Ubuntu Guide For Windows Users: Connecting To Shared Printers On Windows Computers
For Windows users setting up and sharing printers on Windows Computers, the process is simple. On Ubuntu or Kubuntu the process is also very easy. Zeroconf and print sharing let you browse the local network for available services. Both are now simple to setup and maintain requiring nothing more than checking a box to enable the feature.
This tutorial will show you how to setup and connect your Ubuntu or Kubuntu computer to a shared printer on Windows XP or Vista.
Creating the Printer Share On Windows
1. Make sure the Windows computer that you will share the printer from has a printer installed and is functioning.
2. Next, share the printer on your XP Computer by clicking on Start \ Settings \ Printers and Faxes.
On Vista, click on Start \ Control Panel \ Printers.
Then right click on the printer and select Properties. In the Properties window of the printer, click on the Sharing tab.
NOTE: Screen shot is from XP, and all configuration will be similar on Vista.
3. Click on the Share this printer radio button and enter a Share name. Click OK when finished.
Additionally you will want to find the IP Address of your computer, by clicking Start \ Run (on both XP and Vista) and in the Run box, type cmd.
At the command prompt, type ipconfig and make a note of the IP Address.
Setup Printer In Ubuntu
1. Logon to your Ubuntu computer and click on System \ Administration \ Printing from the menu on the Panel.
2. In the Printers window, double click on New Printer.
3. Then in Step 1 of 3, select Network Printer for Printer Type (arrow) and select Windows Printer SMB (circled). If an Authentication windows pop-up, click Cancel until it's disappears.
Enter the IP Address (from Step 3) in the Host field, and share name of the printer (from Step 3) in the Printer field. If neccassary enter the Username and Password you use to log on to your Windows Xp computer. Click Forward to continue.
4. In Step 2 of 3, select the Manufacturer from the pull down arrow, then printer model. Make sure recommended appears in the Driver field. Click Forward to continue.
5. In Step 3 of 3, enter a Name, Description, and Location if necessary. Click Apply to finish.
The printer will now appear in the Printers window. To test, either print a document or right click on the printer, select Properties and click on the Print a Test Page button.
To view the printer queue, double click on the printer.
Setup Printer In Kubuntu
1. Logon to your Kubuntu computer and Click on K Menu \ Settings \Printing.
2. In the Printers window, double click on New Printer.
3. Then in Step 1 of 3, select Network Printer for Printer Type (arrow) and select Windows Printer SMB (circled). If an Authentication windows pop-up, click Cancel until it's dissappears.
Enter the IP Address (from Step 3) in the Host field, and share name of the printer (from Step 3) in the Printer field. If neccassary enter the Username and Password you use to log on to your Windows Xp computer. Click Forward to continue.
4. In Step 2 of 3, select the Manufacturer from the pull down arrow, then printer model. Make sure recommended appears in the Driver field. Click Forward to continue.
5. In Step 3 of 3, enter a Name, Description, and Location if neccassary. Click Apply to finish.
The printer will now appear in the Printers window. To test, either print a document or right click on the printer, select Properties and click on the Print a Test Page button.
To view the printer queue, double click on the printer.
You are now able to print in Ubuntu or Kubuntu to a shared printer in Windows. Just make sure the Windows computer is running when you want to Print. If Windows is not running the print job will remain in the queue in Ubuntu or Kubuntu until the Windows computer is back online.
Filed under Ubuntu And Linux Tips by Watching The Net
Comments on Ubuntu Guide For Windows Users: Connecting To Shared Printers On Windows Computers »
Nice tutorial, but what you say has actually nothing to do with Ubuntu. You are using Gnome and KDE CUPS tools which are available for all Linux distributions. Configuring printers that way is not Ubuntu only feature at all. Eg. in that Ubuntu screenshot you are using gnome-cups-manager. You can configure shared printers exactly the same way eg. in Debian Etch and any other distribution which has those tools. I say this because sometimes it feels annoying when many people write tutorials and say it's specifically for the Ubuntu even if there is nothing Ubuntu specific in the tutorial.
Anyway tutorial is nice.
I have done all as detailed, and my xp desktop and the hp office 5110 is up and printing. however, the printer does not print, so all I can figure is that I have done something wrong.
The test print from Ubuntu is data type RAW, and prints from the XP are NT EML 1.008
Additionally, the only way to clear the printer queue is to reboot…how painful to reboot XP
Any help would be great.
thanks,
Danna
@Danna
You may want to check on HP's web site to see if there is an updated printer driver available (specifically for Linux or Ubuntu).
On Your XP computer, verify that the Everyone group has Print permissions (Allow) under the Security tab (right click on shared printer, select properties, then select Security tab).
If all else fails, check XP Event logs and Ubuntu Cups log for errors.
I used the tutorial and I thought things were going well. When I attempted to print a test page the printer sounded as if it were about to start printing and stopped. I thought I would try again (5x) and still nothing. I checked the print jobs on the Vista machine and had 5 print jobs in queue. I could not cancel them and had to eventually delete the printer and reinstall it to clear the spool. My printer, which is an HP all in one, is hooked to a windows vista box. I am trying to print from my laptop with Ubuntu Feisty installed. Any additional suggestions?
Funny thing, I have the same printer and the same Ubuntu and the same thing happens. The solution should also be the same, I think.
Found the solution on https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WindowsXPPrinter. You only need to
1. Go to Control panel -> Printers & faxes
2. Right-click on Printer -> Properties -> Ports tab
3. Uncheck "enable bidirectional support"
Did the solution work for you? I have not tried it yet but was just wondering if it worked.
i'm using a HP D1420 (cheapie) and disabling bidirectional support was exactly what i needed! thanks!! oh, and it seems it needs to print out in "normal" mode and setting paper size to "letter" (instead of A4) seemed to make it work, not sure if it was a fluke or if it really helped.. but thats what i did. heh. =)
Thanks for the reply. I am now willing to give it another try.
thanks this helped a lot!!!
justin did this work for you? I still haven't taken the time to try it again.
i am trying to share ubuntu printer to windows xp, but i can't connect it! any suggestions that know the steps on how?
eventually im am using the latest version of ubuntu 7.10…
where can I keep all printed documents like windows can do "Keep printed documents"?
or where can I know if the documents printed or not? If confused me a lot
I think certain HP printers (or older versions of HPLIP) work as described in the tutorial. I had a Deskjet 890C hooked up to a WinXP computer and used an 2.7 something HPLIP. No problem with installing or sharing the printer on a LAN-connected Ununtu computer. I bought a new HP photosmart C4280 for the XP and installed the latest 2.8.2 HPLIP on Ubuntu. Forget it. HPLIP 2.8.2 will not allow to share the printer and earlier versions of HPLIP will not drive the C4280. I'm still struggling with the whole thing. Everything is installed properly and I can share files with the XP but not the printer. The Ubuntu refuses to acknowledge that there is any device connected to the XP and gives a BadDevice…166, Major Op Code 146 message when I try to install a new printer. The printer, by the way works, if I physically connect it to the Ubuntu computer. If anybody out there has a solution, I would sure like to know it.
When I get to test page I get error "There was an error during the CUPS operation: 'client-error-document-format-not-supported'"
I am using the generic print driver as I can't find one for a Lexmark x4250
Help!
G'day! Today I found the solution I've needed for WEEKS: who'd've believed it would be something as simple as a checkbox?! Grrr!!
This helped me, but only because it said to do something that the wizard does not really make intuitive. I was able to browse the windows network, see my pc, and see the printer share all using the wizard, and it assigned the address of smb:/workgroup/pcname/sharename (not literally, but by name. Taking from step 3 here, I edited the URL and replaced workgroup/pcname with the ip address of the pc that is sharing the printer. Voila, problem fixed. But why could I browse the network just fine when adding the printer, but then the job would never reach the printer? Is there some setup in Samaba or the network properties that I can change to allow name resolution outside of the add printer wizard?