I am in the process of installing a new linux server, and would like to move printing from windows to linux. However, I have had a difficult doing to.

I set up both of our network printers in CUPS. Both are network printers (direct IP). Samba automatically sees them and displays them as available printers (print queues) for our subnet.

I can print from windows through samba just fine. However, when I double click the remote samba queue from my windows workstation, I can't see any of the jobs (I see "printer is offline... cannot connect" in the title bar, but it still prints). I need that functionality, or I'm afraid printing will have to stay on windows.

Is there a way to do this? I have searched a number of docs on google, and have done some digging, but most docs simply show how to make simple CUPS/Samba integration work. I'm a bit lost.

Suggestions?

You might be fighting a firewall issue (related to port 515?). Try stopping all firewalls (linux and windows) and see if the problem goes away. If Yes, then work backwards to identify the problem’s source.

It isn’t clear which distro you are using, but if it is FC3, there are some odd bugs in Samba (see https://bugzilla.redhat.com/bugzilla....cgi?id=133064). Pay close attention in the bug report to the comment about “-A RH-Firewall-1-INPUT -p tcp -s <printer-IP> --sport 515 -j ACCEPT”.

I have no firewall running, particularly because we're on a small private subnet (behind an IP masquerade).

I performed an nmap scan from another box on the box in question. I also checked netstat on the local box. I have nothing running on port 515.

I'm running SuSE. Samba is 3.0.9.

if you are running Redhat distro of some sort, run the system-config-printer ,and setup your printer, once it is setup, right click on it and goto the sharing tab which will allow you to share it for your local network , 192.168.0.0/24 or whatever yours maybe. THis is necessary as by default Cups only allows connections from localhost. You can of course, set it up as you mentioned by a samba share which then has different priviliges.

You should then setup a printer in Windows, to print to an IPP port at your newly created ipp port. The format of the IPP port is http://IP_ADDRESS/printers/PRINTERNAME .

Windows 2000, Xp both support printing to IPP port. This is a best method, as Samba will show it as a Shared device, and depending on your SAMBA configuration, it may authenticate the user that you are logged in with in your windows computer, against the samba password database.

IPP is preferred method as you can use local device drivers.

It isn't a Redhat distro... its SuSE.

I changed the directives to allow everyone on our subnet to print (10.0.0.*). When I try to connect with XP (direct IPP), I get an instant error. It says Windows cannot connect to the printer, and then gives possible explanations (connect lost, or incorrect name).

I was going to verify my configuration through the CUPS web interface, but it doesn't come up. Doesn't that run on :631 also?

I haven't installed one of these, but I know in XP you have to go into setup to tell XP to use smb. Forgot exactly how to do that, but it is in the system configuration.

For some reason Micro$oft doesn't like to admit other operating systems exist and they deliberately make it difficult to work with. If everything is Window$ they will work automatically.

It is just as difficult printing from a Linux box to a Window$ connected printer.

Yes I know that one. Prints fine, but cannot look at jobs. I'm looking into it now for myself on a fresh install.

The key to search for is cupsaddsmb - you should have a copy. I'm not yet sure how well this works in FC3 so read up first. This automates a process using RPC to add the necessary definitions and drivers to the samba server; if it fails you should be able to track down instructions on the web to do the parts by hand.

See also http://www.cups.org/windows/index.php

Good luck,
Chris

I think you might have in you smb.conf under the [printers] section the following

browseable = No

just set it to yes and it should work.

Also check ofcourse the PATH of the printers...

let me know if it worked yes or no

Sorry for the late reply... my cups is hanging up my samba, so I had to shut cups off. Until I get that error fixed, this problem isn't a top priority.