Topic: Cannot print SME Server 7.3 - [SOLVED]

[Jaq]

Hi there,
I've searched the forums and the net and cannot find anything that will point me in the right direction. We've recently set up SME server 7.3 for a client, they needed a server in a hurry. It's set up as 'server only' with one HP 1022n (ip address on network). The clients are Windows XP SP2, the latest print drivers are installed on the XP clients. When a print job is sent it spools then disappears then nothing.

The clients are authenticated to the SME server it also happens when logged in as admin to the XP client. I've had some experience with Linux desktops but not much experience with Linux server especially SME. We've worked around the printing issue temporarily by sharing a printer from an XP client to other XP clients.

What we've tried so far:-

1. Removed and re-installed the printer
2. Used the defaults to add the printer providing the IP address
3. On the XP client tried both raw and lpr on the port

I've even installed the CUPS contrib and this failed.

I'm pretty green when it comes to SME server, I've read all the documentation, searched the forums (found some printing issues but they were either really old or not applicable) tried searches on google for samba printing issues.

FYI
I've set up a VMWare SME 7.4 and XP SP3 and get pretty much the same results although when I add the printer to the test server and then add the printer from the test server to the client the client printer properties have no port assigned and I cannot select any ports at all, could be more to do with the VMWare set up rather than anything else.

Any help will be appreciated.

[axessit]

If setting up the printers to print via the SME server, then before you set up any client PC's, you need to set up CUPS to correctly work.

1) Go to yourserver:631 and set up your printer - if it's an HP printer, you can use CUPS's built in HP laserjet drivers. Define the printer queue as an app socket/HP Jetdirect then put in socket://ipaddressofprinter:9100, use the HP Laserjet 1010 (hpis) driver. You can then send it a test page from the CUPS main panel and should get a (you guessed) test page. That proves the connectivity etc.

2) You should also put the printer in the hostname panel of SME to fix it's ip address/mac address and make it resolveable then you can call it by name (eg hp1022n). Using DHCP for the printer makes sure it can resolve back to any workstations in the printer que query etc.

3) Once you have the server printing to the printer, then you can either modify the printer in CUPS to use a RAW printer driver (and then you won't be able to print a test page from CUPS), or create another printer in CUPS that points to the same ipaddress but with a RAW driver.

4) Then, you need to set up your XP Wks to use local printer, and instead of using LPT1 etc, choose a 'create new port' and for local port name enter "\\server\hp1022n", You will need to add the drivers locally via CD, built in WinXP driver or create a driver share somewhere.

Alternately, after step 1 or 2, you can just browse to the server, then you should see the printer attached. You can "connect", but you will probably need to add the driver, but it may pick it up if you already have it loaded on the workstation.

There is a process of loading the driver for automatic download as well I use all the time, but if you're new to SME and in a hurry, the above should get you going with what you are familiar with.

[Jaq]

Thank you axessit that worked a treat

[aussierob]

I've even installed the CUPS contrib and this failed.

Could you tell me how you got CUPS to work please:
I am trying to put it on a SME7.4, but when trying to add a printer using the webpanel,
I get as far as entering the printer details, but clicking 'continue' just sits there,
and using the command line, even 'lpinfo -' results in

Code: [Select]

lpinfo: cups-get-devices failed: client-error-bad-request

TIA Robert