[SOLVED] How should I set up printing to a network printer?

Yes · 2008-04-03 23:47:27

My printer is connected to the router via ethernet - it's not dependent on any OS. Are there any guides on setting up CUPS for such a printer? The Wiki seems to cover printers networked through another computer and printers physically connected to the computer, but nothing like what I have. I currently have CUPS and it's dependencies + hplips (my printer is an HP Officejet something or other), and have started CUPS, but I assume I need to configure something because it won't print.

Thanks!

Last edited by Yes (2008-04-06 02:14:12)

z0phi3l · 2008-04-04 00:21:23

I just ran hplip on my system and it installed my network printer just fine, and mine is connected wireless too, but for some reason Windows won't see it

But yea hplip installed it just fine

Yes · 2008-04-04 00:24:24

How do I run hplip? It installed fine, but just won't print.

iBertus · 2008-04-04 02:33:53

I also have a printer connected directly to my network, operating system independent, and print via CUPS using the lpd://<ip-address>:<port> method.

Yes · 2008-04-04 10:38:54

Um, what exactly is this lpd://address:port method?

dschrute · 2008-04-04 14:00:29

Um, what exactly is this lpd://address:port method?

Most print server devices ( HP Jet Direct, etc. ) act as a network lpd server. lpd is the original Unix network printing protocol, and is still widely used, including support by CUPS.

The address is ( obviously ) the IP or hostname of your print server. the port is basically the "queue" the print job will be sent to on the print server. For CUPS documentation see the "Line Printer Daemon (LPD) Protocol" section here :
http://www.cups.org/documentation.php/network.html

If you're going to use "lpd://..." you need to know how the lpd ports are named for your specific print server. On HP's, they are typically "raw" for single port JetDirects, and "raw1" "raw2" "raw3" etc. for multiport. Other manufactireres may use other naming conventions. IIRC Linksys uses P1, P2, etc. Anyway, you need to know the manufacturer, and how they name the ports/queues.

My printer is connected to the router via ethernet

Is this a internal jetdirect like device ?

.:B:. · 2008-04-04 15:29:46

Yes wrote:

My printer is connected to the router via ethernet - it's not dependent on any OS.

Is it connected through a USB cable or is it a 'real' network printer with an RJ45 port?

Are there any guides on setting up CUPS for such a printer? The Wiki seems to cover printers networked through another computer and printers physically connected to the computer, but nothing like what I have.

Well... I have my (USB) printer hooked up to the router and I configured it with CUPS. In a way it's just like any other setup - your printer is connected to the computer (the router in this case) and listens on a certain port.

Yes · 2008-04-04 19:15:04

It's a real network printer with an RJ45 port.

How do I use the LPD protocol? Is there some sort of CUPS config file that I need to edit so it knows to use the LPD protocol and the IP address?

.:B:. · 2008-04-04 21:09:31

FInd out what protocols your printer supports (read the manual ).

Then you can check any tutorial for CUPS. CUPS is the same on every Linux distro, except for some patches and version differences. I presume your printer obtains an IP address, you have to point CUPS to that IP, probably with port 9100.

Last edited by B (2008-04-04 21:33:27)

Tenken · 2008-04-04 23:48:03

After install CUPS, try going to http://localhost:631, click on Administration tab and then the Find Printer button and CUPS should go out and find your printer for you.

Yes · 2008-04-04 23:50:34

Ok, I've managed to get it printing. But when it prints, it's like it's printing in a different character set. It prints somethings right, but it replaces some words with symbols and prints lines on top of each other. I'm using the HPLIPS driver, does anyone know what might be causing this?

.:B:. · 2008-04-04 23:57:41

You're using a driver that was written exactly for your model, or is it one that is close?

This sound like postscript stuff to me...

Yes · 2008-04-05 00:50:51

It's the same as the one I used in Ubuntu, which worked fine.

Also, it seems to still be printing. There's an LCD on the printer and after something prints it still says "Printing...", then a few minutes later it prints the test page again. In the CUPS config page under the Jobs tab it says that there are no jobs. I'm using the LPD protocol, if that matters.

Thanks for all your help

Tenken · 2008-04-05 23:17:37

When you installed CUPS did you install ghostscipt and gsfonts? Which are what handles PostScript stuff.

pacman -Sy ghostscript gsfonts

Yes · 2008-04-06 02:13:35

Yeah, they were installed.

I got it working be selecting "HP Printer (HPLIPS)" from the dropdown box instead of LPD, and then setting the device URI to hp:/net/Officejet_Pro_L7500?ip=192.168.1.103 .

Thanks again!

Arch Linux

#1 2008-04-03 23:47:27

[SOLVED] How should I set up printing to a network printer?

#2 2008-04-04 00:21:23

Re: [SOLVED] How should I set up printing to a network printer?

#3 2008-04-04 00:24:24

Re: [SOLVED] How should I set up printing to a network printer?

#4 2008-04-04 02:33:53

Re: [SOLVED] How should I set up printing to a network printer?

#5 2008-04-04 10:38:54

Re: [SOLVED] How should I set up printing to a network printer?

#6 2008-04-04 14:00:29

Re: [SOLVED] How should I set up printing to a network printer?

#7 2008-04-04 15:29:46

Re: [SOLVED] How should I set up printing to a network printer?

#8 2008-04-04 19:15:04

Re: [SOLVED] How should I set up printing to a network printer?

#9 2008-04-04 21:09:31

Re: [SOLVED] How should I set up printing to a network printer?

#10 2008-04-04 23:48:03

Re: [SOLVED] How should I set up printing to a network printer?

#11 2008-04-04 23:50:34

Re: [SOLVED] How should I set up printing to a network printer?

#12 2008-04-04 23:57:41

Re: [SOLVED] How should I set up printing to a network printer?

#13 2008-04-05 00:50:51

Re: [SOLVED] How should I set up printing to a network printer?

#14 2008-04-05 23:17:37

Re: [SOLVED] How should I set up printing to a network printer?

#15 2008-04-06 02:13:35

Re: [SOLVED] How should I set up printing to a network printer?

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