CUPS/SAMBA Printer Server for Windows Problem
 

I am trying to configure a server running RH9 as a print server for an NT domain. I've got it working, but not quite the way I want.

Samba is configured for CUPS printing. I've used cupsaddsmb to enable automatic download of the Windows drivers when Windows users run the Add Printer wizard. But this only works if the Windows user also has a linux account on the linux server. If not, Windows users can find the printer share when browsing the network with the Add Printer wizard, but the drivers are not automatically downloaded; they are prompted to install the drivers.

I think this may be because I'm using security=domain in my Samba configuration. Is there a permission setting for my smb.conf that would open the printer share up to users that do not have linux accounts? Is there a samba account I need to create? (With security=domain, I don't create samba accounts, I just create linux accounts.) I've set my smb.conf up exactly as described in the cupsaddsmb man page:


[global]load printers = yes
printing = cups
printcap name = cups

[printers]
comment = All Printers
path = /var/spool/samba
browseable = no
public = yes
guest ok = yes
writable = no
printable = yes
printer admin = root

[print$]
comment = Printer Drivers
path = /etc/samba/drivers
browseable = yes
guest ok = no
read only = yes
write list = root


I confess to notunderstanding entirely how these settings effect permissions. Is "guest" in linux equivalent to "everyone" in Windows? Do I need to create a guest samba account?

TIA for any insights.

From a user that does not have a linux account on the samba server, go to windows explorer and open up \\Server\Print$. If you can't go there, you may want to put the guest ok = yes. Make sure the files are world readable and the directories world executable. You can configure the share like

[print$]
comment = Printer Drivers
path = /etc/samba/drivers
browseable = no
guest ok = yes
read only = yes
write list = root
create mask = 0664
security mask = 0664
directory mask = 2775
directory security mask = 2775

The masks make all files and directories that you upload via the APW world readable.

Hope this helps.

Thanks! I'll give that a whirl on Monday, and let you know if it works.

The solution was as simple as "guest ok=yes." I don't know why I didn't think of that. Thanks!