Koozali.org: home of the SME Server
Legacy Forums => General Discussion (Legacy) => Topic started by: Andy on July 24, 2003, 04:42:56 AM
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Hi
Can anyone advise me on how to use a printer connected to an SME server 5.6 box from a Linux client?
I have a LAN with a mix of Windows (several versions) and Linux (Mandrake 9.1) boxes, and previously had the printer (HP DeskJet 850C) connected to a Win98SE machine. In that configuration I was able to print from other Windows boxes and from the Mandrake boxes.
I recently added a machine with SME server 5.6 as a shared file store, and decided it would make sense to connect the printer to it. The Windows 98 machine finds and uses it fine, but I can't get the Mandrake boxes to print. If I let Mandrake auto-detect it recognises that there is a printer there, but it seems a bit vague about what it is and the distinction between the server IP address and host name (it keeps putting the IP address in the host name box). However, I can't get it to print at all, no matter what combination of IP address, host name and driver details I fill in.
BTW, the server is not acting as a domain controller, and DHCP is not enabled - I'm using fixed IP addresses. WOuld that make a difference?
Any suggestions? As you may be able to tell, I'm something of a Linux newbie so I'm feeling a bit lost with all this.
Regards
Andy
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I have set up the Mandrake 9.1 machines in the "Mandrake Control Center" to see the printer on the SME 5.6 box as SMB (Windows) shared printers. - Everything works OK! :-)
We are also running a few RedHat boxes. - I just adopted the same approach and everything worked.
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Well at least I know it can be done then! I wonder what's going wrong in my case. Laurence - are you using DHCP? What sort of printer are you using?
I'll keep trying now I know it can be done, but if anyone else has any suggestions I'd be grateful as I'm running out of ideas.
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We are using DHCP on some machines..... The Windows ones! All the Linux computers have fixed IP addresses.
The printer we are using is a Hewlett Packard LaserJet 6MP.
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Thanks for the reply, Laurence
If it's not DHCP I'm not too sure what to try next. I'm using an HP DeskJet 850C, but I do have another printer I could try - though I'm not sure why that would make a diference.
If this doesn't work I think I'm going to have to try it on a fresh clean install of SME server and Mandrake :( I've got a couple of spare hard disks so I can do fresh installs without losing my current ones, but it's still a lot of hassle.
I might have a go with Red Hat as well - which version of Red hat are you using, Laurence?
Cheers
Andy
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We are using a slightly modified version of Red Hat 8. - One of our programmers fiddled with the lernel to provide better firewire support.
I don't know too much about HP DeskJets, but is there any chance that your printer is one of the notorious "WinPrinters"? If so, then a bit of "fiddling" MIGHT be required to get it working with SME. Bur if it is working with Windows machines, I doubt this is the case.
From the operating system point of view, I wouldn't suggest changing from Mandrake 9.1 to Red Hat. I found it a LOT easier getting Mandrake 9.1 to "talk" nicely to SME 5.6 than getting Red Hat 8 to do so.
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Thanks again for the info, Laurence.
No, the DeskJet 850C is not a "WinPrinter" as far as I know - seems to work with just about anything, anyway, so I assume not. Also, LinuxPrinting.org seems to say it's fine with Linux.
I'll persist with Mandrake for a while - my general impression of it is it's the most friendly of the Linux distro's I've looked at and as a relative newbie that suits me. I've still got a few things I haven't tried - up to and including fresh installs of Mandrake and SME server (I have some spare hard disks so it's not that drastic a step). If I get it working I'll post my results here.
Thanks again
Andy
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Hi
I can now successfully print from my Mandrake 9.1 boxes to my SME server :)
It seems that for me at least the solution was to ignore the dire warnings that PrinterDrake gives and fill in a name and password for a valid account on the server. Thought I'd tried that before but I must have had something else wrong that time. I created an account on the server specifically for printing as this seemed the most secure way to do it, and filled in these details in the relevant boxes in PrinterDrake. I had also turned off automatic printer detection so I could fill in the details I knew to be correct.
Laurence - thanks for all your help. Your comments kept me on the right track and knowing that you had it working persuaded me not to give up.
Cheers
Andy Bovett
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It was a pleasure. :-)
Thanks for letting us know what got you working.