[SOLVED] HP printer not working on Ubuntu 20.04

sofasurfer · 04-21-2021, 02:12 PM

I have never been able to comprehend the process of setting up a printer with Ubuntu. Then 16.04 came along and I never had trouble. The printer was set up automatically with just a couple mouse clicks. Now comes Ubuntu 20.04 and I have complete failure again. My printer is a HP Deskjet 3830.
Why was the process of printer detection and setup downgraded from its past position of excellence? How can I deal with this? I have no idea what the words CUPS and HPLIP mean except that they are software packages. I don't know if they work together or if the depend on each other. I have no idea what was used on 16.04 or what has changed since then.

Here is my current situation...

Here is exactly what I am able to do now.

Open a text document. Click 'print'. Error message says'could not start printer. Check printer configuration. I open printer dialog box and there is no printer. I click 'add printer'. It searches for printer and then says 'CUPS BRF PRINTER. I click 'ADD'. It says 'CUPS BRF PRINTER READY model Generic Text Only Printer'. I go back to my document and click 'print' and it says 'Could not start printer. Check your configuration'. I go back to the printer dialog box and click 'additional printer settings'. It shows 'CUPS BRF PRINTER'. I have no idea what to do after that.

Bonzoo · 04-21-2021, 03:22 PM

sudo apt install hplip hplip-gui

sofasurfer · 04-21-2021, 03:41 PM

I tried hplip-gui. I didn't know where to find the ip address. The closest thing I could find is cups-brf:/ which I do not think is correct. Anyway, it said I had it set up and it was ready but when I tried to print it just sat there. I suspect that the ip address is the problem.

michaelk · 04-21-2021, 04:33 PM

How is your printer connected to your PC/network, Wired, wireless, USB or maybe wireless direct?

The min supported hplip version for your printer is 3.15.7 and the default version installed in 20.04 is 3.20.3.

cups is the printing system for linux. It is a print spooler and backend system that basically translates something to be printed into something recognized by the printer. hplip consists of a number of tools to make printing and scanning to HP printers easier. hp-setup should be able to automatically install your printer and setup cups. Scanning requires sane to be installed.

sofasurfer · 04-21-2021, 04:44 PM

sane-utils was installed but sane was not. I installed it.
Useing hp-toolbox I did setup as USB. It found my printer by name. But then it said 'unable to communicate with device. check device and try again'. Printer is plugged in and turned on. Screen is dark as if it is not being called on. What else can I check?
Thanks for being there.

michaelk · 04-21-2021, 05:10 PM

Did you try running hp-setup?

A USB device does not have an IP address.

sofasurfer · 04-21-2021, 05:16 PM

Yes, hp-setup in hp-toolbox is what I used.

sofasurfer · 04-21-2021, 05:20 PM

I also checked the hplip website and my printer IS supported.

michaelk · 04-21-2021, 05:37 PM

I assume your printer shows up in the output of the lsusb command?

I prefer a network connection versus USB...

I assume your printer URI is something like usb://HP/. The easiest way to check is via cups web interface i.e. localhost:631/printers and click on the printer's queue name.

sofasurfer · 04-21-2021, 05:52 PM

Yes it does.

Code:

$ lsusb
Bus 002 Device 003: ID 046d:c517 Logitech, Inc. LX710 Cordless Desktop Laser
Bus 002 Device 002: ID 8087:0024 Intel Corp. Integrated Rate Matching Hub
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 8087:0024 Intel Corp. Integrated Rate Matching Hub
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
Bus 003 Device 002: ID 03f0:e511 HP, Inc OfficeJet 3830 series
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub

I do not have a router. USB is my only option.

sofasurfer · 04-21-2021, 06:04 PM

I ran sudo hp-check -r. According to ubuntu.com This will summarize any installation errors.
This prints a ton of information. Near the top is says...

Code:

 HPLIP-Version: HPLIP 3.20.3
HPLIP-Home: /usr/share/hplip
warning: HPLIP-Installation: Auto installation is not supported for ubuntu distro  20.04 version

At the bottom it says

Code:

 Total Errors: 17
Total Warnings: 2

I will post the whole thing if you think it will help.

michaelk · 04-21-2021, 06:08 PM

Not at the moment. Will have to do some google searching...

sofasurfer · 04-21-2021, 06:48 PM

I found info on line at https://askubuntu.com/questions/1233...g-ubuntu-20-04. Suggested I run sudo hp-setup -i. It appears at this point that my printer works.

P.S.
My printer dialog box shows an '!' on the printer. When I print a page it spits out an empty sheet first and then the next sheet starts half way down the web page.

michaelk · 04-21-2021, 07:42 PM

Looks like there are a few bugs with python that messes up hplip with the current installed version.
https://bugs.launchpad.net/hplip/+bug/1878974

I don't have a HP printer but I installed the newest version from HPLIP and no errors.

https://developers.hp.com/hp-linux-i...nting/gethplip

https://askubuntu.com/questions/1233...requires-pyqt4

sofasurfer · 04-22-2021, 12:15 AM

My printer now APPEARS to be functioning properly after running sudo hp-setup -i. I did read that it is required to have the newest hplip package but that hplip also depends on the newest python which apparently does not support ubuntu 20.04.
I'm done. Thanks.