How to let everyone print

HomerSimpson · l33t Joined: 25 Jan 2003 Posts: 869 Location: Ohio, USA

I did some searching but did see what I was looking for. I apologize if this has been asked.

I have been having problems with printing from Windows to my Linux CUPS server. It worked until I reboot the Windows computer. I was having even more troubles today with printing but I realized why Windows won't print after a reboot. It has to do with user permissions.

The user I log in with on Windows happens to be a user on my Linux server but the passwords are different.

I am printing through a samba share and the share says that everyone can print and guest is ok. Obviously there is somewhere else that is keeping me from printing. Where else in the Windows->samba->cups chain is the user being validated? How can I allow everyone to print to my samba/cups printer?

Thx
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opopanax · Apprentice Joined: 30 Aug 2004 Posts: 244

I have had the same problem. Here is a fairly NON-GRACEFUL solution.

in /etc/samba/smb.conf, change the the security parameter from "user" to "share"

security = "share"

unfortunately, this will allow share level security (i.e. virtually no security) on every share you, well, share... :-)

you can try putting that security line in the individual printer share, however, I don't know if that will work, as I haven't tried it. anyone else?

HomerSimpson · l33t Joined: 25 Jan 2003 Posts: 869 Location: Ohio, USA

I broke down and just made the same user with the same password on both machines and now it seems to work.
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The strong must protect the Sweet.

codemaker · Posted: Sun Oct 17, 2004 6:05 pm Post subject:

I've been willing to do something like this at home but I have a question about this that maybe you can answer.

When you print from windows, which printer driver is used? Windows or Linux? I really would prefer using the windows driver of my hp printer because that driver is a lot better.

opopanax · Apprentice Joined: 30 Aug 2004 Posts: 244

If you're using cups and printing from windows over a samba network to a printer connected to a linux machine, the windows machine will have to use a CUPS driver. The Windows drivers are definitely faster, so if you do most of your printing from Windows, I'd consider putting the printer on the win machine, and connecting over samba from your linux machine. there's several howtos on this forum on how to do either one.

codemaker · Posted: Sun Oct 17, 2004 7:03 pm Post subject:

Can't the document be formated using de windows driver and make cups sent it to the printer as a raw document?

The "always on" computer at my home is running linux. And how who I select "draft quality print" when printing from linux to a printer on the windows box?

opopanax · Apprentice Joined: 30 Aug 2004 Posts: 244

I believe that sending things in "raw mode" is a possibility, however, I haven't seen it done successfully.

any "draft quality" or other settings will be in the driver settings: for instance, in the kprinter dialog, or the win printing dialog.

One other thing you could do is pick up a simple usb print server, about 50 bucks. that way, each computer can do exactly what it wants to do with the printing. However, there is a certain convenience to using CUPS and samba, in that you can specify a driver download directory, and have all the necessary drivers living on the print server itself.

We have a hybrid network at home, too. my primary box dual-boots win and gentoo, my server runs on MEPIS (which i am going to change, blech) and my roommate has a roving laptop. I don't like the cups drivers either, but...what can ya do?

HomerSimpson · l33t Joined: 25 Jan 2003 Posts: 869 Location: Ohio, USA

I have done it many different ways.

I have done it through samba and used both the Adobe generic postscript driver (I used the ppd file created by foomatic on Linux). You then use the Epson driver on the Linux side.

I have done it through samba and used the raw driver on the Linux/CUPS side and used the Epson dirver on the Windows side. I am doing it this way currently.

Then I have done it both ways as above but with ipp instead of samba. I have it working all ways.

So, you can use the windows driver by creating a cups, raw driver and then connecting to it from Windows. As I posted above, you need to have the same user with the same password on both machines. Unless there is another way but I didn't see anyone posting that.
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The strong must protect the Sweet.

opopanax · Apprentice Joined: 30 Aug 2004 Posts: 244

good to know, thanks! I don't have user level security on my network, at least not for samba printing. saves a few headaches with authentication.

How do you set up raw mode printing for remote clients? Would be nice to do, especially since the linux drivers are slow, and my roommate's in a masters program, and does MAD printing. Do you just tell cups/samba to use the client driver? could work!

codemaker · Posted: Sun Oct 17, 2004 8:04 pm Post subject:

Certainly good to know! I've been theorizing about this possibility for sometime now. Maybe it's time to do it

HomerSimpson · l33t Joined: 25 Jan 2003 Posts: 869 Location: Ohio, USA

browse to http://localhost:631/admin. I log in as root. Select "Add Printer". Follow the steps and select the raw printer driver. If you do not have any authentication issues then in Windows just add a new printer. Select network printer then just find the raw printer you just created. It will look for the driver on the server. In my case I just clicked on whatever to get me to the point where I selected the driver on the Windows side. That should be it.

I am writing this from memory so I have left out the detail. If you are having trouble, let me know and I will go through it again so I can note the detailed steps.

Good luck!
_________________
The strong must protect the Sweet.