Managing Printers and Printing in Kubuntu

This document contains information about various printing options that Kubuntu offers and other related tasks.


Printing

Most printers are supported by Kubuntu. System Settings > Printer Configuration provides the ability to add printers, modify their settings, monitor printing jobs, suspend or restart printers, and set up printer sharing.

HP Device Manager

The HP Device Manager simplifies the configuration of printers, including HP Multifunction Devices (MFDs)--printers that also copy and scan. This application should be used if there is a direct connection from the computer to the printer via USB, LPT (parallel port), or network (direct connection or JetDirect). The HP Device Manager does not work with printers on a shared network using Samba. If the printer is configured with Samba, the section called “Network Printing” is recommended.

To open the HP Device Manager, press Alt+F2. In the Run Command dialog, type printer toolbox followed by pressing the OK button or pressing the Enter key. If this is the first time opening the application, the No Installed HP Devices Found dialog will appear. Three choices will be presented: Setup Device..., CUPS Web Interface, and Close. To set up the printer, select the Setup Device... button. When prompted for a password, enter the correct password and then press the OK button. Select the option that suits the printer configuration and complete the setup. The HP Device Manager has the ability to automatically detect any attached devices, or to scan a network for any compatible devices.

For more information on the HP Device Manager, install the hplip-docs package. Please refer to the Adding Applications documentation for more information on installing extra applications. Once the hplip-docs are installed, they can be accessed by going to HelpContents... or browsing to file:///usr/share/doc/hplip-doc/HTML/index.html.

Local Printing

A local printer is one that is directly attached to the computer (network printers are discussed in the following section). To set up a new local printer:

  1. Determine the model name of the printer and ensure the printer is powered on.

  2. Choose Kickoff Application LauncherSystem Settings and select Printer Configuration to open the system-settings-config-printers system dialog.

  3. Choose AddAdd Printer/Class...

  4. The printer should be detected automatically. If so, click Next > and then Finish.

  5. To finish, enter a description and location for the printer.

Some printers may need further set up steps. If the printer was not automatically detected, try to select the port and printer driver manually. Search the databases at LinuxPrinting.org or check the Kubuntu Wiki's Printer Page for possible information on the printer.

Network Printing

Kubuntu can be configured to send print jobs to a remote print server. Remote printers are attached through a network. To configure a remote printer:

  1. Determine the model name of the printer and ensure the printer is powered on.

  2. Choose Kickoff Application LauncherSystem Settings and select Printer Configuration to open the system-settings-config-printers system dialog.

  3. Choose New PrinterNew Printer Class

  4. At the Introduction dialog, press the Next > button.

  5. At the Backend Selection dialog, select the type of remote connection you wish to use and press the Next > button.

  6. At the User Identification dialog, select the type of authentication that is used by either the remote printer or the system that is sharing the remote printer. TIP: if there is a question, try Anonymous (no login/password) and press the Next >. If this fails, try with Guest account (login="guest").

  7. At the Printer Settings dialog, press the Scan button. If there are any authentication errors, press the < Back button and try the previous step with a different authentication setting. If all goes well, select the remote printer and press Next >.

  8. After KDE builds the driver database, the Printer Model Selection dialog will appear with a list with Manufacturer and Model information. Locate the printer, highlight the corresponding drivers, and press Next >. If no information pertaining to the printer is found, please search the databases at LinuxPrinting.org or check the Kubuntu Wiki's Printer Page for possible information on the printer.

  9. For this step, there are two possible choices concerning the dialog. If the drivers were set up automatically, then the Printer Test dialog will appear. If the drivers weren't automatically setup, then the Driver Selection dialog will be displayed.

    1. At the Printer Test dialog, do a testprint to verify the operation of the printer or move on. When complete, press the Next > button.

    2. At the Driver Selection dialog, there will be a prompt to select an appropriate driver. If there is a [recommended] driver, select this printer and press Next >. If there isn't a recommended driver, try each driver to find one that is suitable for your printer.

  10. At the Banner Selection dialog, select the default Starting and Ending banners. When complete, press Next >.

  11. At the Printer Quota Settings dialog, set the size of the quota to be enabled for the printer. This is the maximum file size or maximum number of pages that will be allowed at any one time. When complete, press Next >.

  12. At the User Access Settings dialog, access rules can be set for users or groups. When complete, press Next >.

  13. At the General Information dialog, insert at least one Name for the printer. When complete, press Next >.

  14. Confirmation is the final dialog presented. Verify that the information is correct, and press Finish to complete the installation.

Samba Print Server

Samba is commonly used to configure printer sharing, installed locally or over the network, on a Ubuntu server. Similar to Samba-fileserver, this section will show how to configure Samba to allow any client on the local network to use the installed printers without prompting for a username and password.

For a more secure configuration, see Samba-fileprint-security

Installation

Before installing and configuring Samba, it is best to have a working CUPS installation. See the wiki for details.

To install the samba package, from a terminal enter:

sudo apt-get install samba

Configuration

After installing samba, edit /etc/samba/smb.conf. Change the workgroup attribute to what is appropriate for the network, and change security to share:

workgroup = EXAMPLE
...
security = user

In the [printers] section, change the guest ok option to yes:

browsable = yes
guest ok = yes

After editing smb.conf, restart Samba:

sudo /etc/init.d/samba restart

The default Samba configuration will automatically share any printers installed. Simply install printers locally on the Windows clients.

Resources

Testing a Printer

  1. Select Printers from Kickoff Application LauncherComputerSystem Settings.

  2. Right click the printer to be test and select Test Printer...

  3. At the Warning dialog, press the Print Test Page button.

Sharing a Printer

  1. Select Printers from Kickoff Application LauncherComputerSystem Settings.

  2. Highlight or select the printer to be shared.

  3. Once highlighted, go to Print ServerShare Printers on Local Network.

  4. At the Share Printers on Local Network dialog, press the Enable Sharing button.

  5. At the Run as root - KDE su dialog, enter the proper password and press the OK button.