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Overview
Ubuntu supports network printing, so you can print from either your Ubuntu machine or a Windows machine etc, to another Ubuntu machine that has a printer attached (ie a "print server"). This page covers these scenarios only.
This page does not cover printing from Ubuntu to a printer attached to a Windows machine, ie a Windows print server. The WindowsXPPrinter page addresses this.
Background
Ubuntu uses the Common UNIX Printing System ("CUPS") to handle printing. CUPS uses the Internet Printing Protocol ("IPP") as the basis for managing print jobs and queues. The Line Printer Daemon ("LPD") Server Message Block ("SMB"), and AppSocket (a.k.a. JetDirect) protocols are also supported with reduced functionality. This page describes network printing with CUPS and IPP.
CUPS printer configuration and management is handled by the Printer Admin utility launched from the Gnome menu - System -> Administration -> Printing. In addition CUPS provides command-line commands that are similar to old Berkley and SystemV print commands such as lpq, lpstat etc. Also IPP provides web services so after you have configured CUPS appropriately, you can access the printers and jobs via your web browser.
When a locally attached printer is defined, eg using the Printer Admin utility, that printer is automatically published from this "print server" host to the network, depending on the server directives in the CUPS configuration file. A remote Ubuntu "client" host can then be able to see and use the printer attached to the server. The network printer automatically appears in the client's Printer Admin utility. It simply pops up if CUPS is up and configured correctly and disappears if you stop CUPS at either the Print Server or your local machine.
Ubuntu 10.04
The Print Server is the Ubuntu computer that is directly connected to the printers.
On the server machine (the one the printer is attached to) open up printer manager with by going to System in the top toolbar panel, then Administration and Printing. This will open the Printer Configuration window. OR you can open the following URL in your browser: http://localhost:631
Select Server in the menu bar, and then Settings.
This will open the Basic Server Settings window. If this computer only serves as a Print Server and does not need access to a printer connected to another computer select the second box.
- Publish shared printers connected to this server
If this computer acts as both a Print Server and a client (it does need access to a printer connected to another computer), select the first two boxes
- Show printers shared by other systems
- Publish shared printers connected to this system
Select the OK button.
Right click on the printer you want to share and select properties
- Click on Policies.
Check the Shared box then click Apply and OK.
- click the Refresh icon at the top ,new printers will be found if not ,
Open up a Terminal run
sudo /etc/init.d/cups restart
- = Troubleshooting = to do