Access a shared printer

I don't know much about Mac printer sharing but understand it uses CUPS - so should be vaugely similar to Linux.

What settings do you have for the printer in Ubuntu? What protocol are you using for example? Under Windows (assuming they are clients to the same printer) how do you connect (ipp for example?).

Hi Alan, thanks for the reply! I not a real guru so I hope this explanation helps. Only way I could even find the printer in Ubuntu was to use windows networking (samba?) I have all my computers in the same workgroup and all my computers can see and share files, except the Ubuntu.

I would recommend setting up samba (windows networking) and sharing your printer, Mac openly supports windows networking(samba) so that they dont lose customers, this comes to our advantage :)

Oh and this may seem silly but whenever i start my computer i need to manually start CUPS (the printing service, I'm too lazy to ask how to do it automatically) and when its active, i need to go into the printing configuration and enable the printer, it disables it for some reason but after that everything works perfect.

So what I guess you are telling me is to move the printer to a windows machine and see if it will work?

Assuming you have a Mac thats relatively new, you shouldn't have to, under its printer options, just check sharing for windows network, or something similar.
you could move it to windows if you want, or even the Ubuntu if it works.

Macs Nowadays are designed to be windows friendly, and Ubuntu is designed to be windows friendly, so theres the connection to Mac.
just use Samba on the Mac to share the printer to your network.

Sorry Brian for delay:
My mac is not relatively new. It is a dual 500 mhz processor and I bought it to learn the mac world. I have my printer installed on my mac and I can access it from any of my 3 windows computers. However I cannot access it from my ubuntu computer. From my ubuntu computer I can see all my windows machines. However I cannot access my ubuntu computer from any windows machine. I can access my windows machines from my ubuntu machine. I don't know what else to do?
Thanks,
Bruce

could you open up a terminal (from the ubuntu computer) and type:
gedit /etc/samba/smb.conf

this will open up a text editor with your networking information, could you paste all of it here? i know, its long, but i need all of it.

Ok Sir, here it is: Thanks again for your precious time as I know mine sure is!

#
# Sample configuration file for the Samba suite for Debian GNU/Linux.
#
#
# This is the main Samba configuration file. You should read the
# smb.conf(5) manual page in order to understand the options listed
# here. Samba has a huge number of configurable options most of which
# are not shown in this example
#
# Any line which starts with a ; (semi-colon) or a # (hash)
# is a comment and is ignored. In this example we will use a #
# for commentary and a ; for parts of the config file that you
# may wish to enable
#
# NOTE: Whenever you modify this file you should run the command
# "testparm" to check that you have not made any basic syntactic
# errors.
#

#======================= Global Settings =======================

[global]

## Browsing/Identification ###

# Change this to the workgroup/NT-domain name your Samba server will part of
   workgroup = WORKGROUP

# server string is the equivalent of the NT Description field
   server string = %h server (Samba, Ubuntu)

# Windows Internet Name Serving Support Section:
# WINS Support - Tells the NMBD component of Samba to enable its WINS Server
; wins support = no

# WINS Server - Tells the NMBD components of Samba to be a WINS Client
# Note: Samba can be either a WINS Server, or a WINS Client, but NOT both
; wins server = w.x.y.z

# This will prevent nmbd to search for NetBIOS names through DNS.
   dns proxy = no

# What naming service and in what order should we use to resolve host names
# to IP addresses
; name resolve order = lmhosts host wins bcast

#### Networking ####

# The specific set of interfaces / networks to bind to
# This can be either the interface name or an IP address/netmask;
# interface names are normally preferred
; interfaces = 127.0.0.0/8 eth0

# Only bind to the named interfaces and/or networks; you must use the
# 'interfaces' option above to use this.
# It is recommended that you enable this feature if your Samba machine is
# not protected by a firewall or is a firewall itself. However, this
# option cannot handle dynamic or non-broadcast interfaces correctly.
; bind interfaces only = true

#### Debugging/Accounting ####

# This tells Samba to use a separate log file for each machine
# that connects
   log file = /var/log/samba/log.%m

# Put a capping on the size of the log files (in Kb).
   max log size = 1000

# If you want Samba to only log through syslog then set the following
# parameter to 'yes'.
; syslog only = no

# We want Samba to log a minimum amount of information to syslog. Everything
# should go to /var/log/samba/log.{smbd,nmbd} instead. If you want to log
# through syslog you should set the following parameter to something higher.
   syslog = 0

# Do something sensible when Samba crashes: mail the admin a backtrace
   panic action = /usr/share/samba/panic-action %d

####### Authentication #######

# "security = user" is always a good idea. This will require a Unix account
# in this server for every user accessing the server. See
# /usr/share/doc/samba-doc/htmldocs/Samba3-HOWTO/ServerType.html
# in the samba-doc package for details.
; security = user

# You may wish to use password encryption. See the section on
# 'encrypt passwords' in the smb.conf(5) manpage before enabling.
   encrypt passwords = true

# If you are using encrypted passwords, Samba will need to know what
# password database type you are using.
   passdb backend = tdbsam

   obey pam restrictions = yes

; guest account = nobody
   invalid users = root

# This boolean parameter controls whether Samba attempts to sync the Unix
# password with the SMB password when the encrypted SMB password in the
# passdb is changed.
; unix password sync = no

# For Unix password sync to work on a Debian GNU/Linux system, the following
# parameters must be set (thanks to Ian Kahan <<email address hidden> for
# sending the correct chat script for the passwd program in Debian Sarge).
   passwd program = /usr/bin/passwd %u
   passwd chat = *Enter\snew\sUNIX\spassword:* %n\n *Retype\snew\sUNIX\spassword:* %n\n *passwd:*password\supdated\ssuccessfully* .

# This boolean controls whether PAM will be used for password changes
# when requested by an SMB client instead of the program listed in
# 'passwd program'. The default is 'no'.
; pam password change = no

########## Domains ###########

# Is this machine able to authenticate users. Both PDC and BDC
# must have this setting enabled. If you are the BDC you must
# change the 'domain master' setting to no
#
; domain logons = yes
#
# The following setting only takes effect if 'domain logons' is set
# It specifies the location of the user's profile directory
# from the client point of view)
# The following required a [profiles] share to be setup on the
# samba server (see below)
; logon path = \\%N\profiles\%U
# Another common choice is storing the profile in the user's home directory
; logon path = \\%N\%U\profile

# The following setting only takes effect if 'domain logons' is set
# It specifies the location of a user's home directory (from the client
# point of view)
; logon drive = H:
; logon home = \\%N\%U

# The following setting only takes effect if 'domain logons' is set
# It specifies the script to run during logon. The script must be stored
# in the [netlogon] share
# NOTE: Must be store in 'DOS' file format convention
; logon script = logon.cmd

# This allows Unix users to be created on the domain controller via the SAMR
# RPC pipe. The example command creates a user account with a disabled Unix
# password; please adapt to your needs
; add user script = /usr/sbin/adduser --quiet --disabled-password --gecos "" %u

########## Printing ##########

# If you want to automatically load your printer list rather
# than setting them up individually then you'll need this
; load printers = yes

# lpr(ng) printing. You may wish to override the location of the
# printcap file
; printing = bsd
; printcap name = /etc/printcap

# CUPS printing. See also the cupsaddsmb(8) manpage in the
# cupsys-client package.
; printing = cups
; printcap name = cups

# When using [print$], root is implicitly a 'printer admin', but you can
# also give this right to other users to add drivers and set printer
# properties
; printer admin = @lpadmin

############ Misc ############

# Using the following line enables you to customise your configuration
# on a per machine basis. The %m gets replaced with the netbios name
# of the machine that is connecting
; include = /home/samba/etc/smb.conf.%m

# Most people will find that this option gives better performance.
# See smb.conf(5) and /usr/share/doc/samba-doc/htmldocs/Samba3-HOWTO/speed.html
# for details
# You may want to add the following on a Linux system:
# SO_RCVBUF=8192 SO_SNDBUF=8192
   socket options = TCP_NODELAY

# The following parameter is useful only if you have the linpopup package
# installed. The samba maintainer and the linpopup maintainer are
# working to ease installation and configuration of linpopup and samba.
; message command = /bin/sh -c '/usr/bin/linpopup "%f" "%m" %s; rm %s' &

# Domain Master specifies Samba to be the Domain Master Browser. If this
# machine will be configured as a BDC (a secondary logon server), you
# must set this to 'no'; otherwise, the default behavior is recommended.
; domain master = auto

# Some defaults for winbind (make sure you're not using the ranges
# for something else.)
; idmap uid = 10000-20000
; idmap gid = 10000-20000
; template shell = /bin/bash
;
; The following was the default behaviour in sarge
; but samba upstream reverted the default because it might induce
; performance issues in large organizations
; See #368251 for some of the consequences of *not* having
; this setting and smb.conf(5) for all details
;
; winbind enum groups = yes
; winbind enum users = yes

#======================= Share Definitions =======================

# Un-comment the following (and tweak the other settings below to suit)
# to enable the default home directory shares. This will share each
# user's home directory as \\server\username
;[homes]
; comment = Home Directories
; browseable = no

# By default, \\server\username shares can be connected to by anyone
# with access to the samba server. Un-comment the following parameter
# to make sure that only "username" can connect to \\server\username
# This might need tweaking when using external authentication schemes
; valid users = %S

# By default, the home directories are exported read-only. Change next
# parameter to 'yes' if you want to be able to write to them.
; writable = no

# File creation mask is set to 0700 for security reasons. If you want to
# create files with group=rw permissions, set next parameter to 0775.
; create mask = 0700

# Directory creation mask is set to 0700 for security reasons. If you want to
# create dirs. with group=rw permissions, set next parameter to 0775.
; directory mask = 0700

# Un-comment the following and create the netlogon directory for Domain Logons
# (you need to configure Samba to act as a domain controller too.)
;[netlogon]
; comment = Network Logon Service
; path = /home/samba/netlogon
; guest ok = yes
; writable = no
; share modes = no

# Un-comment the following and create the profiles directory to store
# users profiles (see the "logon path" option above)
# (you need to configure Samba to act as a domain controller too.)
# The path below should be writable by all users so that their
# profile directory may be created the first time they log on
;[profiles]
; comment = Users profiles
; path = /home/samba/profiles
; guest ok = no
; browseable = no
; create mask = 0600
; directory mask = 0700

wins support = no
[printers]
   comment = All Printers
   browseable = no
   path = /var/spool/samba
   printable = yes
   public = no
   writable = no
   create mode = 0700

# Windows clients look for this share name as a source of downloadable
# printer drivers
[print$]
   comment = Printer Drivers
   path = /var/lib/samba/printers
   browseable = yes
   read only = yes
   guest ok = no
# Uncomment to allow remote administration of Windows print drivers.
# Replace 'ntadmin' with the name of the group your admin users are
# members of.
; write list = root, @ntadmin

# A sample share for sharing your CD-ROM with others.
;[cdrom]
; comment = Samba server's CD-ROM
; writable = no
; locking = no
; path = /cdrom
; public = yes

# The next two parameters show how to auto-mount a CD-ROM when the
# cdrom share is accesed. For this to work /etc/fstab must contain
# an entry like this:
#
# /dev/scd0 /cdrom iso9660 defaults,noauto,ro,user 0 0
#
# The CD-ROM gets unmounted automatically after the connection to the
#
# If you don't want to use auto-mounting/unmounting make sure the CD
# is mounted on /cdrom
#
; preexec = /bin/mount /cdrom
; postexec = /bin/umount /cdrom

[SPARE]
path = /home/bruce

available = yes
browsable = yes
public = yes
writable = yes

I have removed the printer because it was not working but will try again if needed. Also Now I cannot access any or my windows computers. Don't know why it stopped all of a sudden!
Bruce

; wins server = w.x.y.z

a wins server is a computer(or router) that acts sortof like a database of computers on the network and the files/printers they offer.
if you have a ; in front of it, it means it disables wins you need to change it to

wins server = <the ip address of your router>

-------------------------

remove the ; in front of "name resolve order = lmhosts host wins bcast"

-------------------------

im assuming your not part of a domain, and your part of a "workgroup"
make sure that workgroup = <workgroup name> is correct

-------------------------

i noted that the printing is disabled, if you want it enabled, just reply back here and let us know.
another thing, to update this you have to make yourself root, to do so, go to the terminal and type:
sudo gedit /etc/samba/smb.conf
it will ask for you password, dont worry it wont show it
that will open up the text editor and allow you to make changes and save them (dont touch something if you dont know what it does ;)

-------------------------

and if after its detectable (your ubuntu computer) it asks you for a password before using the ubuntu computer remotely and your normal username and password doesnt work, log onto your normal account locally, and type from the terminal:
sudo smbpasswd
type in your normal password twice and then it should work.

hope this helps

if you find my answer confusing, sorry, just tell me :P
it took me 3 weeks and a 1 month incubation to get my networking working right :P

Thanks again for your help Brian but unfortunately it didn't help. I am now more concerned that I cannot even see any of my other computers on my network now from ubuntu!!! May you or someone will have a solution for me :) Thanks again for all the support out there especially for a dummie like me!

might i suggest using SWAT to configure your network sharing on your ubuntu?

SWAT is an add-on to samba,its a web interface, hosted on your computer to edit your configuration
you simply install it, (i recommend reboot), and go to:
http://127.0.0.1:901
this will connect to your own computer, and after giving the root username and password, will allow you to change config

root is the spare/moucho grande account on your computer, it has control over everything, no questions asked. this can be dangerous to your system if you dont know what your doing. for this reason, by default, the root password is blank, so no one can use it. to fix this goto:
System--->Administration--->Users And Groups
and give "root" a password

Brian, I do appreciate the help you have offered, I do. As much as I would like to move from windows to Linux, to me it is not worth all the extra effort I have put into it. I tried you suggestions and still could not get Ubuntu to see and access my other computers. I guess I'll have to wait and see if it becomes more easier in future versions! I do appreciate all the help offered and I want all to know that! However I have decided to install windows 2000 pro version on this machine so I can do what I want with it. I hope that in the future I will be able to install Linux on all my machines as I do despise Microsoft. I only hope that in the future Linux will be much, much more user friendly. Thanks to all and I do appreciate all your help and wish all the best!
Sincerely,
Bruce

Bruce,

It may end up being a firewall issue if you have installed a firewall. All of my printer sharing has gone extremely smooth, though I have never tried it with a Mac.

Also, your printer is supported fully by Linux, it might be easier to connect the printer to your Ubuntu machine and share from the Ubuntu machine to the other machines in the network. Of course that might not be an option for you. http://www.linuxprinting.org/show_printer.cgi?recnum=Brother-HL-1440

Best Regards,
Williamts99