Connecting to Printserver

xaz0r · n00b Joined: 05 Feb 2004 Posts: 10

I'm on a network with several computers and a printserver. I have to printers connected to the printserver. How can I print to the print server with the HP LaserJet 4 and HP DeskJet 610C drivers? I've been trying to fingure it out for a while but nothing works. Any help is appreciated, thanks

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Will Scarlet · Apprentice Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 239

Most multiport print server works with ports. You have to know what port each printer belongs to be able to print to either of them.

What information I need to be able to help you.

1. From the print servers manual, what are the names of the ports?

2. What print software you are using? (i.e. cup/lprng/pdq/etc...)

xaz0r · n00b Joined: 05 Feb 2004 Posts: 10

I don't know where the manual is right now but I also don't know what software to use. I need to set everything up from scratch. I just did a fresh Gentoo install on another system so I could try this. I have samba installed, that's it. What should I do.
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In a world full of walls and fences, who needs Windows and Gates?

Will Scarlet · Apprentice Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 239

Personally, I would load cups. To me, it is very simple to setup. But we'll get to that later.

As for the manual for you print server, you should be able to find it on the website of the company that manufactured it.

I guess now my question would be: What type of computer will be accessing these printers? (just the OS's involved will do)

xaz0r · n00b Joined: 05 Feb 2004 Posts: 10

On my network I have windows and linux, windows works fine but the drivers that the printserver came with dont work in linux. So pretty much, Windows XP and Gentoo Linux.

BTW, it's a Netport Express printserver in case that helps.
_________________
In a world full of walls and fences, who needs Windows and Gates?

Will Scarlet · Apprentice Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 239

Definatly load cups. You will also want hpijs for the HP injet.

Last question: Is one of the computer going to be used as a server?

If the answer is yes, Then I would only load hpijs on that computer. If no, then load both cups and hpijs on the Linux machines. I'm really getting ahead of myself here, assuming the server would be Linux... :wink:

Anyway, I await you answer...

xaz0r · n00b Joined: 05 Feb 2004 Posts: 10

I bought the Netport Express printserver on Ebay. It works wonderfully so I have no need to use a computer as the server. I'll try emerging CUPS but how do I configure it so everything works and can connect to the printserver? Don't I have to do something with the Samba configuration to be able to connect to the printserver and send data to it?
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In a world full of walls and fences, who needs Windows and Gates?

Will Scarlet · Apprentice Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 239

No, samba would come into play if you wanted to be able to have windows access resources available on *nix.

Anyway, the NetExpress printserver is manufactured by Intel, which I didn't know. I did some quick research and found that it should support the lpd protocol.

Another thing to check, which might be easier, is to see how the Windows XP computer print. Windows XP natively supports ipp/http printing. If the port is setup for ipp/http printing, you should be able to use it verbatim in the cups configuration of the printer.

Anyway, you will need do some research on your print server for proper setup at:

http://support.intel.com/support/netport/index.htm

I should mention that if the print server is capable of ipp/http protocol, I would use that instead of lpd. It appears that atleast one does support.

Anyway, once you install cups and hpijs on the computers, start the cups daemon. So you don't have to start the daemon manually, add cups to your default runlevel.

Then open up a browser and point it to http://localhost:631/. That is the interface for seting up cups. You can do it manually, but the web interface is much easier.

The interface is pretty much self explanatory. Click on Printers, then click on Add Printer. It will first ask you for a user name an password. Use root and root's password. Then it will walk you thourgh the steps for setting up the printer. For the protocol, use the one that is best supported, i.e. lpd/ipp/http. This is the part where the correct port comes in. The rest of the setup is selecting a printer manufacture and model.

Good places for research on cups:

http://www.cups.org
http://www.linuxprinting.org

If you need more help, just let me know.