How does a Windows computer find and connect to a Linux printer?
 

I stumbled onto a step-by step set of instructions for finding and connecting a Windows computer to a printer connected to a Fedora computer. Now, for the life of me, no matter how I search, I cannot find the same Web page and I need to connect three Windows computers to two printers, one connected to an Ubuntu computer; the other connected to a Fedora computer. I'm amazed I was able to connect a Macbook Air to both printers, but, since CUPS is Apple software, THAT made it easier. HELP!

"Cups" isn't Apple software. Linux was there first. And other *nix variants before that ;)

In any case, the answer to your question is "Samba".

It's actually quite easy, using the Linux GUI.

Here are two links that should point you in the right direction:

http://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/...b-printer.html

http://fedora.wikia.com/wiki/Samba

Well, paulsm4, I do appreciate your reply so I dislike disagreeing with one who's helping me, but CUPS was developed by Apple and is, in fact copyrighted by Apple. You may know that the Mac OS is based on Unix, just as are all the Linux variants or distros, as they are called. But, check me out. Run CUPS in your Browser and look at the bottom of the page.

AFAIK at one point Apple bought CUPS by hiring one of its developers. As it's open source, maybe they just bought the right to put their copyright there onto.

Back to the issue: the printers are directly connected by USB or parallel port to the Linux machines? What about enabling lpd in CUPS and use this from the Windows machines. When you setup the printer in Windows, you first have to add a local printer and in the follow up dialog select "Create TCP/IP port" or so (yes, for Windows a network printer accessible by lpd is not a network printer). This way you can avoid setting up Samba.

Actually CUPS was developed by Michael Sweet in 1997. He was hired by apple and sold the code to them 2007. Check the top of the page. http://www.cups.org/doc-1.1/overview.html

And OSX is based on FreeBSD and NetBSD which is not the same thing as linux or Unix.

On the windows side.
Use the add printer wizard and select a network printer. Specify the hostname\printer name and then select the appropriate windows driver. It is easiest if the printer driver is already installed.

Use the links already provided to configure samba on the linux computers.

Hi,

I like this;
No matter who made/released it, since it works most of the time for us lowly Gnu/Linux users. :)