Howto: setup Windows printers

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Accessing Windows printers using the TCP/IP printer service

Contents

Abstract

There are two ways one can print from andLinux to local Windows printers: first, one can print through standard Microsoft printer sharing. This requires the installation and configuration of Samba on the Linux side, and of file and printer sharing on the Windows side. This may not work smoothly for some people, for various reasons related to the complexity of the protocols.

Note: When printing via Samba, cups tries to popup a prompt for the Samba user and password required to access the Windows printer. For some strange reason, this appears not to work. Thus, the second way is the recommended way of printing, unless someone gets this to work again. To those willing to investigate into this issue: cups finds out by itself whether a password is required. If so, it automatically adds AuthInfoRequired to /etc/cups/printers.conf.

Second, there is a more Unix-like way to print to a Windows printer. It relies on running the TCP/IP print server built into XP / Vista, and then using it as a remote lpd queue for andLinux printers.

Installing packages on the andLinux side

This step can be skipped since andLinux Beta 2 (final).

In older releases, please ensure these packages are installed: 

apt-get install cupsddk cupsddk-drivers cupsys cupsys-client cupsys-common cupsys-driver-gutenprint
foomatic-db foomatic-db-engine foomatic-filters openprinting-ppds openprinting-ppds-extra

Configuration using Microsoft printer sharing / Samba

Configuration steps on the Windows side

1. Enable file and printer sharing in the TAP-Colinux network adapter (usually this is already enabled)

2. Ensure that your firewall does not block traffic on the UDP ports 137 and 138 and the TCP ports 139 and 445 on the TAP-Colinux network adapter in either direction (incoming + outgoing)

3. Enable sharing for one or more of your Windows printers

Configuration steps on the andLinux side

1. Visit the cups configuration webinterface in your favorite browser (on andLinux, not Windows!): http://localhost:631/admin

2. Select "Add printer", enter a name, etc.

3. As device please choose "Windows printer via Samba" and enter the URL smb://192.168.11.1/my_share, where my_share is exactly the name you chose as the printer's share name on Windows (previous section, step 3).

4. Complete the configuration by selecting the appriopriate drivers etc.

5. Print a test page. If nothing prints, verify your firewall settings. A common fix is also to substitute the host address with the local Windows IP address, which can be found with the ipconfig command in a Windows command terminal (run: cmd.exe then ipconfig)

Configuration using remote lpd queue

Configuration steps on the Windows side

Setup TCP/IP Print Server in Windows XP

1. Select Start:Control Panel and select "Add/Remove Programs"

2. Select "Add/Remove Windows Components" in the left panel

3. In the list of components, scroll down and check the box for "Other Network and File Print Services"

4. Check "Print Services for Unix"

5. Click Finish to exit

6. Exit the "Add/Remove Programs" control panel

7. Select Start:Control Panel:Administrative Tools

8. Double-click "Services"

9. Find "TCP/IP Print Server" in the list and double-click it; its property sheet will appear

10. Change "Startup Type" to "Automatic" and click the "Apply" button

11. Exit the control panel

Setup TCP/IP Print Server in Windows Vista

1. Select Start:Control Panel and select "Programs and features"

2. Select "Turn Windows features On or Off" in the left panel

3. In the list of features, check the box for "LPD print service" under "Print Services"

4. Press OK to apply the change

5. Exit the control panel

Share your printer

1. Go to the Printers control panel

2. Right-click on the printer to be shared and select "Sharing"

3. If sharing is not enabled, activate it (don't use the wizard).

4. Share the printer and give it a name

5. Exit the Printers panel

Verify your firewall settings

Ensure that your firewall does not block traffic on the port 515 for both TCP and UDP on the TAP-Colinux network adapter in either direction (incoming + outgoing).

Configuration steps on the andLinux side

1. Visit the cups configuration webinterface in your favorite browser (on andLinux, not Windows!): http://localhost:631/admin

2. Select "Add printer", enter a name, etc.

3. As device please choose "LPD / LPR host or printer" and enter the URL lpd://192.168.11.1/my_share, where my_share is exactly the name you chose as the printer's share name on Windows (section "Share your printer", step 4).

4. Complete the configuration by selecting the appriopriate drivers etc.

5. Print a test page. If nothing prints, verify your firewall settings. A common fix is also to substitute the host address with the local Windows IP address, which can be found with the ipconfig command in a Windows command terminal (run: cmd.exe then ipconfig)