Windows can see Ubuntu Server printer, but can't print to it

Question

I have an old desktop that I'm trying to set up as a home backup/print server. Backup was trivial, but am having issues getting the printing to work. The printer is connected to the server running Ubuntu Server 9.10 (no gui). If I access the printer via http://hostname:631/printers/, I am able to print a test page, so I know the printer is working; however, I am having no luck from Windows.

Windows can see the printer when browsed via \hostname\, but I am unable to connect. Windows says "Windows cannot connect to the printer" without indicating why.

Any suggestions?

From /etc/samba/smb.conf:

[global]
   workgroup = WORKGROUP
   dns proxy = no
   security = user
   username map = /etc/samba/smbusers
   encrypt passwords = true
   passdb backend = tdbsam
   obey pam restrictions = yes
   unix password sync = yes
   passwd program = /usr/bin/passwd %u
   passwd chat = *Enter\snew\s*\spassword:* %n\n *Retype\snew\s*\spassword:* %n\n *password\supdated\ssuccessfully* .
   pam password change = yes
   map to guest = bad user
   load printers = yes
   printing = cups
   printcap name = cups

[printers]
   comment = All Printers
   browseable = no
   path = /var/spool/samba
   writable = no
   printable = yes
   guest ok = yes
   read only = yes
   create mask = 0700

[print$]
   comment = Printer Drivers
   path = /var/lib/samba/printers
   browseable = yes
   read only = yes
   guest ok = yes

From /etc/cups/cupsd.conf:

LogLevel warn
SystemGroup lpadmin
Port 631
Listen /var/run/cups/cups.sock
Browsing On
BrowseOrder allow,deny
BrowseAllow all
BrowseRemoteProtocols CUPS
BrowseAddress @LOCAL
BrowseLocalProtocols CUPS dnssd
DefaultAuthType Basic
<Location />
  Order allow,deny
  Allow all
</Location>
<Location /admin>
  Order allow,deny
  Allow all
</Location>
<Location /admin/conf>
  AuthType Default
  Require user @SYSTEM
  Order allow,deny
  Allow all
</Location>
<Policy default>
    <Limit Send-Document Send-URI Hold-Job Release-Job Restart-Job Purge-Jobs Set-Job-Attributes Create-Job-Subscription Renew-Subscription Cancel-Subscription Get-Notifications Reprocess-Job Cancel-Current-Job Suspend-Current-Job Resume-Job CUPS-Move-Job CUPS-Get-Document>
        Require user @OWNER @SYSTEM
        Order deny,allow
    </Limit>
    <Limit CUPS-Add-Modify-Printer CUPS-Delete-Printer CUPS-Add-Modify-Class CUPS-Delete-Class CUPS-Set-Default CUPS-Get-Devices>
        AuthType Default
        Require user @SYSTEM
        Order deny,allow
    </Limit>
    <Limit Pause-Printer Resume-Printer Enable-Printer Disable-Printer Pause-Printer-After-Current-Job Hold-New-Jobs Release-Held-New-Jobs Deactivate-Printer Activate-Printer Restart-Printer Shutdown-Printer Startup-Printer Promote-Job Schedule-Job-After CUPS-Accept-Jobs CUPS-Reject-Jobs>
        AuthType Default
        Require user @SYSTEM
        Order deny,allow
    </Limit>
    <Limit CUPS-Authenticate-Job>
        Require user @OWNER @SYSTEM
        Order deny,allow
    </Limit>
    <Limit All>
        Order deny,allow
    </Limit>
</Policy>
<Policy authenticated>
    <Limit Create-Job Print-Job Print-URI>
        AuthType Default
        Order deny,allow
    </Limit>
    <Limit Send-Document Send-URI Hold-Job Release-Job Restart-Job Purge-Jobs Set-Job-Attributes Create-Job-Subscription Renew-Subscription Cancel-Subscription Get-Notifications Reprocess-Job Cancel-Current-Job Suspend-Current-Job Resume-Job CUPS-Move-Job CUPS-Get-Document>
        AuthType Default
        Require user @OWNER @SYSTEM
        Order deny,allow
    </Limit>
    <Limit CUPS-Add-Modify-Printer CUPS-Delete-Printer CUPS-Add-Modify-Class CUPS-Delete-Class CUPS-Set-Default>
        AuthType Default
        Require user @SYSTEM
        Order deny,allow
    </Limit>
    <Limit Pause-Printer Resume-Printer Enable-Printer Disable-Printer Pause-Printer-After-Current-Job Hold-New-Jobs Release-Held-New-Jobs Deactivate-Printer Activate-Printer Restart-Printer Shutdown-Printer Startup-Printer Promote-Job Schedule-Job-After CUPS-Accept-Jobs CUPS-Reject-Jobs>
        AuthType Default
        Require user @SYSTEM
        Order deny,allow
    </Limit>
    <Limit Cancel-Job CUPS-Authenticate-Job>
        AuthType Default
        Require user @OWNER @SYSTEM
        Order deny,allow
    </Limit>
    <Limit All>
        Order deny,allow
    </Limit>
</Policy>

Solution 1

You need to add a guest user to the samba password database. Usually it is done by mapping guest in samba configuration files to a UNIX existing user; give that user printing rights via groups; then you should be able to access the printer via the \\server\ URI.

You can try also connecting to the server by supplying a username (i.e. administrator) when adding a network drive.

Solution 2

When printing from Windows to a CUPS server, I found it more reliable to use IPP (Internet Printing Protocol) rather than SMB.

In Windows, when adding a new printer, choose "Network Printer", then "Connect to printer on the Internet or your intranet".

When it asks for printer URL, input http :// hostname:631/printers/printername (remove spaces from this URL, I've added them due to Superuser.com's hyperlink count limit for new users).

Then proceed as usual.

See also this 3-part howto for setting up the CUPS server, printer drivers and Windows client:

http://www.howtoforge.com/ipp_based_print_server_cups

Comments

[Michael Moussa]

I did not upgrade to 9.10. It was a fresh install of 9.10. The 9.04 instructions don't really help because they assume I'm running Ubuntu Desktop, which I'm not. I'm running Ubuntu Server, so no GUI

[quack quixote]

i've got an ubuntu system whose default smb.conf uses create mask = 0700 in the printers share definition, so i'd assume that setting is sane.

[polson136]

Thing is, windows is dog slow when it comes to IPP.

[Blaine]

terribly sorry to resurrect an old post, but I have this exact problem and can't figure out what your answer means. I'd love it if you could explain on my new post superuser.com/questions/1081542/…

[lorenzog]

@Blaine wow that was a long time ago :) Seems like the (only) answer to your question is correct: you need to add a new user. I'll comment over there.