Can't use network printer via samba, how to debug the problem?

Question

I've got a network printer available through samba and I'd like to use it from my Ubuntu 14.04. Unfortunately simply adding it through Printers is not enough. If I try to use it it says: Connection failed: NT_STATUS_UNSUCCESSFUL and then Unable to connect to CIFS host, will retry in 60 seconds...

How can I debug these things and learn the reason it doesn't work?

/var/log/cups/error_log

E [23/Jul/2014:13:58:41 +0200] [Job 5] Connection failed: NT_STATUS_UNSUCCESSFUL
E [23/Jul/2014:13:58:42 +0200] [Job 5] Connection failed: NT_STATUS_UNSUCCESSFUL
E [23/Jul/2014:13:58:43 +0200] [Job 5] Connection failed: NT_STATUS_UNSUCCESSFUL
E [23/Jul/2014:13:58:43 +0200] [Job 5] Unable to connect to CIFS host, will retry in 60 seconds...
E [23/Jul/2014:13:59:44 +0200] [Job 5] Connection failed: NT_STATUS_UNSUCCESSFUL
E [23/Jul/2014:13:59:45 +0200] [Job 5] Connection failed: NT_STATUS_UNSUCCESSFUL
E [23/Jul/2014:13:59:46 +0200] [Job 5] Connection failed: NT_STATUS_UNSUCCESSFUL
E [23/Jul/2014:13:59:46 +0200] [Job 5] Unable to connect to CIFS host, will retry in 60 seconds...
E [23/Jul/2014:14:00:47 +0200] [Job 5] Connection failed: NT_STATUS_UNSUCCESSFUL
E [23/Jul/2014:14:00:48 +0200] [Job 5] Connection failed: NT_STATUS_UNSUCCESSFUL
E [23/Jul/2014:14:00:49 +0200] [Job 5] Connection failed: NT_STATUS_UNSUCCESSFUL
E [23/Jul/2014:14:00:49 +0200] [Job 5] Unable to connect to CIFS host, will retry in 60 seconds...

Solution 1

Maybe it will be helpful for someone.

I encountered the same problem on Ubuntu 14.04. Steps below solved it for me:

• remove printer added via System Settings->Printers
• open localhost:631 in the browser
• go to Administration tab, click Add Printer button and follow the instructions

I don't know why, but only after adding printer in such way it works for me and for my colleagues.

Solution 2

I solved this by modifying the printer Device URI to include the username and password, in the format:

smb://username:[email protected]/printer

(to change this, go to System settings > Printers, then right-click on the printer icon)

Comments

[jmon12]

Note that if you have to put a domain, you can enter it as follows: smb://domain\username:password@...