh, the beauty of KDE! 8)

[Linkmaster]

Re: How to access a school printer

I know how to move the panel...it currently likes to hang out on my left side, the way I like it[ahh, the beauty of KDE as oshunluvr calls it]

And concerning the printer stuff...its kind of "sketch" since we are not allowed to use personal OS :P I'm not doing anything bad, since they don't care[exactly]but since the printers aren't exactly easily accessible without their software, there is a problem. :P

[GreyGeek]

Re: How to access a school printer

Ah! Trying a little "hacking", eh? :-X

The Win7 can't print without being connected to the network IF the printers are network printers, i.e., they have an IP address. The connection may not be obvious, but it is there. If it is not by ethernet cable then it MUST be by wifi. Win7 can't "share" the network printers without an SMB or NETBIOS connection.

So, my guess is that the printers are connected to "print servers" which are connected to the network routers and/or switches, and are accessible by their IP address. You should examine a Win7 workstation that has printing capability using the printer you want to use (close by or in your classroom?) and see what IP address AND port number that workstation is using.

Then open System Settings and click on the "Printer Configuration" icon. Chose "New Printer" and then "Network Printer". From there you have two choices: Appsocket/HP_JetDirect or Internet Printing Protocol (ipp).
If you chose the first you can enter the four quad IP address (nnn.nnn.nnn.nnn) and leave the port at 9100.
For the second you can enter the IP address and then click "Find Queue" and do a little experimenting.

IF you decide to try SAMBA (you'll first have to make sure it's installed - don't forget samba-doc, you may need to read it) you can open a Konsole and issue
net
That will give you a list of netbios commands you can use (assuming your Kubuntu box is connected to your school network, which it should do automatically if the connection is an ethernet cable and the nic mac address is used to issue an IP address) to determine what workgroup, server annd printer names you need to know. Then you can put
workgroupname/servernameort/printername
into the SMB printer configuration entry text box. The "port" will more than likely be 9100, but your admin may have changed that. Check the Win7 workstation to be sure.

I used Linux at work to do programming with Qt for years, and mostly connected to the printer using Appsocket/HP_JetDirect. On a few occasions I tried SMB for grins but Appsocket is faster and more reliable.
Good luck.

net status shares

should show you the list of shares your Kubuntu can see.

net help <command>

will give help on the <command>

jerry@sonyvgnfw140e:~$ net
Invalid command: net 
Usage:
net rpc       Run functions using RPC transport
net rap       Run functions using RAP transport
net ads       Run functions using ADS transport
net file      Functions on remote opened files
net share      Functions on shares
net session     Manage sessions
net server     List servers in workgroup           <------
net domain     List domains/workgroups on network    <-----
net printq     Modify printer queue
net user      Manage users
net group      Manage groups
net groupmap    Manage group mappings
net sam       Functions on the SAM database
net validate    Validate username and password
net groupmember   Modify group memberships
net admin      Execute remote command on a remote OS/2 server
net service     List/modify running services         <-----
net password    Change user password on target server
net changetrustpw  Change the trust password
net changesecretpw Change the secret password
net time      Show/set time
net lookup     Look up host names/IP addresses         <-----
net join      Join a domain/AD
net dom       Join/unjoin (remote) machines to/from a domain/AD  <------
net cache      Operate on the cache tdb file
net getlocalsid   Get the SID for the local domain
net setlocalsid   Set the SID for the local domain
net setdomainsid  Set domain SID on member servers
net getdomainsid  Get domain SID on member servers
net maxrid     Display the maximul RID currently used
net idmap      IDmap functions
net status     Display server status            <--------------
net usershare    Manage user-modifiable shares
net usersidlist   Display list of all users with SID
net conf      Manage Samba registry based configuration
net registry    Manage the Samba registry
net eventlog    Process Win32 *.evt eventlog files
net help      Print usage information          <===============

[Linkmaster]

Re: How to access a school printer

Currently, I don't access to my buds computer anymore...he somehow managed to successfully break the computer screen. Yes, I was annoyed at him for that > since I spent like, a GAJILLION days making his computer work for him. But ranting aside, I looked at all that wonderful information you gave me, and have absorbed it like a sponge[mostly].

Currently, my computer is still school-issued Linux. I haven't done any legit "hacking" to get unblocked internet[only way to access this forum site, I'm using a teacher's IP :P].

Anyhow, the school issue computer is this according to uname -a:

Linux R8RZW40 2.6.32.12-0.7-default #1 SMP 2010-05-20 11:14:20 +0200 i686 i686 i386 GNU/Linux

Not sure that will help you at all, but what I DO know is that it is preconnected to the network and stuff. I also know that its OpenSUSE Desktop[I believe] version 11.3. Wonderful GNOME[sarcasm...].......

So I tried the commands you listed out, there were some variants, but I managed to get them to workish. Here's some examples:

williamsj2@R8RZW40:~> net rap server
Invalid command: net rap server 
Usage:
net rap server name      Get the name of the server
net rap server domain     Get the servers in this domain/workgroup
williamsj2@R8RZW40:~> net rap server name
Enter williamsj2's password:
Could not connect to server 127.0.0.1
Connection failed: NT_STATUS_CONNECTION_REFUSED
williamsj2@R8RZW40:~> net rap server domain
Enter williamsj2's password:
Could not connect to server 127.0.0.1
Connection failed: NT_STATUS_CONNECTION_REFUSED

I'd prefer to use a Kubuntu machine, but since it was my friends computer I installed it on[his school software went glitchy, and he was like "screw it"]. I figured that since I have a working version of the school software[Linux] you'd be able to work with it easier then with Windows..possibly. Not sure though.

[GreyGeek]

Re: How to access a school printer

uname doesn't offer anything useful in this situation. I don't recognize the distro you are using from the kernel name. What does lsb_release show?

What does ifconfig show?

"school issued Linux"?

You have a forward looking school admin or IT admin! Where is that school located?