Configuring CUPS printing through router w/ print server
 

Hi all,

I'm running 6 computers using RedHat 9 through a switch connected to a netgear firewall router with print server (on a DSL line). The printer connects directly from the router to the printer, not associated with a specific machine. I already have the printer driver on my machines, and they USED to work via CUPS having the printer connected through the switch. Now, when I have the printer connected through the router w/ print server the printing doesn't work. It *looks* like it's working, and then says "can't connect to printer." Is there any place that has explicit directions for setting up printing through a router connected to a printer? I would just put it back the way it was, but we were having occasional problems that way and would love to get it working through the router.

Thanks!
Natasha

In CUPS, you need to set up the printer as an lpd device. Go through the normal set-up procedure for a new printer, select lpd and then when it asks for the IP address, enter the IP address of the print server plus the queue.

So the entry ends up looking something like this:

lpd://1.2.3.4/P1

where 1.2.3.4 is the IP address of the print server and P1 is the queue. You'll probabaly need to consult your print servers documentation to find out what they call the queue. My print server is a wireless Linksys and it uses P1, but the wired print servers from Linksys apparently used L1-L3.

Once you have lpd set up, select your CUPS driver the way you normally would.

Hi Hangdog,

Thanks for your help. Can you explain a little more what you meant by "You'll probabaly need to consult your print servers documentation to find out what they call the queue."? Where is my print servers documentation? I found the IP address of the printer fine, but don't know where to look for the queue info. I'm using a netgear FR114P if that helps.

Thanks!!!
Natasha

Well, if you can believe this thread , all you need is the IP address. I'd go ahead and set it up using just the IP address and see if you can print.

thanks for your help- sorry about the email. something's not working, but i have to do some research before i can ask an informed question other than "doesn't work." :-)

No apology necessary about the email. I just like to keep the discussions here so that there is a record for other people to find.


A couple of places to look for clues would be either the individual print jobs through the CUPS interface or in the cups log files, which are likely to be in /var/log/cups.

Just to follow up on this thread, the queue name is fr114p. So the whole entry in my /etc/cups/printers.conf was:

<DefaultPrinter HPLaserJet6L>
DeviceURI lpd://192.168.0.1/fr114p
Location HP LaserJet 6L
State Idle
Accepting Yes
JobSheets none none
QuotaPeriod 0
PageLimit 0
KLimit 0
</Printer>

I use Fedora Core 2 with KDE and under the K Menu went to the System Settings -> Printing, and chose New on the Printer configuration window. From there, follow the menus, and when you reach the Queue type scree, chose Networked UNIX (LPD) option from the drop down. For the server I put 192.168.0.1 and for the queue I put fr114p.

Prints like a champ. (In fact, it was easier to set up than it was on Windows. :D )