Printers

[Don Erickson]

In article <001801c0b936$bb4d45f0$06950c0a at uhc.com> you write:
>> And now for something completely different. Has anyone set up printers for
>> sharing over the network? I haven't look at any of the HOWTO's yet, but I
>> assume it's relatively easy to do.
>
>What systems do you need to share to?  (I presume you're sharing from a
>Linux box.)  Mandrake and RedHat both have quick-config tools where you just
>answer some questions, and I'm pretty sure they can be invoked outside the
>install script (I seem to remember doing it).  You run 'em on the box that
>doesn't have the printer - the one with the printer installed shouldn't need
>anything done to it.

The only thing that the printer box will need is a line for your client
box in /etc/hosts.lpd.  This gives your client box permission to access
the printer on the printer server.  At this point you can use the
command 'rlpr -H<boxwithprinter> <filetoprint>' from your networked client
box and print remotely without setting up anything on it.  You may need to
install the rlpr package, but you won't need to install a print queue.

To print from Windows, you have to set up /etc/samba/smb.conf to offer the
printer service from the linux box, and install the remote printer on your
windows box.  

Windows print drivers are often better than Linux print drivers for some
brands of printers.  They were written by the manufacturers of the
printer, so they take full advantage of the capabilities of the printer. 
Many linux drivers convert everything into a generic postscript printer
driver.  For example, you can use HP's "draft"  mode from windows, but
you'd have to set up an entirely different printer and driver to do it
from linux. 

Regards,

-Don
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